Recommendations & Conclusions
22 items
2
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
There are examples of innovation happening across government but more needs to be done to harness the ideas of the 290,000 members of the ODP for improving service delivery. There are 23 examples of innovation in the NAO’s report, which show it is possible for teams working across government to …
Government response. The Profession will continue to use existing Heads of Profession forums to discuss and share best practice on driving continuous improvement, building capability, and promoting learning and participation in initiatives. Work is also underway to introduce service standards to enable …
HM Treasury
3
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
The ODP is not doing enough to join up with the wider public sector, including local government, which plays a large part in the delivery of public services, or with the private sector. The ODP’s focus is on the 290,000 members in the Civil Service and not on the capability …
Government response. The Profession is actively sharing its professional frameworks, promoting collaboration through events and programmes, and collaborating on initiatives like the new operational delivery apprenticeship with the wider public sector. It is also facilitating public and private sector engagement through partnerships …
HM Treasury
4
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
There are gaps in core operational delivery capabilities in government organisations which impact on the cost and quality of services it delivers. Operational capability across government is varied and weaknesses have real consequences for citizens. For example, where a department lacks the capability to understand and deal with demand, the …
Government response. The Profession will carefully measure the impact of its products and services, developing specific metrics to monitor progress against its strategy. Initial measures will be baselined by September 2026 and continuously monitored throughout the strategy's lifecycle.
HM Treasury
5
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
It is vital that the ODP keeps pace with advances in new technology and artificial intelligence and the implications for the changing skills its members need. The ODP has created a skills framework, which sets out the skills that staff need at different stages of their careers. However, the capabilities …
Government response. The Profession is engaging with the Government Digital and Data Profession and conducting a workforce challenges study to identify future digital and AI skills needs. It committed to regularly updating its Professional Skills Framework, learning curriculum, and senior leadership programmes …
HM Treasury
6
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
The Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) is a valuable resource but should be there for genuine need and not as a containment for the lack of operational capability needed to deal with demand that should have been predicted or absorbed. The capability to understand and deal with demand is …
Government response. The Surge and Rapid Response Team (SRRT) already holds detailed data on organisations and regularly collaborates with workforce planners to understand demand needs and help build departments' operational capability. SRRT will continue to work with departments, sharing learning to ensure …
HM Treasury
1
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
On the basis of a report by the Comptroller and Auditor General, we took evidence from the UK civil service’s ‘Operational Delivery Profession’ (ODP), and two of its departmental Heads of Profession, on how it is helping departments build the capabilities needed to deliver smarter services.1
Government response. The Profession committed to raising its profile and promoting operational delivery roles by tracking Fast Stream and apprenticeship applications, targeted marketing, increasing senior talent recruitment from the private sector, and encouraging departmental outreach programmes. It will also focus on regional …
HM Treasury
7
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We asked why operational capability is so important for government. The ODP told us about the important roles its members have in serving citizens, such as in jobcentres, the Passport Office and dealing with planning applications. The ODP explained that the getting the right capability at all levels, from front …
Government response. The government agrees with the committee's conclusion, stating that the recommendation is implemented. They highlight ongoing efforts like sponsoring PAS to provide expert support and resources to local planning authorities and regular engagement through the Chief Planner's Newsletter.
HM Treasury
8
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We asked about the status and profile of the Profession, observing that it was the first time the Head of ODP had appeared before the Committee in this capacity, and that the ODP seemed to have a very low profile. We queried whether, given the important role that the ODP …
Government response. The ODP agreed to raise the external profile of operational delivery as a desirable career path, particularly for students, by publishing an annual report and tracking application numbers by September 2026. They also will focus on regional activity, schools outreach, …
HM Treasury
9
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We asked about whether better visibility could encourage more young people to join the Profession. The ODP agreed that it should be talking more about the career opportunities that are available, such as through the Operational Delivery Fast Stream programme for graduates.13 The role of the ODP’s members in improving …
Government response. The ODP will promote operational delivery roles, track application numbers of the ODP Fast Stream, make recommendations to departments for all ODP role recruitment packs, increase focus on regional activity, and include metrics in the annual business plan to assess …
HM Treasury
10
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
There are 23 examples of innovation in the NAO’s report, which show it is possible for teams working across government to continuously improve and be innovative–even in adverse circumstances where operational delivery is highly challenging.14 Ensuing that everyone can contribute will ensure that government’s understanding of its problems and ideas …
Government response. The ODP will measure take-up of resources used to engage staff in improving services and use existing HoP forums to discuss and share best practice relating to driving continuous improvement activity and building operational delivery capability by September 2026.
HM Treasury
12
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
The Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office told us about the need to build structures that allow ideas to flow and give people time outside of their day job. He told us about HM Passport Office’s continuous improvement team and their role in addressing pain points for customers. …
Government response. The ODP agreed to require all Departmental Heads of Profession to set out how they will ensure that their staff have the time, skills, tools and support to raise ideas, learn from each other, and get involved with improving services …
HM Treasury
14
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We asked about the importance of taking a whole system approach to service delivery. The Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office described how his organisation has to work closely with four private sector partners to ensure the end-to-end process always delivers what is best for the customer.21 The …
Government response. The ODP agreed to encourage innovation and join up delivery between central and local government and the private sector. This will include placing members in local government roles, using capability development and learning offers, providing career paths, sharing learning, facilitating …
HM Treasury
15
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We asked several questions which explored how the ODP works with local government, given that local authority staff are not its members. The Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office described some of the challenges created by the very different operating models, environments and customer sets across the country.23 …
Government response. The ODP agreed to encourage innovation and join up delivery between central and local government and the private sector. This will include placing members in local government roles, using capability development and learning offers, providing career paths, sharing learning, facilitating …
HM Treasury
19
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
The ODP acknowledged that improving capability across government is crucial to delivering better services.36 Its approach to doing so, as set out in its strategy for 2025–28, includes interventions such as a professional skills framework for generic operational capabilities, apprenticeship schemes, qualifications, and targeted training for senior leaders.37
Government response. The Profession agrees and will monitor the impact of its strategy, using the ODP Professional Skills Framework (PSF) and working with departments to identify measures to reflect the impact and effectiveness of profession deliverables, including cost avoidance and the development …
HM Treasury
20
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We asked how the ODP will know if this approach has been successful. The ODP told us that while it believed that investing in capability would deliver better customer service, and that customer satisfaction is a good measure, demonstrating causality was more challenging. The ODP is looking at developing metrics …
Government response. The ODP will carefully measure the impact of all ODP products and services, work with cross-government partners and consider academic sources in identifying measures, consider a range of measures and indicators including cost avoidance, and develop common methodologies to measure …
HM Treasury
22
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
The ODP has created a professional skills framework, which sets out the sorts of skills that staff need at different stages of their careers.40 It feels that this framework will be critical to the success of its strategy.41 However, the capabilities and expertise that its members need are changing and …
Government response. The ODP will partner with the Government Digital and Data Profession and other stakeholders to understand and impact emerging technologies, use the research to identify future skills needs, and regularly update the Professional Skills Framework by December 2026.
HM Treasury
23
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
Improved digital capability can lead to reduced costs and better services for users. For example, automating straightforward types of demand can increase efficiency, and also enable operational delivery staff to spend more time dealing with customers with more complex needs, or who cannot access digital services.43 There are examples in …
Government response. The Profession agrees and will partner with stakeholders to understand emerging technologies, explore future skills needs, and regularly update the Professional Skills Framework, learning curriculum, and senior leadership programmes to reflect new skills and encourage cross-government and AI initiatives.
HM Treasury
25
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
Witnesses described the importance of bringing together operational and digital capabilities–for example, by doing work to make a process efficient before bringing in digital tools, such as AI.47 The ODP also described how it was working with the Government Digital Service (GDS) to facilitate this, both in terms of helping …
Government response. The ODP agreed to work with the Government Digital and Data Profession to define the digital skills that ODP professionals require, and include them in the new skills framework by December 2026. They will also partner with key stakeholders and …
HM Treasury
26
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
Government needs to know that its services can adapt to peaks and troughs in demand and still meet user expectations. It is important to have the resilience to meet expected variations in demand as well as to respond to unexpected changes in demand. If organisations do not have this capability, …
Government response. The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
HM Treasury
27
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We asked about how departments were making use of the SRRT. The ODP explained how the SRRT helps to deal with seasonal peaks in demand, such as Winter Fuel payments, as well as with emerging crises, such as the collapse of an airline, prioritised based on greatest need.51 Further examples …
Government response. The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
HM Treasury
28
Recommendation
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
We were told by the Departmental Head of Profession for the Home Office that a benefit of using the SRRT is that its staff can start straight away–for example, they are already security cleared, and can move around the world at short notice.53 We were also told that recruiting staff …
Government response. The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
HM Treasury
29
Conclusion
48th Report - Smarter delivery of publi…
Accepted
The ODP told us that the seasonality in demand in some departments meant that they would be repeatedly using SRRT.56 We asked about whether departments were in fact using SRRT as a “get-out” clause, building it into their capability plans, rather than becoming more agile at dealing with their own …
Government response. The SRRT holds detailed data and collaborates with workforce planners, ranks requests for SRRT support, and works with departments to share learning to ensure effective workforce planning.
HM Treasury