Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 17
17
Acknowledged
ODP recognises opportunities for learning and interplay with the private sector.
Recommendation
We asked about how well connected ODP was to the private sector. The ODP told us that there were opportunities to learn from the private sector about how to innovate in the delivery of public services, and said its Senior Community of Practice events enable the ODP to draw on insights and challenge from private sector thought leaders.30 The Head of ODP also reflected on the value he had personally got out of a private sector secondment in terms of learning about different ways of working, as well as on the potential for more such interplay.31 23 Q 42 24 Qq 33, 39, 41 25 Qq 32, 37; C&AG’s Report, Figure 5 26 Qq 37, 42 27 Q 42 28 Qq 36, 42, 61, 63 29 Qq 32-33, 43 30 Q 54 31 Q 64 11 2 Improving government’s operational capability Building the right capabilities
Government Response Summary
The Profession agrees with the Committee’s recommendation and is actively working with the wider public sector by sharing relevant elements of the profession offer, and has explored and identified opportunities to increase public and private sector engagement, by working with the Whitehall and Industry Group (WIG) and departments will be encouraged to engage in programmes such as GovXchange.
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
3. PAC conclusion: 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. 3. PAC recommendation: The ODP should set out how it will encourage innovation and join up delivery between: • central government and local government, by more routinely placing members in local government roles, using its capability development and learning offers to facilitate better connections, providing career paths, and sharing learning; and • central government and the private sector through facilitating two-way secondment opportunities and knowledge sharing. 3.1 The Profession agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 3.2 The Profession is now actively working with the wider public sector, including local government, by sharing relevant elements of the profession offer, including the Professional Skills Framework and access to the Centre of Excellence. 3.3 The Profession will continue to promote development and collaboration opportunities through events such as ODP roadshows and the Senior Community of Practice (SCoP), where learning is drawn from across government, the wider public sector, and private sector organisations. 3.4 The Profession will continue to invite wider public sector colleagues, including those from local government, to participate in the OpDel Excel programme for Director and Deputy Director-level colleagues. It will also continue to collaborate with the wider public sector on aspects of the profession offer, such as the recent collaboration with local government to co- design the new operational delivery apprenticeship. 3.5 The Profession has explored and identified opportunities to increase public and private sector engagement, by working with the Whitehall and Industry Group (WIG) and departments will be encouraged to engage in programmes such as GovXchange, which encourages secondments between ODP colleagues and their counterparts in local government. 3.6 The Profession is also linking into departmental secondment activity and has launched an awareness and promotional campaign to highlight the benefits of loans, secondments, and 26 managed moves, particularly for Senior Civil Servants, between the civil service and the private sector.