Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 15
15
Accepted
Department prioritises balancing outcomes and costs through testing service improvements for claimants.
Recommendation
We asked the Department whether it considered its existing performance indicators and metrics were adequate to ensure that it achieved the time and cost reductions, and increased satisfaction among claimants, intended for the Programme. The Department told us that it was seeking to provide the “best balance between outcomes and costs” through its testing to determine which service improvements to scale up. For example, the Department explained that its testing approach required some sophistication in order to consider when to best introduce case managers into the application process to achieve the right outcome.27
Government Response Summary
The government agrees and commits to updating and publishing the Health Transformation Programme business case by Spring 2024, which will detail costs and benefits and outline how programme benefits will be tracked using administrative data analysis and research.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Target implementation date: Spring 2024 2.2 The Department for Work and Pensions (the department) is updating the Health Transformation Programme (HTP) business case, based on the approved Programme scope at November 2023. This business case is based on delivery of the HTP in line with the current programme plan, as well as the costs and benefits of the transformed Personal Independence Payments (PIP) end-to-end journey, including Apply for PIP. 2.3 The Programme’s benefits, as outlined in the business case, will be tracked by the department using a combination of administrative data analysis, and both qualitative and quantitative research, as set out in the Programme’s Evaluation Strategy (published in May 2023). 2.4 The department will publish a summary of the business case following the receipt of the necessary internal and cross-government clearances, which the department expects to receive by Spring 2024. The department will also publish a summary of its Accounting Officer Assessment alongside this.