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Online or in-line: the future of information and technology in public services

Supported by Dr Foster Intelligence and Microsoft
Publication: March 2010
Online or in-line: the future of information and technology in public services

From Twitter and Second Life, to online banking and blogging, it is no exaggeration to say that technology is transforming the way many of us live our lives.  Whilst we can readily order pizza over the internet, buy clothes and even purchase business services online, we are often limited to standing in queues or waiting on hold to speak to public services and government.

Technology opens up the capacity for information and online services to be within easy reach of citizens.  It also allows for greater dialogue between service users and providers, enhancing the potential for government to deliver more responsive, accountable and cost- effective public services. 

But there are serious concerns that need to be addressed, including privacy, data security and individual consent for data sharing.  Questions also arise about the role of central government, private firms and third sector organisations in building capacity for better use of data and information in public services.  This report addresses these challenges and sets out a range of policy options that need to be brought into the public debate.

Officials, professionals, geeks, techies, and citizen activists - Online or In-line is for you.

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What people are saying..

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Comments 1 to 2 of 2
Posted by Roz Kendall (Leeds)
14 April 2010, 3:05:07 PM
Whilst it is indisputable that IT has changed our lives (generally for the better) it certainly widens communication options, which in itself brings the related privacy, confidentiality, data security issues. It is not a sensible comparision to say we can choose, eg a pizza and clothes, over the internet but have to wait in a queue to speak to public service/health officials. In private industry, where is is spare capacity, there will always be choice. However, I am unaware that our health service has such luxury as spare capacity in any regard, (clinical /medical staff, finances, resources, buildings, to name a few). So of course we will have to wait for a service to become available, and the very idea of 'choice' , particularly in respect of care and treatment for illness, is not something normal people want to be involved with. Despite having internet access and 'performance league tables' most sick people do not want to trawl through data to find the 'best' surgeon, 'best' hospital, 'shortest' waiting list: they want a good service overall. Competition does not work properly when providing fundamental services to the population.
Posted by Rob (Birmingham)
30 April 2010, 2:19:48 PM
Roz, I agree that competition is clearly not working when it comes to public services - most people just want acceptable enough healthcare (education, police, transport etc) within easy reach. But I'm not so sure about the capacity point... digital and other technology has been used by other services (ie banking) to better manage high levels of demand. This is not always successful (offshore phone centres a particular bug bear), but - certainly in the NHS - I can't say that we have the most efficient system in place to manage said demand. You just need to look in variations of access to GPs to see this - people can wait hours, even weeks. Demand management is poor in the health service. Technology could help. We should just be careful that it makes things better for everyone.

 

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