The Minister for the Cabinet Office takes the lead on the Modernising Government programme, reporting to the Prime Minister. They are directly supported by the Minster of State at the Cabinet Office.

Within the Cabinet Office, work on Modernising Government is taken forward in four main work-streams, that encapsulate the five main commitments of the Modernising Government white paper (improved policy making, more responsive services and higher quality services (incorporated into one work-stream), and modern public sector management.

The purpose is to ensure that the public gets better services better results, from policies that are inclusive and evidence based. One of the particular aims of modernising government is to ensure cross-governmental ("joined-up") solutions to problems – that tackle causes not symptoms. This is a major change management programme and also incorporates the harnessing of new technologies and staff management issues to improve job satisfaction for the public sector.

You should take this up direct with the service or department concerned. Every Department and Agency has a complaints procedure and you should ask for the leaflet and to have it explained to you.

If you are dissatisfied with their response, many organisations now have independent adjudicators or mediators.  If you are still not satisfied, they will be able to advise you how you might seek to have the matter looked into by an Ombudsman.

We wanted to produce a readable report, rather than try to list every single achievement. However, the report is complemented  by a more formal account of progress on this website.  If you have any other examples you think we should consider including in future publications, please contact us.

We want to ensure that relevant citizen’s services are better co-ordinated (joined up). Somebody with a problem should not have to visit or telephone several government offices to find a solution. Good examples of joined up government are one-stop benefit or housing shops that are being introduced in many high-streets.

A list of targets and achievements is available on this website  and is regularly updated. It is too long to be included in the published report.

We are making great strides with the online delivery of services, such as the DfEE’s website to allow parents to apply to schools for their children on-line, and NHS Direct’s online services. In every instance on-line services complement more traditional methods of accessing government services and do not replace them.

We have a people’s panel, a representative sample of 5000 members of the public who give feedback on existing services and advice on how to improve them. There are also well-established public consultations that take place between Government Departments and local Councils and the public. We have also introduced a Code of Practice on such consultations and this includes suggestions on new ways of listening to the public.

One of the aims of the modernisation programme is to streamline services and divert resources into the places where they are most urgently needed. This means that in some areas a joined-up approach will actually save money, and in other areas we are investing in services to improve the service delivery. Money spent on modernising services is an investment that will improve the quality of life for the public, and for the people in the public sector.