McCARTNEY FIRES UP MERSEYSIDE’S
‘WORLD FIRST’
Cabinet Office Minister Ian McCartney today praised a pioneering
Modernising Government project run by Merseyside firefighters which is
transforming services to customers with new ideas and the latest
technology.
He was at Bootle/Netherton community fire station to launch
"Fire Service Direct" - described by local firefighters as a
"world first" - which combines telesales techniques and latest
technology in a proactive bid to help cut domestic fires on Merseyside
by one-third.
The Merseyside Fire Service initiative includes cold calling on fire
safety issues, free installation of smoke alarms and checks on fire
safety in the home.
He was also shown a "firefighter kiosk" which is being
deployed to fast food outlets and elsewhere, giving members of the
public the chance to book fire safety home visits and to access a wide
range of information from a touch screen.
Mr McCartney, who was on the latest in a series of visits by
Ministers to see the frontline delivery of public services and get
feedback from customers, said: "I was very impressed with the new
ways of working being introduced by Merseyside Fire Service and their
innovative approach to delivering new services. These new approaches
have already made a real difference to the lives of many people.
"Modernising is all about empowering workers, improving services
for users, restoring confidence in public services and public service.
"Too often the changes that have brought about real improvements
remain little known or celebrated. We are determined to celebrate these
successes. They deserve recognition and in this way we can encourage
them to be more widely adopted, helping those with new ideas to put them
into practice."
He said the key to a successful Modernising Government programme was
a public service ethos.
"This must be integral to our strategy. The workforce is the
most important asset of the public sector, and there is a real need to
invest in staff and to meet the challenges of technology by building on
their skills.
"There are a number of reasons why the modernisation programme
must succeed. There is a need for every organisation to improve
continuously and there is a growing demand from citizens to be treated
as customers and to get the results they need."
Mr McCartney said the vision for modernisation applied to all parts
of the public sector – the NHS, schools, prisons, the Forces, local
authorities, agencies and central government departments.
"It means joining up. Good government need not be big
government. Rather, it is about working in partnership with town halls,
unions and the private and voluntary sectors to deliver the best
possible services. It is about working together in ways that haven’t
happened before. It’s not about dogma, it’s about what works.
"We’ve made a good start, but it is a long-term programme, not
about quick wins. There will always be more to do.
"Only by working together will we succeed in our ultimate goals
of giving a better service to the citizen and to get more job
satisfaction."
