Quality Network Schemes Task Force Survey
Summary
1. Background
The Quality Schemes survey was carried out in
May/June 1999. The objective of the survey was to gather information for the Task Force,
to assist it in considering what further guidance to issue to the public sector.
2. Responses
The survey questionnaire was distributed widely by
the Modernising Public Services Group of the Cabinet Office. A number of agencies assisted
with the distribution. These included the Confederation of Scottish Local Authorities
(COSLA), the Local Government Association and the Northern Ireland Office. A total of 549
questionnaires were returned within the timescale. The survey achieved a good rate of
return from central government department, executive agencies and local authorities. There
was a much lower rate of return from the other parts of the public sector.
The final figures are:
|
Education sector
|
14
|
|
Emergency Services sector
|
11
|
|
Central Government & Executive
Agencies sector
|
223
|
|
Law Enforcement sector
|
19
|
|
Local Authority sector
|
185
|
|
National Health Service
|
51
|
|
National Organisations
|
10
|
|
Utilities
|
05
|
|
Other Public Sector organisations
|
31
|
|
Total
|
549
|
3. The Scope of the
Survey
The survey looked at the public sector experience of
working with the major quality schemes. It began by exploring:
The organisations’ approach to quality:
Who are the stakeholders in
your Organisation?
Who leads service quality developments
in your Organisation?
How is service quality development
addressed in your Organisation’s planning processes?
Which of the following service areas
has your Organisation been working on in the last two years?
How do you survey your customers’
views about your Organisation?
How organisations had investigated the quality schemes:
Have you considered using any of these quality schemes
to help in developing your service?
If you considered using one or more of the quality
schemes, how did you find information about them?
How helpful was the published information on the
quality schemes?
Did you have any particular problems in understanding
the relationship between the quality schemes?
How far do you agree or disagree with these statements:
 |
It was easy to see the strengths of each quality
scheme |
|
It was easy to see where the quality schemes
overlap |
|
It was easy to see how the quality schemes relate
to each other |
|
It was easy to compare the quality schemes |
|
It was easy to see which quality scheme would be
most useful to our Organisation |
|
It was easy to decide which quality scheme to
select |
Which of these quality schemes are you now using?
The organisations’ future needs:
How do you rate the importance of these elements to
your future service development?
|
Test/improve service quality against an external
standard |
|
Establish a framework for service development |
|
Streamline processes and procedure |
|
Use diagnostic tools, manuals to guide service
evaluation |
|
Challenge the existing organisational culture |
|
Achieve external accreditation |
Do you think that quality schemes are the best way
forward to help you improve service delivery?
|
How helpful would any of these products/guidance
initiatives be to you? |
|
More mapping to show the relationships between the
main quality schemes |
|
A general diagnostic framework to help you select
the most appropriate scheme for your needs |
|
More co-ordination between the quality schemes |
|
Clearer links between the quality schemes and best
value |
|
More information about certification bodies |
|
Training in self assessment |
Tell us about your use of Information Technology
|
Your Organisation has e-mail facilities |
|
Your Organisation has an intranet |
|
Your Organisation has access to the Internet |
|
Your Organisation has its own website |
|
Your Organisation uses the Internet to communicate
with its customers |
How would you like to receive information from the
quality schemes/Modernising Public Services Group in the future
|
paper copies |
|
e-mail |
| via the Internet |
4. The Results of the Survey
A summary of survey responses is given below:
The organisations’ approach to quality:
Who are the
stakeholders in your Organisation?
| The staff |
92% |
| Citizens/Taxpayers |
90% |
| Clients/Customers |
90% |
| Central Government |
84% |
| Governors/Board of Management |
53% |
| Councillors |
47% |
| Shareholders |
02% |
| Others |
17% |
Who leads service
quality developments in your Organisation?
| Corporate Policy Unit |
25% |
| No one |
25% |
| Quality Manager/Quality Unit |
20% |
| Human Resources Department |
07% |
| Customer Service Manager |
06% |
| Best Value Manager/Unit |
04.5% |
| Clinical Standards Manager |
01% |
| Other |
28% |
How is service quality development addressed in your Organisation’s planning processes?
| Standards and Targets are set |
76% |
| Departmental Business Plans |
75% |
| Corporate Strategy/Business Plan |
72% |
| Service Reviews and VFM studies |
49% |
| Corporate Quality Plan |
34% |
| Customer Care Plan |
21% |
| Clinical Audits |
17% |
| Other |
11% |
Which of the following
service areas has your organisation been working on in the last two years?
| Carrying out user surveys |
88% |
| Defining service standards and
targets |
88% |
| Improving information for customers |
85% |
| Leadership/improving communication |
81% |
| Complaints/comments schemes |
79% |
| Streamlining processes and procedures |
78% |
| Defining/reviewing service policies |
71% |
| Improving Value for Money |
71% |
| Customer care training |
66% |
| Quality planning |
62% |
| Other |
04% |
How do you survey your
customers’ views about your Organisation?
| Formal surveys |
88% |
| Formal complaints scheme |
85% |
| Customer comments cards |
70% |
| Focus Groups/User Groups |
66% |
| Staff record informal comments from
users |
54% |
| Citizens’ Panels/User Panels |
33% |
| Other ways |
15% |
How organisations had investigated the quality schemes:
Have you considered
using any of these quality schemes to help in developing your service?
| Investors in People |
85% |
| Business Excellence Model |
72% |
| Charter Mark |
65% |
| BS EN ISO 9000 series |
53% |
| Management Standards |
40% |
| ISO 14000 series |
19% |
| Tomorrow’s Company |
02.5% |
If you considered using
one or more of the quality schemes, how did you find information about them?
| Sent off for the Information Pack |
65% |
| From a quality conference |
54% |
| From colleagues in another
Organisation |
52% |
| From Senior Managers in our
Organisation |
51% |
| Discussed with a Certification Body |
50% |
| Contacted an award winning
organisation |
45% |
| From a Quality Network |
37% |
| Attended a presentation by a quality
scheme |
35% |
| Consulted a government department |
30% |
| From advertisements |
23% |
| Direct mailing from a quality scheme |
17% |
| From the Internet |
14% |
| Other |
02% |
How helpful was the
published information on the quality schemes?
Very helpful:
| BE EN ISO 9000 series |
14% |
| Business Excellence Model |
35% |
| Charter Mark |
41% |
| Investors in People |
42% |
| ISO 14000 series |
04% |
| Management Standards |
06% |
| Tomorrow’s Company |
0.5% |
Quite Helpful:
| BE EN ISO 9000 series |
28% |
| Business Excellence Model |
38% |
| Charter Mark |
26% |
| Investors in People |
39% |
| ISO 14000 series |
12% |
| Management Standards |
18% |
| Tomorrow’s Company |
02% |
Did you have any
particular problems in understanding the relationship between the quality schemes?
| Yes |
14% |
| No |
57% |
| Don’t know |
10% |
| No reply |
19% |
How far do you agree or
disagree with these statements?:
It was easy to see the strengths of each quality scheme
| Agree strongly |
15% |
| Tend to agree |
50% |
| Tend to disagree |
12% |
| Disagree strongly |
01% |
It was easy to see where the quality schemes overlap
| Agree strongly |
11% |
| Tend to agree |
42% |
| Tend to disagree |
23% |
| Disagree strongly |
01% |
It was easy to see how the quality schemes relate to each other
| Agree strongly |
10% |
| Tend to agree |
32% |
| Tend to disagree |
30% |
| Disagree strongly |
05% |
It was easy to compare the quality schemes
| Agree strongly |
04% |
| Tend to agree |
20% |
| Tend to disagree |
32% |
| Disagree strongly |
04% |
It was easy to see which quality scheme would be most useful to our Organisation
| Agree strongly |
17% |
| Tend to agree |
43% |
| Tend to disagree |
15% |
| Disagree strongly |
01% |
It was easy to decide which quality scheme to select
| Agree strongly |
15% |
| Tend to agree |
40% |
| Tend to disagree |
16% |
| Disagree strongly |
02% |
Which of these quality schemes are you now using?
| Investors in People |
78% |
| Business Excellence Model |
53% |
| Charter Mark |
47% |
| BS EN ISO 9000 series |
44% |
| Management Standards |
18% |
| ISO 14000 series |
08% |
| Tomorrow’s Company |
0.2% |
The organisations’ future needs:
How do you rate the
importance of these elements to your future service development?
Test/improve service quality against an external standard
| Ranked first |
31% |
| Ranked second |
27% |
| Ranked third |
16% |
Establish a framework for service development
| Ranked first
| 29% |
| Ranked second |
30% |
|
Ranked third
| 17% |
Streamline processes and procedure
| Ranked first |
27% |
| Ranked second |
31% |
| Ranked third |
20% |
Use diagnostic tools, manuals to guide service evaluation
| Ranked first |
13% |
| Ranked second |
23% |
| Ranked third |
25% |
Challenge the existing organisational culture
| Ranked first |
27% |
| Ranked second |
27% |
| Ranked third |
18% |
Achieve external accreditation
| Ranked first |
15% |
| Ranked second |
15% |
| Ranked third |
21% |
Do you think that
quality schemes are the best way forward to help you improve service delivery?
| Yes |
72% |
| No |
16% |
| Don’t know |
08% |
How helpful would any
of these products/guidance initiatives be to you?
More mapping to show the relationships between the main quality schemes
| Very helpful |
44% |
| Quite helpful |
39% |
| Not very helpful |
11% |
A general diagnostic framework to help you select
the most appropriate scheme for your needs
| Very helpful |
46% |
| Quite helpful |
38% |
| Not very helpful |
10% |
More co-ordination between the quality schemes
| Very helpful |
51% |
| Quite helpful |
34% |
| Not very helpful |
07% |
Clearer links between the quality schemes and best value
| Very helpful |
57% |
| Quite helpful |
30% |
| Not very helpful |
05% |
More information about certification bodies
| Very helpful |
15% |
| Quite helpful |
50% |
| Not very helpful |
26% |
Training in self assessment
| Very helpful |
40% |
| Quite helpful |
44% |
| Not very helpful |
08% |
Tell us about your use
of Information Technology
Your Organisation has e-mail facilities
| Available now |
92% |
| Available within two years |
05% |
Your Organisation has an intranet
| Available now |
67% |
| Available within two years |
24% |
Your Organisation has access to the Internet
| Available now |
89% |
| Available within two years |
05% |
Your Organisation has its own website
| Available now |
72% |
| Available within two years |
15% |
Your Organisation uses the Internet to communicate with its customers
| Available now |
47% |
| Available within two years |
24% |
How would you like to
receive information from the quality schemes/Modernising Public Services Group in the
future
| paper copies |
68% |
| e-mail |
55% |
| via the Internet |
28% |
5. Full Survey Report
Copies of the full analysis of the survey responses is available from the Cabinet
Office, price £25. Contact Geoff Sadler on 020 7276 1721 or e-mail bestpractice@cabinet-office.gov.uk
|
