TALKING
‘‘ business
It would be reasonable to assume that public services run more smoothly after Covid-19, given that lockdown prompted the urgent adoption of remote organisation technology. Recent data from the Office for National Statistics seems to suggest otherwise, however, revealing public-sector productivity levels 6.8 % lower than 2019.
With 2024 Q2 figures likewise 2.6 % lower than the same period in 2023, it’ s clear we’ re dealing with an efficiency crisis.
A worrying disparity
The National Health Service was hit hardest by the pandemic, which has left doctors and nurses scrambling to deal with escalating waiting lists and increased public health requirements. Despite the government’ s best efforts to tackle this – including a 30 % increase in allocated resources according to Reuters – output has only risen by 6 %, leaving us with an overall 8 % decline in productivity and a concerning disparity in pressing need of address.
lead to public fear and rejection, for instance, with traditionally human-driven sectors requiring more nuanced technological approaches. Then, there’ s the issue of energy consumption, with many AI systems like Humphrey threatening government net-zero targets because they can be energy-intensive.
Emma O’ Brien
Indeed, the year before last, the British Social Attitudes survey reported the lowest NHS patient satisfaction levels since records began in 1983 – with figures falling as low as 24 %. This represents a 29 % decrease since 2020, marking an unprecedented plummet in public satisfaction.
A 2024 Ipsos survey further confirms this worrying fall, revealing that just 28 % of the British public believe the NHS is providing good service. It’ s clear, then, that the country needs more effective ways of boosting efficiency – with resurrection strategies centred around solutions that don’ t cost the earth.
A catalyst for change
In the pursuit of enhancing public sector productivity – and by proxy, public satisfaction levels – the government has introduced‘ Humphrey’: a suite of AI tools designed to improve efficiency within the civil service. Consisting of several different AI applications, this collection of tools aims to reduce bureaucratic delays, decrease reliance on external consultants and enhance data sharing – all elements that align with Labour’ s broader aim of modernising public services.
Finally, implementing AI in sectors like healthcare involves handling sensitive data, so privacy measures and ethics alike must remain a key priority.
It’ s clear, then, that the country needs more effective ways of boosting efficiency – with resurrection strategies centred around solutions that don’ t cost the earth.
Digital Transformation
Rather than relying solely on AI to turn things around, then, the government must also turn to organisations specialising in Digital Transformation to ensure success. Though it may seem counterintuitive, with digital solutions at the fore, it’ s important to take a‘ people-first’ approach, where new technologies are implemented in ways that empower public teams rather than overwhelming them.
While Humphrey offers promising advancements, several limitations must be addressed. An overreliance on AI to resolve all public service challenges could
A key failing of many government-led technology turnarounds so far has been the assumption that implementing things like AI will automatically resolve
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