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date: 20 December 2006

embargo: 00:01 hrs 29 December 2006

'Permanent revolution' is harming public services, TUC tells Government

Constant, untested change is threatening the improvements made in public services, the TUC will warn the Government today (Friday). The warning is made in a TUC analysis of reforms taking place across the full range of public services, released ahead of a major public sector staff lobby of Parliament at the end of the month (23 January).

The report recognises the investment and advances in public services achieved by the Government but stresses an urgent need to adopt an approach to reform centred on evidence and thorough testing of plans. It also says that greater long-term improvements could be secured by focusing on increasing collaboration between staff and providers rather than competition, and on improving the quality of services rather than increased involvement of the private sector.

TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber, said:

'A state of 'permanent revolution' in public services is running the risk of squandering the investment and improvements made by the Government. Dedicated public servants do not want to put the brakes on reform. But they do want changes to be properly tested to ensure they will improve quality and not harm the services public sector staff and their families rely upon. Ministers should consult and involve staff in reforms to make sure they are planned and delivered to make a real difference.'

At the 'Speak up for public services' lobby on Tuesday 23 January staff from the full range of public services will tell MPs that public servants want to serve the public, not companies or shareholders.

Key points from the TUC's report on public service reform, submitted to the Government today:

NHS

Problem: The outsourcing of key functions, such as NHS Logistics, threatens to weaken the health sector's ability to plan and develop its workforce. Increased competition between providers risks money being diverted away from treatment and care to marketing to attract the most 'lucrative' patients. Private companies are no more efficient at delivering health care and will put profit before the decent pay and quality terms and conditions necessary to ensure quality pulic services.

Staff solution: Rather than competing,public sector health providers should co-operate to improve services in an environment of stable finances and steady, planned and tested reforms. Patients and staff should be consulted and involved in changes.

Primary and secondary education

Problem: The fragmentation of school provision, allowing more self-governing schools with private or voluntary sector influence, damages accountability to local communities and parents and undermines the ability of local authorities to determine local education strategies. A two-tier workforce also risks being created, as pay and conditions of teaching and support staff are further fragmented.

Staff solution: Local authorities should set strategy and provide school services so that schools are democratically accountable to parents and their local communities. The Government should prevent a two-tier workforce opening up in schools, particularly after they have just closed the split that devastated cleanliness standards in the NHS.

Higher education

Problem: Along with fees leading to a reduction in student applications, funding pressures are leading to the outsourcing of support staff.

Staff solution: The two-tier workforce agreement should apply to higher education staff and employers should work with unions to ensure that pay agreements cover all staff.

Further education

Problem: Further education has long been the poor relation in funding terms when compared to other areas of the education sector. There are also challenges around fair pay, equal treatment and development opportunities for staff.

Staff solution: Action is needed to further narrow the funding gap, reform pay, tackle casualisation and modernise contracts.

Local government

Problem: Despite dramatic efficiency improvements in recent years, staff are concerned that local government will come under even more central government pressure to cut finances, leading to job cuts, out-sourcing and off-shoring. Unions also fear that savings will not be invested in improving services or staff training and development.

Staff solution: Local government should focus on improving efficiency and services through investment in staff training and development rather than cuts. Savings should also be used to close the gender pay gap.

The civil service

Problem: Job cuts and privatisation, under a programme to scrap 70,600 jobs by 2008 and save £21.5 billion, are harming service provision. In the Department of Work and Pensions successful services have been shut down or privatised, millions of calls to contact centres are going unanswered and benefit payments are taking longer.

Staff solution: The starting point ofreform to vital civil and public services should be well-planned changes based on sound evidence and consultation with staff and the public, not headline staff and budget cuts.

The Probation Service

Problem: The dismantling of the National Probation Service and restructuring under the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) will result in a hotchpotch of public, private and voluntary organisations and companies competing to provide probation services. The abolition of a unified Probation Service, based on the principles of partnership and collaboration, will be replaced by a fragmented model that will not reduce re-offending.

Staff solution: The Government should improve probation services by sticking to its principles of local and joined-up delivery of public services, rather than implementing an expensive dismantling and centralisation of existing provision. The TUC commends the model adopted in Scotland, which rejected NOMS, of co-operation between agencies working at a community level to manage offenders.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- 'Speak up for public services' a TUC-organised public sector staff lobby of Parliament, takes place on 23 January. For more information www.tuc.org.uk/speakup

- The full report is available at: www.tuc.org.uk/extras/psr.pdf

- All TUC press releases are available www.tuc.org.uk/extranet

Contacts:

Media enquiries: Liz Chinchen 07778 158 175

Press release (1,000 words) issued 29 Dec 2006