Providing Quality in the Public Sector: A Practical Approach to Improving Public Services

This work argues that if public services are to be reformed or improved, achieving the best possible quality of service is essential. It starts from the premise that citizens and users are the key stakeholders. They need to be consulted and involved at every stage. With inevitable resource constraints, it is their needs, balanced with those of society, which must be met. Service providers need to change their culture and behaviour to make this happen. The book presents a straightforward and comprehensive model for understanding quality and putting it into practice. Existing quality philosophies and approaches are examined. Overviews of recent policy on quality in central and local government, in the health service, and in public service partnerships are included. Finally, five practitioners present practical vignettes of citizen involvement, local partnerships, and quality improvement in health, housing and local government.