Posted: Wed 15th Sep 2021

Auditor General for Wales ‘Picture of Public Services’ report – little respite for the public finances in Wales

News and Info from Deeside, Flintshire, North Wales
This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Sep 15th, 2021

Many services were stretched before the COVID-19 pandemic, the coming years will offer little respite for the public finances, the Auditor General for Wales Adrian Crompton has said. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

After a decade of squeezed budgets and rising demands, public services are grappling with three over-arching crises of global proportion, ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The latest ‘Picture of Public Services’ report from the Auditor General sets out some important areas for public service delivery in Wales ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The report is split into three parts – what happened with public services between 2010 and 2020, how they have responded to COVID-19, and what we think are the biggest challenges and opportunities for public services in future. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

As well as facing the pandemic and economic uncertainty, public services in Wales must respond to the global crisis of climate change. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

The Welsh Government has already allocated £5.1 billion to the COVID-19 response in 2020-21 and has at least an additional £2.6 billion available in 2021-22. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Public finances are uncertain but are likely to be tight for some time; and for services that were already stretched, the pandemic has created new challenges. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

For example, it has been estimated that the NHS will need between £152 million and £292 million each year for 4 years to address the waiting list backlog. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Despite this, the report emphasises that there is a chance to learn from aspects of the pandemic response to change the way services are provided for the better. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

It highlights five areas of public service transformation: ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

· Systems and culture to support new approaches to service delivery. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

· Purposeful collaboration. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

· Long-term financial and service planning that supports a rigorous and realistic approach to prevention. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

· Harnessing digital technology to make services more accessible. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

· Using data and information to learn and improve across the whole public service system. ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Auditor General, Adrian Crompton said today: “This report tells a story of public service pressure and delivery over the last decade and sets out some of the most important areas where I will be expecting to see progress in the coming years.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“The pandemic has had a devastating impact on people and communities, yet it has also demonstrated great strengths in our public services.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

“Now, more than ever, it is essential that public services squeeze the most value out of the available resources to improve the well-being of individuals and communities.” ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​

Read the report (PDF) here: https://www.audit.wales/sites/default/files/2021-09/POPS-2021-Eng.pdf ‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌​


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