Tuesday Topic

For a process that essentially exists to minimise the risk of mistakes by public bodies or large organisations, the practice of consultation is itself prone to many errors. There are times when it might be better not even to contemplate consultation!

The huge variety of consultations makes it difficult to prescribe hard and fast rules for all aspects of the process, and there is always a debate as to whether or not options are required. See previous topics (including No 119 – Is that OK then?) At this time of financial cutbacks, however, many public bodies

Here’s a conversation we are having increasingly frequently. No doubt it’s partly prompted by the launch of our Registered Facilitator Scheme, but it’s been a consistent theme in recent months. It goes like this:

When Ann Abraham, the Parliamentary & Health Ombudsman introduced her latest Report last week, the media gave it massive exposure. And rightly so; it detailed how ten older patients suffered unnecessary pain, indignity and distress while in the care of the NHS. On the same day, she gave evidence to the Health Select Committee and,

As the media struggles to come to terms with the messy results offered by the British public, consultation professionals will reflect that data is frequently inconclusive and that interpreting what people really meant is quite an art.

Most Governments enter office with a pretty clear idea of what they intend to do. The devil may always be in the detail but, on fundamentals, the policy is decided and wise Ministers have learnt the value of engaging with affected stakeholders to make sure their plans work as well as possible. In many ways,

Just as we are all scratching our heads about the ‘Big Society’ two short Reports from the National Audit Office should make us sit up and take notice. One is the latest in a series of Reports the NAO has undertaken on the Civil Service’s preparation of Impact Assessments. These matter, because they are meant

So Localism it is! In every speech; every press release; every Ministerial statement. They all express the same mantra and the message – to give the Coalition Government its due – is wholly consistent. Its other message is that people have to be given a bigger say and many of their ideas, from local referenda

A public sector organisation recently showed us its plan to take a sensitive and controversial decision. There had been extensive consultation and a distinct majority of respondents had a clear view of what should happen. What it proposed was a detailed formula whereby five operational factors would be considered, with points awarded according to the

You’re talented! You’re experienced! You know your way around the labyrinth of public services and the bureaucracies that surround them. You’ve learnt how to deal with the public and realise that there are times when you can call them ‘stakeholders’ … and rather more occasions when you can’t!