Carnegie UK: Strategy could be bridgehead to modern Scottish state 

The Scottish Government has this afternoon published their Public Service Reform Strategy. Dunfermline-based policy foundation Carnegie UK broadly welcomed the publication, but their chief executive warned that the real challenge would be in its implementation.

Sarah Davidson, chief executive of Carnegie UK and a member of the Public Service Reform board, said: “It is clear that public services in Scotland must change. Too many people aren’t getting the support required to live good lives, we face increased demand due to an ageing population, and our public finances are under intense pressure.

“This new strategy from the Scottish Government could be the bridgehead to a modern, effective and enabling Scottish state capable of tackling the biggest challenges of our time, like child poverty. But publishing a 49-page document can’t be the end of the story. The implementation challenge now is to turn pillars and principles into plans and partnerships.

“Momentum must be created by everyone in the system to deliver on what are in reality long-held ambitions for Scotland’s public services. People must work differently if they want things to be different. That entails finding common purpose across the wider public sector and across the political divide. It means measuring what matters to the people of Scotland and using that information to guide decision-making. It requires working in real partnership with communities, councils, and the UK Government. It means investing money today in ways that will save the public purse more in future.”

Sarah Davidson is former Director General at the Scottish Government and an honorary professor at the Glasgow University Centre for Public Policy.

ENDS  

Notes to editors

• Carnegie UK’s purpose is better wellbeing for people in the UK and Ireland. We are a charitable foundation set up over 100 years ago, based in Dunfermline and established with an endowment from Andrew Carnegie. Read more about the organisation: https://carnegieuk.org/

• Sarah Davidson is former Director General at the Scottish Government and an honorary professor at the Glasgow University Centre for Public Policy. Read her biography here: https://carnegieuk.org/who-we-are/meet-the-team/ Photographs on file.

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Stuart Mackinnon [email protected] / 07934296831