Automation could free up talented public servants to focus on what they do best
Automation will need to be handled with sensitivity by managers – but any upgrade in public services must start with the workforce, argues Alexander Hitchcock of the Reform think tank
According to Ben Gummer, Brexit means “government at your service”. Speaking to the Reform think tank last year, the minister for the Cabinet Office said the referendum vote was, in part, a cry from citizens over "the state of government and their relationship with it”. As a result, government now needs to deliver new ways of working for public servants, embracing technology to deliver tailored, personalised, accessible services to citizens.
This ambition recognises that demands on services are fast-changing. Cybercrime and fraud account for an estimated 5.2 million cases of crime in the year to September 2016, compared to 6.2 million traditional crimes, such as burglary. In a world where 80% of people bank online, policymakers should be perplexed that just 7% of people book GP services over the internet.
Any upgrade in services must start with the workforce – which accounts for 50% of day-to-day spend in the public sector. Reform research published today finds that 250,000 administrator roles can be automated. Replacing GP receptionists with online triage, as is being piloted in north London, and using chat bots instead of call centres are just two clear ways to do this.