From reform ambition to public value

Leidos

Scotland has set a clear direction for public-service reform. The opportunity now is to translate that ambition into practical changes that improve services, support the workforce and deliver lasting value for people.

Scotland’s public services face rising demand, workforce pressures and finite resources. Technology will be part of the response, but cloud services, artificial intelligence or new software alone will not reform an organisation.

The priority is to improve how services are designed and delivered – how organisations work together, use information and support employees, and how policy objectives translate into meaningful outcomes for citizens.

For Jamie MacLaren, Business Development Lead, Public Services, at Leidos UK, that distinction is central to the next phase of reform. After more than two decades working in technology leadership and public service programmes, he has seen the difference between introducing a new system and changing how an organisation works. 

In the face of rising demand, budget pressures and workforce constraints, success will depend on practical, sustainable approaches that improve services, enable collaboration and deliver lasting public value.

Technology is not the outcome

Leidos has supported essential public services in Scotland for almost four decades, with its UK headquarters at Skypark in Glasgow. Its experience includes work with public sector organisations such as Accountant in Bankruptcy, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Parliament. 

That work points to a consistent lesson: technology creates value when it is connected to a clear service outcome. Digital, data, cloud, automation and AI can simplify processes, improve access to information and support better-informed decisions. 

But reform starts with understanding what citizens experience, where administrative burdens can be reduced and where greater coordination could make services easier to navigate. 

Technology has a role to play, but only where it improves outcomes, supports the workforce and helps organisations work more effectively together.

Building shared capability 

Many public service challenges cross organisational boundaries. Citizens may interact with several services, while public bodies often manage related information, processes and infrastructure. This creates opportunities to share or reuse resources and systems where there is a clear public benefit.

Different services will continue to have particular responsibilities and needs. But common requirements can exist in areas such as case management, data, cloud services, procurement and workforce skills. Identifying those areas can reduce duplication and allow public bodies to direct more effort towards their core services. 

Where several organisations contribute to a service or programme, clear accountability is also important. Each needs to understand its role, how decisions will be made and how progress will be assessed. 

Bringing delivery experience in early

MacLaren believes practical delivery experience is particularly valuable while reform plans are being developed. Bringing together people who understand policy, those who will deliver a service and those who use it can help test a proposal and identify barriers early.

Industry and academia can also contribute evidence, technical knowledge and lessons from comparable programmes. Public bodies bring detailed knowledge of their responsibilities, services and communities, while delivery partners bring experience implementing change in complex environments. Together, these perspectives can support better-informed decisions.

Procurement as an enabler

Procurement can support reform when it is part of service design and delivery planning from the outset. Done well, it can help define the outcomes it needs, access appropriate expertise and identify opportunities to reuse services, systems or resources.

Value should also be considered over the life of a programme, rather than solely at the point of purchase. Implementation, workforce impact, continuity, security and the ability to adapt all influence whether an investment creates lasting public value.

Innovation built on trust

As public bodies make greater use of data, automation and AI, trust will be fundamental. Responsible adoption begins with a clear definition of the application and intended outcome. Organisations also need appropriate safeguards and an understanding of how a new tool will affect the workforce and the people receiving the service.

Technology can support public sector employees rather than replace their expertise. Automation may reduce repetitive administrative work, while better access to information can help professionals make better decisions.

The aim is to give employees better tools and clearer information, while protecting professional judgement and public trust, allowing them to spend more time on activities that create value for citizens.

A long-term commitment to Scotland

Leidos’ Scottish heritage began with Real-Time Engineering, a Glasgow technology company that later became part of Amor Group. Today, Leidos continues to invest in Scotland’s skills, talent and wider digital economy.

For MacLaren, Scotland is home, giving him a personal connection to the public services on which its communities rely. He believes Scotland can build on its strong public institutions, universities and technology expertise, while drawing on lessons from comparable programmes across the UK and internationally.

Sustainable reform should also build the confidence, skills and institutional knowledge needed to operate, improve and adapt services over time, leaving organisations better equipped for what comes next.

Turning ambition into action

Scotland’s public service reform agenda provides a clear opening to connect policy, people, delivery experience and technology together around a shared purpose. Holyrood’s reform-focused event will bring public sector leaders, policymakers and industry partners together to discuss what implementation requires in practice. Leidos is supporting the event and the wider conversation about sustainable delivery.

For MacLaren, the final test remains straightforward: products and services are valuable only when they produce meaningful outcomes for people.

I’m deeply passionate about what public-service reform can achieve. The products and services we bring are only worth what they achieve for people. That means designing services around both the citizens who rely on them and the workforce responsible for delivering them.

Reform is not complete when a new system goes live. It succeeds when services become easier to deliver, better for people to use and capable of continuing to improve.

This article is sponsored by Leidos

www.leidos.com/company/global/uk-europe