1 Champion the delivery of services that focus on citizens' needs

People are demanding ever more from the providers of public services: 62% want current reforms to be faster.1 And they want reform to give them more control - only 16% say they do not want to be involved in service design.2 The challenge for public services is how best to respond to those demands.

We can answer this challenge through a more personalised model of public services. The public wants a say in the way services change, and the Future Services Network - a coali tion of the CBI, the National Consumer Council and ACEVO3 - supports that desire. Putting empowered citizens at the heart of public service reform is a prerequisite for success ful services.4 We know that the benefits of all sectors can be harnessed to meet complex demands for tailored services. The Local Government White Paper has already put this at the heart of its vision for the future of services controlled by local authorities.5 Often, the private and voluntary sectors are well positioned to deliver better services because of their experience and understanding of people's needs. Both sectors have the ability to deliver choice and satisfaction to citizens and communities. We are letting down the public if we do not use them to the full. Private sector providers are already responding to the challenge:

 In local government, a private company provides landscaping and street cleaning services in Woking. In response to citizens' concerns it introduced multi-skilled service teams, where performance is measured through a quarterly survey: overall customer satisfaction has increased from 65% to 80%. The same provider delivers similar services in Bre-ckland, where residents are given disposable cameras to identify 'grot spots', which are then dealt with swiftly by the contractor. These are simple ideas, but it took new thinking from a contracted provider to implement them.

In prisons, one private operator is working with third-sector partners to pool their expertise to help ex-offenders into work and integrate back into society. It holds a resettlement fair, which offers ex-offenders services such as assistance with organising accommodation and employment advice to improve their chances of returning to a normal life. Between April 2005 and March 2006, 763 offenders were released with employment, training or education places secured and 1,567 offenders were provided with accommodation - well ahead of Home Office targets.

 In healthcare, a partnership in West Lincolnshire is introducing a nurse-led disease management programme for chronic kidney disease. GPs refer patients to the private sector provider, which then manages their care using a team of renal nurses, dieticians and social workers. Two thirds of patients whose renal functions had been deteriorating before referral saw a reduction in the rate of decline or an improvement in renal function after just five months in the programme. The programme also led to a reduction in inpatient admissions and outpatient attendance at hospital. The partnership has improved services for patients by focusing on the importance of early detection and management of chronic disease. Simple changes and an innovative management approach are creating real value for citizens.