By Dan Ilett, 2 November 2005 13:00
NEWS
Digital television and text messaging are to replace a large number of government call centres and websites in a bid to improve public services, the Cabinet Office announced today.
Prime Minister Tony Blair has backed the shake-up in communication technologies, dubbed Transformational Government, and a planned "slim down" of the 130 government call centres.
In a webcast earlier today, Blair said: "The pace of change can either overtake us or make our lives better and our country stronger. What we cannot do is pretend this isn't happening. The future of public services has to use technology to give customers choice with personalised services designed around their needs not the needs of the provider."
The Cabinet Office (CO) said the changes would provide better information for people. For example, it could enable parents to check online for a child's school attendance or allow a business to submit information to regulators. Reports have also suggested that people will be able to book a doctor's appointment using their digital TV's red-button function and receive confirmation by text message.
The overhaul will see a number of public sector websites redirected to the central government website DirectGov. People will also be able to access their own records to cut the cost of handling simple enquiries, the CO said.
The project is intended to share data over government departments to cut duplication costs and reduce errors.
In a press statement, Ian Watmore, chief government CIO, said: "I want to ensure every IT professional in government has the right skills and support to make this happen. This is about designing systems around the public's needs, using technology to deliver policy at the front line and breaking down barriers to enable us to share case information."
Comments
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1. Richard
Freeview's "Red Button"?
Oh dear, perhaps the PM does not realise that most Freeview boxes do not have that type of "red button." On my remote control, that button is the on/off switch!
The "red button" is really a function of Murdoch's Sky boxes which dial-up via a separate phone line.
Some cable TV boxes also provide this function.
Finally, digital TV has a remarkably poor capability for providing web type information. It's like going back ten years to Netscape 0.9 running on a slow Windows 3.1 PC.
This is made worse by the companies' restricted access policies and the fact that most users have no keyboard (just their standard remote control).
2. Roger Huffadine
IDIOTS - IDIOTS - IDIOTS
If they had ever run a business they would know that in order to implement this type of change you must first have a robust business - and fully understand the workings of that business to extract a robust model.
This means that IF their existing services were working then they would have a model on which they could base the new services.
You cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
Personally I prefer being able to talk to someone, with the knowledge and authority to solve my problem, face to face.
Oh, and I don't have a red button on my TV - nor will most of the disadvantaged people who need to access government services.
WHEN will people realise that the key to success with call centres is NOT technology but investment in people - that means paying good salaries to keep knowledge within the business and investing heavily in training.
If any of the IDIOTS read this I am offering a week's free consulting in an attempt to educate the government on call centres, service and technology - a simple google search will find me :)
3. anonymous
So government will be even more remote.
It's arse about face thinking: get rid of the call centres and some how online access to government will improve.
Oh well, I'm sure the IT industry will love it.
4. Guy Reynolds
Thus if you don't watch tv, have a mobile and no access to the internet you may as well not exist.
5. anonymous
"Transformation Technology", 'red buttons, text messages'.
Typical Blah, blah, Blairspeak...........!!!!
Perhaps someone should point out to Tiny Blah, blah that not everyone has access to digital TV or so called red buttons, which I have found to be singularly useless, very slow to load data, broken links, etcetera, etcetera.
As for text messages, a medium not exactly convenient when trying to carry out important, meaningful & ofter confidential conversations.......
Does Blah, blah, Blair actually believe all the cr*p that he seems to spout on an almost daily basis????????????
If so........... What hope is there for any of us. A chilling thought!!!!!!!!!!!!!!