Two more collaboration contracts

Working at LocalGov Drupal and Open Digital Planning, I’ve seen first hand how collaboration changes the game. It increases trust, raises ambitions, and makes previously hard tasks possible. People often tell me that their collaborative work is better than the day job.

So it’s great to be able to share that I’ve just started two new contracts, both aiming to increase the amount and quality of collaboration in the public sector.

Digital health prevention

I’m a few weeks into a six month contract with the Digital Prevention Services Portfolio (DPSP for short), currently part of NHS England.

As the NHS 10 Year Plan moves services from analogue to digital, sickness to prevention, and hospital to community, I’m exploring with colleagues how our central NHS digital team can better support local collaborative work.

Initially I’m identifying existing or potential projects tackling digital health prevention using collaborative means. It’s early days still, but I’ve already seen plenty of exciting activities and there’s many more avenues to explore. If you have any thoughts or contacts please get in touch.

Local government

Last week I started a three month contract with GDS Local, part of the Government Digital Service. I’ll be definitively documenting the barriers to collaboration for local councils, and then will move on to potential solutions, and ways we can make them happen.

The blueprint for modern digital government from 2025 set the stage for GDS to be working more closely with local government. Since then the team has established the Local Government Architecture Model (LGAM) and is exploring market shaping in depth. I’ll be suggesting how collaborative models for designing, buying and building can fit. Again, I’m really keen to have chats about what’s worked and not for you, and any gaps that government could fill. Please look me up.

It’s great to be back at GDS after 11 years away – I held three contract roles there between 2012 and 2015 doing product and engagement work. I only ever worked at Aviation House, so I’m looking forward to experiencing the new place even though it’s not so new these days.

Here’s my obligatory photo outside number 10, taken the last time I worked at GDS. Copper is model’s own.

Place based digital

I feel very lucky to be working on these contracts with these teams. In both the NHS and GDS I’m meeting people who want to spot collaborative opportunities and do them well.

The timing is really beneficial too. As councils reorganise, public service boundaries align and power is devolved to Mayors across the UK, there’s an opportunity to properly link up digital services at a place and neighbourhood level. Initiatives such as GM Live Well, The Coda Network and the Barnsley Tech Town provide learnings for all of us.

Collaborative models have a vital role to play. The challenge is to move beyond saying it, and start working out the best way to enable it. We need to create the conditions in which colleagues trust one another and are supported to do their best work. Collaboration really ought to happen by default, but I’ll be happy if more public sector organisations have the tools and backing to at least consider it.

What about LocalGov Drupal?

My two new contracts are up to 2 days per week each, so I’ve needed to slow down or stop a few things.

I’m still Product Lead at LocalGov Drupal up to 1 day a week, and occasional off hours. I’m enjoying the mix of working in a major collaborative project (over 70 councils now), thinking about how its lessons might apply, and advocating for new ways of working.

Comments welcome

As always, these views are wholly my own. My recent blog posts have sparked a few useful conversations, and I’m really grateful to everyone who’s shown an interest. Please keep your thoughts coming.