Technology is key to public services

Government currently employs 10,000 IT staff who are working on improving public services

Gordon Brown wants to improve public services

Technology is key to improving public services, according to a review published by the Cabinet Office today.

Technology enables public services to offer more personalised services by providing information on citizens and enabling government to tailor delivery, while joining up systems reduces the number of departments people have to deal with.

The review – Excellence and fairness: Achieving world class public services – cites NHS Direct as an example of how well structured information available online can improve people's lives.

In 1997, NHS Direct was launched as a phone-based service – now it receives more visits online than telephone calls as the percentage of citizens using the internet has risen from 10 per cent to 70 per cent in the past 10 years.

The government employs 10,000 IT staff who are working on improving public services, according to the document. The report was part of review of public sector services presented by prime minister Gordon Brown.