Quality Activities in the Public Administrations of the European Union Member States

SURVEY REGARDING

QUALITY ACTIVITIES IN THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION MEMBER STATES

(Innovative Public Services Group)

INDEX

1. STRUCTURE

1.1.WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION

1.2.HAVE COOPERATION AGREEMENTS BEEN CONCLUDED WITH OTHER ORGANISATIONS FOR THE PURPOSES OF CARRYING OUT ACTIVITIES IN RESPECT OF QUALITY?

2. POLICIES

WHAT ARE THE QUALITY IMPROVEMENT POLICIES OF PUBLIC SERVICES AND THE BASIC GOALS RELATED TO THEM ?

3. MODELS

3.1. EXCELLENCE MODELS (EFQM, CAF, SPEYER, ...)

3.2. OTHER METHODOLOGIES

3.3. SYSTEMS OF QUALITY ASSURANCE (ISO9000)

3.4. IMPROVEMENT GROUPS / QUALITY GROUPS

4. OTHER INSTRUMENTS FOR IMPROVEMENT

4.1. CITIZEN`S CHARTERS

4.2. QUALITY PRIZES

4.3. TRAINING ON QUALITY

4.4. SATISFACTION INDEXES / SATISFACTION SURVEYS

4.5. SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS BOXES FOR CLIENTS

4.6. SUGGESTIONS AND COMPLAINTS BOXES FOR EMPLOYEES

4.7. NATIONAL BENCHMARKING IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR;

SEARCHING FOR THE BEST PRACTICES

4.8. OTHER

5. RESOURCES

5.1. CONFERENCES

5.2. WEB PAGES

5.3. NEWSLETTER PUBLICATIONS, MAGAZINES

5.4. OTHERS

6. COMMENTS OF INTEREST

PRESENTATION

In the occasion of the Spanish Presidency of the European Union, during the first six months of 2002, the Spanish Ministry of Public Administration has identified the opportunity to gather information on the different quality actions, oriented towards the improvement of public services, undertaken by Member States.

The present survey has been drawn up, with the aim of getting a single document containing, in a summary manner, the main actions carried out by every Member State.

This survey is carried out within the framework of the Innovative Public Services Group (IPSG), created under the initiative of the Directors General for Public Service, who in turn fall under the authority of the respective heads of public administration.

Far from being an exhaustive analysis, this study is aimed at gathering information on the main projects and proceedings that can be identified in each country.

The results of this survey will be presented at the DG Meeting on May 28th and 29th 2002 and the conclusions should be included into the 2nd Conference on Quality in Public Services, to be held in Copenhagen on October 2nd, 3rd and 4th 2002.

The study will also be delivered among the public organisations that are interested in having information on quality actions undertaken in the various countries of the European Union.

This document has been drawn up by the Spanish Delegation in the IPSG during the European Union Spanish Presidency in the first semester of 2002.

CONCLUSIONS

Member States participants in the survey

The survey was opened to all European Union Member States and to the Candidate Countries, but the latter, finally, have not participated in it.

Conclusions on the survey

1. Structure

• Most of the countries have specific units responsible for promoting quality actions in the public sector, at the three levels: Central, Regional and Local level.
• In mostly every country public sector organisations conclude agreements with a great quantity of private and public organisations in order to promote quality activities. It is worthy to mention that EFQM collaborate in nearly all the countries.

2. Policies

• Every country has displayed within the public sector organisations a variable number of quality improvement policies in relation to different public services. This policies include customer/citizens relationships, administrative innovation, improving citizen’s life quality, adoption of modern techniques of administration, simplification of administrative procedures, delivering high standards of services,
• Goals: Making the administration more efficient, result -oriented, customer-oriented, ensuring transparency and accessibility to the citizens.

3. Models

• In all the countries public sector organisations apply models or methodologies to achieve improvements.
• Every country knows EFQM Excellence Model. In some of them (UK, Spain) it is the most extensively model applied.
• On the basis of EFQM Model European public administrations have developed the CAF Model that is being promoted in all the countries and applied as the main model in some of them (Belgium, Italy).
• Speyer Model is applied in German speaking countries.
• Some countries have their own Models, such as Sweden (Swedish Institute Quality Model - SIQ), and Netherlands (INK Model).
• Besides CAF Model, Belgium has developed a specific methodology for measuring quality named "Barometer of Quality".
• International Quality Standards (EN, ISO) are used in some public administration organisations concerning a wide range of activities in most of the countries.
• In some countries specific improvement groups or quality groups have been set up in order to promote quality activities, identify areas for improvement or carry out self-assessment processes.

4. Other Instruments for Improvement

• In all the countries, citizen’s charters are a usual tool to strengthen the relationships between citizens and public organisations on the basis of a high standard quality of the delivering of public services.
• Each country has their own way of rewarding quality practices through a quality award. Some countries (Finland, France, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom) have their own national quality award (in Spain at central level) to reward quality and excellence in the public organisations at all levels.
• The whole countries have done a big effort in training on quality in the public sector in the last years.
• The citizen’s satisfaction in relation to public services is measured in most of the countries through several surveys and satisfaction indexes.
• Suggestions and complaints boxes for clients and for employees are used in all the countries.
• Just in a few countries benchmarking activities are promoted and regulated by the Central Government but all the countries have different systems to share the good practices in the public services (projects, conferences, web pages, newsletter publications and others).

1. STRUCTURE

1. STRUCTURE

UNITS OR ORGANISATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROMOTING QUALITY ACTIONS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR,

1.1. WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION

AUSTRIA

The division "Administration Development" in the Ministry of Public Service and Sports promotes quality actions in the central administration (ministries). The number of people, which work in this division, is about eight.

There are lots of quality initiatives that are run with single ministries.

BELGIUM

Central level

The “Federal Government Department Personnel and Organisation – FGD P&O” (formerly Ministry of Civil Service) is responsible for promoting quality in the 14 Federal Government Departments. Within the FGD P&0, the 2 people’ members of the “Quality and Benchmarking Unit” are in charge of promoting self-assessment techniques and performance measures in all federal departments.

The reform of the Belgian federal public administration is progressively being implemented: in the near future each FGD (formerly “ministry”) will have a “Management Personnel & Organisation unit” responsible, i.a., for promoting quality within the FGD.

Regional Level

Flemish Region – Flemish Community: Ministry of the Flemish Community – Coordination Department: 1 person.

Walloon Region: Ministry of the Walloon Region – General Secretariat: 1 person.

French-speaking Community: General Secretariat of the French-speaking Community: 1 person.

Brussels Metropolitan Region: General Secretariat of the Brussels Metropolitan Region: 1 person.

German-speaking Community: 1 person.

Local level

Flemish Region – Flemish Community:

-Internal Affairs Administration of the Flemish Community (“Administratie Binnenlandse Aangelegenheden van de Vlaamse Gemeenschap”): 1 person.

-Flemish Provinces Union (“Vereniging van de Vlaamse Provincies”): 1 person.

-Flemish Cities and Municipalities Union (Vereniging van de Vlaamse Steden en Gemeenten”): 1 person.

Walloon Region:

-General Directorate of local liabilities of the Walloon Region (“Direction générale des Pouvoirs locaux de la Région wallonne”): 1 person.

-Association of the Walloon Provinces (“Association des Provinces wallones”): 1 person.

-Walloon Cities and Municipalities Union – Training Unit (“Union des Villes et des Communes de Wallonie – Cellule Formation”): 1 person.

FINLAND

Central Administration

The structure of Central Administration consists of two levels. The first level consists of the thirteen fairly small ministries (with 200-300 people in each). The ministries prepare and implement policy decisions made by the Council of State. In addition to this the ministries have independent decision making authority and naturally they are responsible for steering their respective domains of administration.

When the Government/the Council of State makes some general policies or recommendations concerning quality actions in the public sector, ministries could implement these, state agencies and local and regional authorities. Due to the independence of these actors, Quality Actions are more or less promoted by all these organisations. For example quite independent state agencies, which are mostly service providers but may also have policy advisory functions as their tasks, do their “managerial decisions” - including also Quality Promotion Activities- by themselves.

Ministry of Finance and its Public Management Department has a significant role in the Quality Promotion Actions of the public sector (especially central government). The role of the department is on one hand to outline and develop macro-economically sustainable management policy of the State sector, its public service provision and data management, and on the other hand to implement the policy concerning these issues decided by the government.

Department is an expert in public management and quality work and it is operating in cooperation with the Ministry of Interior, state agencies and The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities as well as the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Obviously, other ministries and certain municipalities have key roles when promoting quality. When implementing formulated quality promotion policy the expert knowledge of consultants (for example the national quality association) has been used by ministries and other public service organisations.

Regional and Local Administration

The Finnish Regional Administration consists of both State Administration and Municipal Administration Units and thus there is no single State regional authority. Regional State Administration consists of Provincial State Offices, Employment and Business Development Centres, Environment Institutes, other regional administration of the ministries and regional units of the intermediate public administration.

In Finland the local authorities provide about two thirds of all public services and the State organisations about one third. The model for providing basic services is built on the responsibility and autonomy of the local governments.

During recent years the autonomy of the municipalities has been strengthened. There are 448 municipalities in Finland. Finnish local authorities provide basic public services for their residents, most importantly those related to education, social welfare and health, and maintenance of the technical infrastructure. Many of the services are produced jointly with other local authorities. For example, hospitals and many educational institutions are maintained by joint municipal authorities (total amount of joint municipal authorities is about 250).

Regional councils are joint municipal authorities which promote well-being in the region, act as centres of regional development, draw up regional plans and handle international affairs and contacts. The Regional Councils are responsible for attending the regional interests and for development related to municipal administration.

The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities has a staff of 300. Its employees are experts on economics, administration, basic services or legislation. The Association of Finnish Local and Regional Authorities offers different types of tools to develop work in municipalities. Quality promotion work as a whole is important part of this work.

FRANCE

Il est très difficile de dénombrer tous les partenaires qui concourent à la promotion des actions de qualité dans le secteur public. Toutefois, si l’on considère le premier cercle des acteurs directement impliqués dans cette démarche, on peut dire que c’est environ une soixantaine de personnes.

Les unités, organismes ou groupes de travail concernés sont:

• DIRE (Délégation Interministérielle à la Réforme de l'État)
• HFMD (Hauts Fonctionnaires de Modernisation et de Déconcentration)
• RIM (Réseau Interministériel des Modernisateurs)
• CIRE (Comité Interministériel à la Réforme de l'État)
• Le groupe de travail «démarches qualité» issu du réseau des modernisateurs

des centres de qualité ou des délégations à la qualité dans les ministères

GERMANY

The unit responsible for the reforms of the Federal Administration and the implementation of quality actions is the Secretariat “Modern State – Modern Administration.” The secretariat consists of nine people and is directly allocated to the State Secretary within the Federal Ministry of the Interior. It coordinates the process at working level within the Ministries and ensures the link with European projects for the modernisation of the administration.

Under the chairmanship of the State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Brigitte Zypries, the State Secretary Committee "Modern State – Modern Administration" monitors the modernisation process in the Federal administration. All Federal Ministries have nominated high-ranking modernisation partners who work in close cooperation with this secretariat in the implementation of the programme. Alongside this, a network has been built up linking administration modernisers in the Länder and in the Local Authorities' National Associations. The project leaders directly responsible for the individual projects have institutionalised their cooperation. Many experts in academia, industry and the political arena are supporting individual projects.

GREECE

The organization that is responsible for promoting quality actions in the public sector is the General Secretary of Public Administration (Ministry of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralization). The Units are the Efficiency Unit, the Directorate of State-Citizen's Relations, the Directorate of Management of Human Resources and the Directorate of Simplification on Procedures and Productivity. The mission of the General Secretary of Public Administration is the design of public policy on administrative reform. Within this framework it has the responsibility to coordinate initiatives and projects implemented by other Ministries.

Attached to the Ministry of Interior, operates the National Council for Administrative Reform, established by the Law 2839/2000.

IRELAND

At central Government level, the Strategic Management Initiative, also known as Public Service Modernisation, was launched in 1994 with the objective of implementing the modernisation programme throughout the Civil Service in Ireland. As part of this modernisation, a Unit called Quality Customer Service (QCS) was set up in 1999 in the Department of the Taoiseach (Prime Minister). This Unit promotes quality actions throughout Civil Service Departments by acting as Secretariat to several Groups and Sub-Groups. The group representing QCS Officers in Departments and Offices is called the QCS Officers’ Network. This network deals with QCS implementation issues, oversees best practice and manages training programmes for QCS Officers.

At local level, QCS Officers participate in Partnership Committees which are representative of various interests in Departments, including quality of service issues. QCS Officers advise their business units in the Civil Service on quality issues, and they help draw up Customer Action Plans for their Department/Office. In the wider public service, QCS Officers are beginning to embed QCS in the everyday business planning of each Department and extend it to agencies within their remit.

ITALY

Quality activities in public services are promoted by the public administration both at a central level (Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Ministries, Ministers, non economic national bodies) and local level (Regions, County, Councils).

Important initiatives have also been identified in specific sectors, such as the National Health Care Service, the Schools system, the Museum sector and the Social Services.

Within the Department of Public Administration (Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri), the role carried out by the office for Innovation of Public Administration (UIPA) is central. The aim of this unit is to ensure that innovation policies are carried out and sustained. The activities of UIPA include designing and reviewing modernisation policies, improving the quality of public services and selecting and distributing best practices as a tool for helping to implement these policies.

NETHERLANDS

Many units in the public sector carry out promoting quality. On the central level the leading ministries are the Ministry if the Interior and Kingdomrelations and The Ministry of Finance. Of course for specific areas like defence, education, care the relevant ministries have specific responsibilities. The same is the case for the many other public sector organisations, municipalities and provinces that have their own responsibility in this field.

PORTUGAL

Central Level

National Council of Quality: government consultive organ lead by the prime minister, which provides all the information about national and international Quality Policies and also about the improvement of the Portuguese Quality System.

Sector-based Councils of Quality: act at national level in specific areas like economy; health, environment, industry, etc.

The Institute for Innovation in State Administration is responsible for promoting quality and innovative tools in public administration (central and local level).

The National Administration Institute is also responsible for providing training in public management and quality systems to central public services.

Regional Level

Regional Councils of Quality: act at autonomous regions of Madeira and Azores.

Local Level

General Direction of Local Authoritiesis responsible for promoting quality in municipalities’ public services;

Centre of Studies and Municipality Training is responsible for providing training in public management and quality systems to local public services.

SPAIN

Central Level

• Ministry of Public Administration through the General Directorate for Inspection, Simplification and Quality of Services (Deputy Directorate for Quality Management, 8 people). It is responsible for promoting the use of quality management systems and tools in the units of the Central Government Administration and also provides support and training to organisations of the Regional and Local Administration interested in.

• Other Ministries through the Unit of Ministerial Inspection (usually existing in every Ministry).

Regional Level

Autonomous Communities.

In Spain there are 17 Autonomous Communities, most of them have their own Quality Promoting Plan. Every one having a unit responsible for promoting quality actions.