The report examines how the delivery of public services has been transformed by e-business and examines the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead of both central government departments and local councils.
The report presents the opinions of employees working across 31 public bodies in the UK, and their views on their own organisation's position regarding the use of e-business. The key findings show that e-business can transform services - such as HMRC, the NHS, libraries and other local council services - and that the ultimate beneficiary is the end user of services.
ACCA believes that the move towards e-business by the UK public sector, which has run at a differing pace between organisations, has led to a more sophisticated means of interacting with service users. It has increased accountability and transparency, and allowed for a better connection between public services and the service user, shifting power and control in the relationship towards the service user.
The report concludes with a warning that the skills and knowledge of service providers need to be up-to-date, and that trust and data protection is vital. It warns that public services have a responsibility to ensure that their approach to e-business does not increase inequality for some of the most vulnerable people in society.