The Civil Service World Podcast

In the first of a new series, in partnership with KPMG, Jess Bowie and Jo Thomson explore what makes great public services in the digital era. In this episode Jess and Jo share some of their own experiences of interacting with the state, we hear from former HMRC permanent secretary Jim Harra about how the UK's tax authority has been putting citizens at the heart of its services, and we discuss...

All government departments have been tasked with prioritising AI adoption to drive innovation and improve productivity, but with only 22% leveraging automation and 17% using machine learning, AI uptake remains in its infancy. In this episode, a panel of government and industry leadersshare insights on overcoming common roadblocks on the path to AI transformation, such as budget constraints, outdat...

Reoffending costs the economy £18bn annually so finding innovative solutions is critical. In this episode, CSW brings together a panel of experts from across the prisons and rehabilitation landscape to discuss new approaches that can achieve meaningful change. Hosted by Jessica Bowie.

Continuing our new Changemakers series, Suzannah talks to Ben Lovatt, deputy director of the Contact Engagement Platform at HMRC, to find out how the agency is using robots and automation to make services better. We also speak to Duncan Brown, head of software engineering at the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s AI incubator; and Owen Barry, Capita’s managing director for central...

In the first of our new Changemakers series, Suzannah talks to Claire Donaldson, Innovation Hub co-founder and lead at the Department for Science Innovation and Technology, about building the conditions for innovation in the public sector, getting creative with your pitches, and the benefits of working in partnership. Hosted by Suzannah Brecknell, editor-in-chief, Civil Service World. Edited and p...

The government’s top commercial official speaks to CSW about the pressures, and lessons, from the government’s response to coronavirus

CSW chats to HM Revenue and Customs’ deputy chief executive Angela MacDonald to get the inside story of the department key role in the government’s response to coronavirus, and what is was like to switch jobs in the pandemic. Hosted by Richard Johnstone. With Angela MacDonald. Edited by Nick Hilton for Podot.

On this week's Civil Service World Podcast, the last of the series, Jess and Suzannah are discussing changes to diversity and inclusion within the civil service, and how that's changed and challenged preconceptions about who civil servants are. For the conversation, they're joined by Charlotte Dring, co-founder of the Cross-Government Social Mobility Network, and Emran Mian, Director General, Dece...

On this week's Civil Service World Podcast, Suzannah Brecknell and Jess Bowie are discussing kindness in the civil service. They're joined for the discussion by former civil servant and founder of One Team Gov, and also, down the line from Scotland, by Sarah Davison, CEO of the Carnegie UK Trust, and Dr Elizabeth Kelly, a GP. Hosted by Jess Bowie and Suzannah Brecknell. With Kit Collingwood. And S...

On this week's Civil Service World Podcast, Jess Bowie and Suzannah Brecknell discuss Suzannah's visit to the first annual conference of the Office for Statistics Regulation where she spoke to Ed Humpherson, Deborah Ashby and Baroness Onora O'Neill about how we can improve communication about statistics. Hosted by Jess Bowie and Suzannah Brecknell. With Ed Humpherson, Deborah Ashby and Baroness On...

On this week's episode of The Civil Service World Podcast, Jess and Suzannah speak to social worker Ryan Wise and Katie Rose from the Centre for Public Impact about a new blueprint for social work. Can the approach to social work be entirely overhauled, or are our current systems too entrenched for renovation? The Centre for Public Impact UK is a not-for-profit that helps government and public sec...