Bureacracy is a major handicap for the public sector, says ACCA survey
Government red tape, changes in official policy and over-regulation present the most demanding challenges for senior public sector managers.
This is the finding of an extensive survey among chief executives, finance directors and heads of finance, audit and resources in the public sector by the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA).
The survey, which was conducted during the last month, highlighted the general concerns of senior public sector directors as well as specific issues in the National Health Service, government departments, executive agencies, local authorities and education.
More than 45 per cent of the respondents work in organisations employing more than 2,500 employees. They are all concerned about the increasing level of red tape which is generated by Whitehall, the ever-changing nature of policy emerging from government departments, the lack of guidance in implementation and the unrealistic time scales for putting new initiatives into practice.
Central government demands higher standards of quality, said the respondents, but also expects cost savings and reduced resources. Budget cuts and unrealistic demands on directors, managers and employees in the public sector have hit morale and caused major staff recruitment and retention problems.
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