Financial leadership key to public sector digital transformation

A new report from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) has warned that developments in technology in public services requires effective leadership, organisational engagement, and insightful risk management.

Produced alongside Eduserv, the report establishes the necessary steps to ensuring the readiness of public bodies, so that they not only achieve the benefits of new technologies, but also understand the risks.

Finance’s Role in Public Sector Transformation, which examines the role of finance teams in enacting digital transformation across public bodies, finds that while the majority of organisations recognise the need to transform digitally, challenges around legacy IT systems, staff IT capabilities and capacities, along with financial constraints, remain in place.

Rob Whiteman, CEO of CIPFA, said: “Digital technology is advancing at an increasingly rapid pace and public service providers must adapt to and adopt these changes if they are to remain relevant, optimal and sustainable. For public bodies, digital transformation is more than a revamped website, unified communications, a new CRM system, a Facebook profile or giving employees iPads. It’s fundamentally changing the way that organisations design and deliver services and how they operate internally.”