Consultation is a difficult thing to get right - especially for public bodies. The public is rightly sceptical about what they see as sham consultation exercises. They usually imagine that the outcome of whatever is being consulted upon has already been predetermined, and most of the time they are probably right. How have we allowed the public to become so cynical about democratic exercises which they ought to be able to have confidence in? This book seeks to explore why consultations are important, what can go wrong, and what can be done to improve them. It's not a 'how to' book, but everyone involved in the conduct of consultation exercises ought read it.This is what one of the authors, Rhion Jones, has to say...
You can buy the book HERE.The Art of Consultation was a book waiting to be written! Over ten thousand public servants in the UK - and many others in the private and voluntary sectors - engage in formal consultations, and it's time their efforts were celebrated, and their challenges properly addressed.
There's a multi-million pound industry out there, currently asking us what we think. Lots of this is public money, and we believe much of it is wasted. Whilst a great deal of consultation is seriously effective, some of it is downright dishonest; decision-makers have already made up their minds. If they then consult, it's a waste of everyone's time; they are just going through the motions. That's all!
In The Art of Consultation, we've tried hard to describe the consultation culture that has engulfed us all. We're honest about what goes wrong, but we're also enthusiastic in seeing so much that goes right. There is a positive future for the best in consultation, and we finish our analysis in optimistic mode, for only by engaging with people - as customers or citizens, can some of our most intractable social and political problems be fixed. That makes it important for everyone involved in these decisions. This book is for them ... and for all of us who wish to influence them.
Might I suggest you give the MoJ a free copy to read?
ReplyDelete"Consultation is a difficult thing to get right - especially for public bodies. The public is rightly sceptical about what they see as sham consultation exercises. They usually imagine that the outcome of whatever is being consulted upon has already been predetermined, and most of the time they are probably right. How have we allowed the public to become so cynical about democratic exercises which they ought to be able to have confidence in?".
In the Prisoners Votes Case, the MoJ held a sham consultation exercise. It went against the government's own Code of Practice for a fair consultation process. The people most affected, prisoners, were not consulted for their views. Nevertheless, those who did take part disagreed with the government's predetermined view. So, the government's solution was to hold a second sham consultation exercise.
We have become cynical because those in government have shown themselves to be less honest than serving prisoners!
They are a sham.
ReplyDeleteHere in Manchester the local HIV services group - GHT - last year hosted a "consultation" with the local PCT about whether HIV patients would be forced to go through local GPs.
While some African patients liked the idea, virtually all the British gay men (who have different issues of course) opposed it. Apart from anything else, HIV is *in fact* sufficiently rare that the average GP (mine for example) has no real understanding.
After the event it became clear it was all a stitch up. The PCT went ahead with the policy in any case. [I gather the same thing happened in London - where you simply could not get any non-HIV meds (but still necessary) from a clinic but had to reveal your situation to a GP.]
Plus the PCT announced on posters in clinics that they had *consulted*.,
The f**kers knew exactly what they were doing to begin with. It was all about cost shifting in the NHS and nothing to do with those consulted.
Or even end costs. [After all, if people avoid HIV treatment for years because they won't go to a GP, they will get ill, but it will not count in any "rational" cost assessment.]
Now, I am a big fan of state-provided services. But that does not mean we should not allow the nasty state employees in the NHS and elsewhere *any* lee-way.
They all seem to act like shits.
I used to coordinate the consultation responses for a FTSE 100 company. Oh the irony when the Cabinet Office held a consultation on yes you guessed it...holding consultation. They didnt get the fact that a large company could ill afford the man-hours to send someone to such an event let along individuals are small businesses.
ReplyDeleteFor me - good consultation means:
ReplyDelete* Focus on the future (ask what do people want now and next - not what they did not want yesterday)
* Do it early (ie before the glossy 'draft' plan is produced - do it when things are still very rough)
* Do it in lots of ways (people are different - don't just stick to one method such as the 'residents survey' I got in the post today from Bucks CC)
* Do it partnership (with other agencies - this would save so much money - and help join up local services)
* Ask about outcomes not outputs (how do people want the world to be different not what do they think of the 'X' service on a 5 point scale)
* Get judgements not just opinions (ie give people information and time to think so that you can get their informed views not off the cuff 'yesterday's headlines' opinions
* Make it two way (so that the person being consulted is helped to take action afterwards as well!)
* Get everyone together (make sure the head of housing - say - actually has to talk with a tenant: encourage authentic & challenging conversations between all the people involved...)
http://jonharveyassociates.blogspot.com/2009/11/making-whole-systems-work.html