Reform's research and commentary is regularly featured in the media. You can find press coverage of Reform's work here.
We are always happy to comment on policy issues relevant to our work. If you would like a quote, an interview, or a background briefing, please email press@reform.uk.
Reform‘s latest report, Smarter Working in public services: the HMRC experience so far, assesses how far HMRC have adopted Smarter Working principles to become more efficient and effective.
It has received coverage in UK Authority, Civil Service World and Public Technology.
Maisie Borrows, Research Manager, contributed an article to the recently published Braintree whitepaper on AI in Government and Public services. Following the publication, she was quoted in both Government Computing and Open Access Government, saying “AI can have a profound impact on how the civil service runs. From defence to health, a greater use of AI can lead to more efficient, effective and productive public services. At its most basic level, AI can replace repetitive tasks and allow civil servants to focus on more complex work. More sophisticated AI has the potential to change the entire nature of work, allowing public services to predict and prevent future challenges.”
Eleonora Harwich, Director of Research, appeared on Sky News on 17 August to discuss the Government's new project to tackle the problems in Britain's 10 most challenging prisons. She argues that whilst extra £10 million of funding is a good thing, we cannot forget about the wider prison reform and how we can improve outcomes longer term and reduce re-offending.
Sarah Timmis, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article in Public Finance following the launch of Reform's report 'Sharing the benefits: How to use data effectively in the public sector'.
She argued that better data sharing has the potential to transform public services, but public confidence must be upheld. As tech giants in Silicon Valley come under scrutiny for breaching data laws, the public sector should act as an example of best practice, where privacy, security and consent are put first. Full article can be found here.
Tom Richmond, Senior Research Fellow, Reform, appeared on a interview on the BBC News at Five. He discussed this week’s pay rise for teachers and other public sector workers, with teachers receiving up to 3.5% in September.
On Monday, Maisie Borrows, Senior Researcher at Reform, was on BBC Radio Hereford and Worcestershire talking about the need to improve efficiency in hospital to reduces delays in elective care.
You can listen to the full interview here (Maisie appears at 2.12.27).
Maisie Borrows, Senior Researcher, appeared on BBC Radio Newcastle to talk about the future of the NHS. She said that the NHS needs to move to a preventative model of care and that there is still a role for private providers.
You can listen to the interview (at 13.04) here.
Andrew Haldenby, Director of Reform, appeared on File on 4 as part of its programme on the history of private involvement in the NHS.
He argued that “privatisation” is often taken to mean private payment for healthcare. That makes it harder to recognise the routine use of the private sector to deliver NHS services, paid for by the taxpayer.
Listen to the episode here.
Sarah Timmis, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article in FE News following the launch of Reform‘s report, Beyond gadgets: EdTech to help close the opportunity gap.
She argued that there needs be a change of mindset for EdTech to be implemented successfully into schools. It has opportunities to give young people the skills they will need for future employment, particularly disadvantaged pupils, and can help teachers by enabling personalised learning and analysing data.
Read the full article here.
Rose Lasko-Skinner, Research Assistant, wrote a piece for Public Sector Focus (on risk sharing in public service markets) arguing that government should play a more active role in risk management when outsourcing.
Read the full article here.
Daniel El-Gamry, Researcher at Reform, wrote an article in TES following the publication of Reform‘s report, Beyond gadgets: EdTech to help close the opportunity gap. In it, he argued that EdTech can reduce the administrative burden on teachers, help to intelligently analyse pupil data and equip students with skills for the future.
Read the full article here.
On 28 June 2018, Reform published a report on how EdTech can help close the opportunity gap. Media coverage included City AM, TES, FE News, Educate, Education for Everybody and Education Technology.
The Digital Healthcare Show published a publication ahead of its conference. As one of the speakers at the conference, Eleonora Harwich was introduced in its pages and the conclusions of Reform‘s report, Thinking on its own: AI in the NHS were also explored on page 3. See the full publication here.
On 25 June 2018, the Rt Hon David Lidington CBE MP, Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, gave a speech for Reform on public service delivery.
Media coverage included The Guardian, Public Finance, Civil Service World, Third Sector and The Register .
In an article in The Sunday Times on NHS spending, the author referenced Reform‘s report on devolved public-services commissioning.
“The think tank Reform argues for the Greater Manchester model of devolving NHS commissioning to local level to be adopted widely. It argues that 95% of NHS England’s budget could be devolved”
Read the full article here.