A+DS introduce ‘Design Assessment in the Business Case’

NHSScotland is to lead the way in public procurement by introducing a system of design assessment into the business case approvals process. Following the Cabinet Secretary’s announcement in 2009, A+DS’ healthcare programme has been working with partners at Health Facilities Scotland, SGHD and with selected Health Boards to develop a methodology of defining design objectives for projects and valuing these in the decision to fund the proposed development. The resultant process, which is being piloted in during 2010/11, was introduced to NHSScotland’s Capital Investment Network at a meeting this week at Victoria Quay. The move was received as a welcome focus on the long term benefits that can be realised through public clientship. Further guidance, and a supporting web-based resource, are to follow at the begging of June.

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Process and Product

As a client for a new development you want to make decisions that are best for the project, and as a representative of a public body you have to show these are transparent and fair. Tailoring the decision making criteria to represent the particular circumstances of the project can open you up to accusations of amending them to suit what you want to do; of ignoring other’s opinions in that choice. So scoring mechanisms are established that must be used unaltered on any project, even if they miss the mark... even if they limit or even destroy the potential of the project.

So here’s the catch 22 that public servants sometimes face... be accountable in the process and avoid challenges, or be accountable for the product.

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