D I S S E C T I N G B U S I N E S S
Indeed, the year before last, the British Social Attitudes survey reported the lowest NHS patient satisfaction levels since records began in 1983 – with figures falling as low as 24 %. This represents a 29 % decrease since 2020, marking an unprecedented plummet in public satisfaction.
A 2024 Ipsos survey further confirms this worrying fall, revealing that just 28 % of the British public believe the NHS is providing good service. It’ s clear, then, that all public service challenges could lead to public fear and rejection, for instance, with traditionally human-driven sectors requiring more nuanced technological approaches. Then, there’ s the issue of energy consumption, with many AI systems like Humphrey threatening government net-zero targets because they can be energy-intensive.
Finally, implementing AI in sectors like healthcare involves handling sensitive data, so privacy measures and ethics alike must remain a key priority.
Digital Transformation
Rather than relying solely on AI to turn things around, then, the government must also turn to organisations specialising in Digital Transformation to ensure success. Though it may seem counterintuitive, with digital solutions at the fore, it’ s important to take a‘ people-first’ approach, where new technologies are implemented in ways that empower public teams rather than overwhelming them.
Emma O’ Brien, Founder and CEO of people-first business transformation consultancy, Embridge Consulting the country needs more effective ways of boosting efficiency – with resurrection strategies centred around solutions that don’ t cost the earth.
A catalyst for change
In the pursuit of enhancing public sector productivity – and by proxy, public satisfaction levels – the government has introduced‘ Humphrey’: a suite of AI tools designed to improve efficiency within the civil service. Consisting of several different AI applications, this collection of tools aims to reduce bureaucratic delays, decrease reliance on external consultants and enhance data sharing – all elements that align with Labour’ s broader aim of modernising public services.
While Humphrey offers promising advancements, several limitations must be addressed. An overreliance on AI to resolve
A key failing of many government-led technology turnarounds so far has been the assumption that implementing things like AI will automatically resolve deeprooted structural inefficiencies. In reality, productivity gains depend on a combination of cultural change, training and digital systems that integrate seamlessly into existing workflows.
By implementing tailored Enterprise Resource Planning( ERP) solutions, public sector organisations like the NHS can unify their operations in a secure, reliable way, improving everything from financial management and HR functions to service delivery – without the cost and disruption of completely overhauling existing systems.
This approach proves particularly vital in healthcare, where outdated IT infrastructure often creates admin bottlenecks responsible for hundreds of people still waiting for appointments. The same goes for patient record management and workforce planning – both of which are easily held back by legacy tech.
Of course, when used strategically, intelligent automation solutions can also reduce
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