Premier's Memorandum 1995-49 and the Director-General's Circular 1995-25 advised Ministers and Chief Executive Officers of the requirement for agencies to develop and implement plans for Total Quality in all aspects of the agency's management and operations, as part of the Government's goal of achieving a world class public sector. The Memorandum and Circular also signaled that from mid 1996 agencies will be required to put in place benchmarking processes as an element of achieving best practice. A Chief Executives Committee (CEC) Sub-Committee is overseeing this initiative. The Total Quality initiative builds on previous initiatives, as part of a four stage process of change: development of a greater customer focus in public sector agencies; delivering improved services for customers; implementation of total quality in all aspects of the agency's operation; and achievement of best practice. Whole of government strategies are already in place for stages 1 and 2 above.

 

This Memorandum sets out details of the requirements for reporting progress in the implementation of stage 3 by agencies. Premier's Department will provide a sector-wide report to me at the completion of this stage.The CEC has endorsed the requirement for each agency to develop a Total Quality plan and the CEC Sub-Committee will have an ongoing role to oversee the development of these plans. The implementation of Total Quality plans will then be included in each CEO's performance agreement.As part of their Total Quality Plan, each agency will be required to conduct a self-assessment against the Australian Quality Award criteria, using a standardised organisational self-assessment tool, the Guided Self-Assessment (GSA) developed by the Australian Quality Council (AQC).

 

Agencies that believe they have other viable quality systems in place will need to negotiate the use of these alternative systems with the Premier's Department. Agencies which have already completed a GSA in 1996 will not be required to repeat the process this year but arrangements will be negotiated to aggregate data for a whole of government report.Budget sector agencies are expected to complete their GSA by the end of 1996.

 

Non budget sector agencies are expected to complete their GSA by the end of June 1997, but may choose to undertake it earlier, scheduling permitting.The GSA methodology provides an in-depth diagnosis of the organisation's strengths and opportunities for development, and also leads to the production of a detailed report which forms the oasis for an improvement action plan. It will also provide data to allow agencies to benchmark themselves against other like agencies within the NSW Public Sector and with comparable government organisations in other states and countries. The data could also allow for benchmark comparisons with additional types of organisations such as in the private sector. The GSA approach involves the capture data through externally facilitated focus group sessions, involving the senior management team, middle management (where applicable) and a cross-section of employees within the organisation. It is intended that this exercise will lead to the enhancement of agencies internal capacity for self review.

 

A licensing agreement for the provision of GSA has been negotiated with the Australian Quality Council at substantially reduced rates. The cost of the exercise will depend on the size of the agency. For agencies with annual recurrent budgets of less than $100 million the cost will be $4,500, and for agencies with budgets greater than $100 million the cost will be $7,500. The cost of conducting the Guided Self-Assessment will be recouped from participating agencies by the Premier's Department.It is expected that self-assessment will become part of the nominal business planning cycle within agencies, and that a formal self-assessment process will be repeated on a regular basis. Smaller agencies may undertake the GSA across the agency. Larger agencies may initially undertake the GSA within an identifiable and discrete part of the agency, for example, a region, function or program (as long as the selected entity has control of the full range of business functions to make the exercise feasible). In subsequent years the scope of the GSA may be expanded to include the whole of the organisation.Facilitation of GSA will be managed by the AQC and carried out, in the main, by a pool of trained facilitators to be established within the public sector.

 

An agency return is attached for Chief Executive Officers to indicate the means by which they will undertake GSA. The return also asks CEOs to indicate suitable officers from their agency to be considered for training as quality management assessment facilitators. These officers will need to be available for a non-consecutive period of up to 14 days (but including four consecutive days training) commencing from September 1996 through June 1997 to facilitate or co-facilitate self-assessment in agencies other than their own. The return should reach the Premier's Department by 27 September, 1996 so that details of the logistical arrangements for the implementation of the GSA can be negotiated with each agency. Questions about the requirements for Guided Self-Assessment may be directed to the Service, Performance and Operations Division of Premier's Department on telephone (02) 9228 3495.

 

Bob Carr Premier

Issued by: Service Performance and Operations Division

Contact: Carolyn Burlew/Tim Wyatt.

Telephone: (02) 228 5495/228 4989

 

TOTAL QUALITY - IMPLEMENTING GUIDED SELF-ASSESSMENT IN NSW AGENCY RETURN

 

Attachment to CIRCULAR No. 96- 16

 

AGENCY NAME: ............................................................................................

POSTAL ADDRESS: ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

Post Code ....................

CONTACT NAME: ............................................................................................(Person responsible in your Agency for organising TQ GSA And developing your Quality Plan)

 

TELEPHONE No.: ......................................... FACSIMILE No.: .................................

 

(Please circle the appropriate answer to the following questions.

 

Please refer to Circular 96- )A. TOTAL QUALITY GUIDED SELF-ASSESSMENT (GSA)

Agencies are required to conduct a Total Quality self-assessment using a standardised organisational self-assessment tool. To assist agencies the Premier's Department has contracted the Australian Quality Council at substantially reduced rates and the use of their Guided Self-Assessment tool is strongly recommended. Agencies that believe they have another viable quality system in place will need to negotiate the use of this alternative system with the Premier's Department. Agencies that have already undertaken self-assessment in 1996 will not be required to repeat the process this year but arrangements will be negotiated to aggregate data for a whole of government report to the Premier.

 

1. Please indicate if your agency:

(a) intends to use Guided Self-Assessment yes no

(b) wishes to use an alternative system yes no

(c) has completed a guided Self-Assessment in 1996 yes no

 

2. If you answered yes to either (b) or (c) please provide the name and telephone number of the person who should be contacted to negotiate the use of the alternative system.

NAME: ............................................................ TELEPHONE No.: ..............................

 

2. If you intend to use the AQC Guided Self-Assessment, what time frame would you prefer?

 

Budget Sector Agencies: September - October 1996

 

November - December 1996

 

Non Budget Sector Agencies: January - March 1997

 

April - June 1997

 

Your agency will be contacted soon to negotiate scheduling details.

 

B. FACILITATOR TRAINING

 

To assist agencies develop a greater capacity to achieve organisational excellence through self-assessment the Premier's Department has negotiated with the Australian Quality Council for a number of Public Sector personnel to be trained as facilitators in Quality self-assessment.Facilitators will be required to guide self-assessment in line agencies (other than their own) and will deal with issues at the highest levels in those agencies. Therefore, they will need to have sufficient stature and experience to ensure credibility of the process with Chief Executives. Facilitators will need to have highly developed communication, interpersonal and analytical skills. A rigorous selection process will be established. Potential facilitators will need to be available for a non-consecutive period of up to 14 days (but including four consecutive days training) commencing from September 1996 through June 1997 to facilitate or co-facilitate self-assessment in agencies other than their own.

 

3. Are you interested in identifying someone from your agency to be considered for training as a Quality Assessment facilitator?

Name: .................................................. Position: ............................................Name: .................................................. Position: ............................................

 

4. Is there anyone in your agency currently trained as a Quality Assessment facilitator who could be made available to assist other agencies with their self-assessment?

 

Name: ................................................... Position: ............................................Name: ................................................... Position: ............................................

 

5. Please provide the name and telephone number of a person who can be contacted to discuss participation of your agency in the facilitator program.

 

NAME: ....................................................TELEPHONE No.: ......................................

 

CEO endorsement of staff proposed as facilitators.......................................................................(Chief Executive Officer)

 

For further information please contact Cathy Peters, Telephone (02) 9228 3130

Please return this form by 27 September, 1996 to:

Service Performance and Operations Division, Premier's Department, Level 31, Governor Macquarie Tower, Farrer Place, Sydney 2000;

or Facsimile No.: (02) 9228 3277