Corporate services scoping review

The formation of the NSW Department of Human Services from seven previously independent organisations created the opportunity to improve the delivery of services . Nous was engaged to conduct a scoping review to identify how the efficiency of corporate services could be improved.

The review analysed corporate service delivery in each organisation against best practice and delivery benchmarks from similar organisations to identify how existing expertise could be leveraged in the new corporate services delivery model. A future delivery model was developed in consultation with the executives of the previously separate organisations and recommended consolidation and integration of corporate services across the department. Strategic corporate services functions will be delivered centrally to ensure consistency of policy and strategy. Transactional functions will be consolidated in a single shared services provider to leverage economies of scale. Advisory functions will be aligned with strategy in DHS, delivery of transactional corporate services or with agency client service delivery depending on the specific nature of the corporate service function. To finalise the agreed delivery model, 42 recommendations were made to improve the capability and efficiency of corporate services delivery, and a delivery roadmap for next three years was developed.

These changes will reduce red tape and barriers between agencies for 20,000 DHS staff and free up resources to enable improved client focus and delivery of frontline services.