Award of PSR-2023-02 - Public Service Reform - Clustering - 4 August 2023

The SG has set out its commitment to a 10-year programme of reform with the following aims:•To ensure public services remain fiscally sustainable, by reducing the costs, andreducing long term demand through investment in prevention.•To improve outcomes, which will improve lives and reduce demand.•To reduce inequalities of outcome among communities in Scotland recognisingthe need not just for improved outcomes, but a focus in policy and delivery on those most disadvantaged.Clusters can play a key role in achieving these aims and should form around a key theme or challenge to test whether our current configuration and approaches will continue to be fit for purpose to support and enable Scotland’s people, communities, businesses and third/voluntary sector organisations to improve outcomes nationally and locally.The key areas for exploration for each cluster should be framed by reform principles: people, place, performance, prevention, partnership. Scottish Government will work with public bodies to develop these areas however, public bodies are free to also create their own approach to clustering which, ideally should take a collaborative approach with local government, other public authorities and the third/voluntary sector.