Review of ICT Infrastructure in the Public Sector in Scotland

15 Implementation

15.1 Implementation Resources

The changes and initiatives outlined at a high-level above will require to be driven within each sector and at the national level by effective leadership and project management. These are senior and important responsibilities.

• Formation of a National Oversight Board and associated technical, design authority and commercial support will require leadership, staffing and appropriate skills.
• Sector Oversight Boards with the possible exception of NHS will require similar staffing.
• Existing organisations and structures such as the Improvement Service, Procurement Centres and IT Councils should be heavily relied upon and interlinked into the transformation programme.
• Although the public sector is rich in ICT skills at the individual organisation level and full advantage should be taken of this, external specialised skills including some ICT industry experience may be essential.

The marginal new resources required to staff the oversight and governance structures and provide appropriate management should cost no more than £2m per annum.

15.2 Implementation Proposals

• Agree to adopt the recommendations from this review as soon as possible.
• In meantime request that pending high value conflicting decisions be suspended or amended.
• Set up national and sector led oversight structures by the end of June 2011.
• Establish membership and remit of Industry Advisory Board by end of June 2011.
• Complete individual and national new strategies by end September 2011.
• Commence new procurement and technical plans in October 2011.
• Agree new strategies and future ICT budgets by the end of November 2011.