Depts’ comms functions to be assessed

All departmental communications functions are to be assessed over the next 18 months as part of a new capability review process, CSW has learned.


By Civil Service World

30 May 2012

Sean Larkins, head of government communication policy and capability, has told CSW that “we will review all major departments’ communications functions to ensure that they’re doing the right communications activity in the right way, and have the right skills to deliver those.”

Larkins’ team will conduct the reviews alongside three external reviewers from outside the department. They will assess three broad areas: strategy and planning; people and resources; and implementation.

The reviews won’t use the same grading system as departmental capability reviews, which assess departments on a scale from red to green. Instead, communications functions will have to identify areas for improvement and develop action plans for the next twelve months.

A pilot review was launched at the beginning of the year in the Ministry of Defence. Currently, HMRC is being reviewed, and the Department for Education will be assessed next. Summaries will ultimately be published online.

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