“I loved the interactive style of training which focused on practical application in our work rather than dwelling on theory. This was an inspiring course and one I would highly recommend.”
FEATURES
We’ve published a tool for commissioners – strategic comissioning and place-based systems design options appraisal
Most commissioning problems aren’t caused by commissioners failing to follow the y2k commissioning cycle as best they can. They’re caused by commissioners being asked to create outcomes inside systems that […]
Contract Management
The Contract Management Development Programme is an opportunity for those involved in contract management to refresh their skills, build on their existing knowledge and expertise and refamiliarize themselves with key […]
Jo Peters, Next Generation Local Government Finance
Are you ready for the next generation? Where is local government in the rapidly changing world of finance? Are the skills in place to navigate the change? If you are […]
Events & Programmes
NEWS
We’ve published a tool for commissioners – strategic comissioning and place-based systems design options appraisal
Most commissioning problems aren’t caused by commissioners failing to follow the y2k commissioning cycle as best they can. They’re caused by commissioners being asked to create outcomes inside systems that […]
PSTA Special Webinar: A Different Look at Systems Thinking, with GoldRatt UK, Thu 2 July 2026, 10:30 – 12:30
Register in advance for this free online webinar on zoom: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/KEwpq8uRTmqvjuet7EwCiQ A Different Look at Systems Thinking Most organisations don’t struggle because of a lack of effort or expertise – […]
“Tackling financial hardship to safeguard children”, Policy in Practice. In person and online, 30 April
Join Policy in Practice for an in-person and online event to launch our new report on financial precarity and child welfare on Thursday 30 April in London “Tackling financial hardship […]
Transforming the public sector. Join Basis for their top rated PSTA accredited Master Classes. Last few places now available. Learn core methods like service design, agile, and LEAN, in an experiential way. Next up is ‘Whole Systems Design and Change’.
RESOURCES
We’ve published a tool for commissioners – strategic comissioning and place-based systems design options appraisal
Most commissioning problems aren’t caused by commissioners failing to follow the y2k commissioning cycle as best they can. They’re caused by commissioners being asked to create outcomes inside systems that […]
Apprenticeship in Systems Thinking Practice (with SCiO and Cherith Simmons).
SCiO and Cherith Simmons have developed a new Apprenticeship in Systems Thinking Practice. From our CEO, Benjamin Taylor: “I take a deep interest in systems | cybernetics | complexity, because […]
Kit for Councils: A Pack for local authorities to support strong community relationships, from the Relationship Project
The Relationships Project has teamed up with Tony Clements – Strategic Director for Economy at Hammersmith and Fulham Council – to develop a kit to inspire and support councils to […]
WHAT WE DO
The Public Service Transformation Academy is a social enterprise, led by public service consultants RedQuadrant, the Whitehall and Industry Group, and partner organisations who are thought leaders in commissioning. We design and deliver exceptional development programmes to build capacity to transform public services.
We have taken over the running of the Cabinet Office’s Commissioning Academy, the government’s acclaimed suite of leadership development programmes for commissioners of public services.
WATCH THE VIDEO
Watch the video to discover
Recorded at the Public Sector Show 2017, Benjamin Taylor talks about the PSTA and his consultancy RedQuadrant. Their mission is to help the public sector build its commissioning and transformation capability so well that consultants are no longer needed.
- Five key questions to help you evaluate and improve your services using a systems leadership approach.
- Five principles for the future of commissioning and transformation and how they apply to the different “worlds” of public services – citizen world, service world, management world, leadership world and learning world.
- Why we should move beyond the idea of demand and need and instead focus on outcomes, allowing us to help people to achieve their life goals and purposes.
- How triple loop transformational learning can help to change the identity of public services so that they are based on outcomes and not just the provision of services
- Five tips to stop things turning out badly.
Steve Scott
DWP Tell Us Once
I’ve found the Commissioning Academy to be a really useful experience for a number of reasons, but the main one is that it provides a fantastic and unique opportunity to hear some of the theoretical stuff alongside some really practical examples of what others have done within government and a combination of those two things has been of enormous personal development but also of real practical use in the workplace as well.
Mathew Kendal
Assistant Director, Adult Social Care and Health, London Borough of Barnet
It’s a worthwhile investment. I found it a really useful experience. Coming into it with other people from your organisation, makes a big difference in terms of being able to go back into the office and think about what you’ve taken from each of the sessions and each of the site visits and translate that into what might you do differently within your organisation.
Mike Wheatley
Prison Substance Misuse Co-Commissioning, National Offender Management Service
For me, it’s about using the learning and the opportunities and the network that we’ve formed to go back to my organisation and lead by example, making more of a contribution and allow other people to learn from the opportunities that have been afforded to me.
Linda Uren
Gloucestershire County Council
I have been involved in commissioning for a long time and done lots of other training courses but this has made me think about different concepts. Things like how does it look from a provider’s point of view, how can we invest in our communities financially and with resources and what we need to do next, given context and the financial difficulties we all face.
Jacqui McKinlay
Director of Customer Services and Communications, Staffordshire County Council
It’s been a fantastic opportunity, a privilege. Not only to have the time out to think, but also the input from all the different speakers, the chance to visit other authorities. The main take away – commissioning is not about procurement, it is about hearts and minds, it is about asking the right question and getting the answer. And how do we take that back into our organisation. Lots to take away.
Julie Taylor
Assistant Chief Executive, London Borough of Barnet
We’ve got out of the Academy exactly what we wanted. We’ve never really found a way to get together as the public sector and learn from each other and that’s exactly what we’ve had from this. We’ve had some really high quality presentations but I think the real learning has come from sitting, twenty or thirty of us in session, and sharing experience and expertise.
Damian Roberts
Strategic Director, Waverley Borough Council
One of the things I’ve found most interesting about this programme, is that there is a lot of jargon, a lot of technical terminology, that makes it feel as if commissioning is something which can only be done by a procurement specialist. I think the Academy has shown that at its core, commissioning is basic good strategic management, from customer insight at the beginning stages to how you manage an ongoing relationship within a partnership. So I think it’s made it much more accessible and in turn has made it much easier for me to go and sell those ideas and messages within my own organisation.
Group from Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Leicestershire
Our Victim and Witness 100 day plan was primarily developed during the programme. The Academy provided us with precious thinking time, in a period spent away from the office, to reflect on the PCC’s vision for victims and witnesses and consider the many lessons learnt from the guest speakers. Together with peer challenge, this resulted in a plan which has provided focus for this piece of commissioning.
Tom Woodcock
Public Health Commissioning Lancashire County Council
Without a doubt we have had the latest most current thinking from central government departments. We have had excellent input from service providers, other commissioners and the debate has been fantastic.
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