IMPOWER and clients named as finalists in 3 categories of 2019 MCA Awards

I am delighted that IMPOWER and two of our clients have been named as finalists in three categories of the 2019 MCA Awards.

The Management Consultancies Association (MCA) is the representative body for management consultancy firms in the UK. Their annual awards demonstrate the value of consulting, and celebrate the results achieved when clients and consultants work together. The categories IMPOWER has been shortlisted in are as follows:

• Best use of thought Leadership with Hertfordshire County Council
• Change and Transformation in the public sector with Ealing Borough Council
• Thought Leader Consultant of the Year – Jon Ainger

A summary of each nomination is provided below.

Best use of thought Leadership with Hertfordshire County Council

This nomination is about the Valuing Care programme.

Over the last 18 months, IMPOWER has led a national debate on the way in which some of England’s most vulnerable children – those in care – are supported. It has highlighted flaws in the current system, where spend on care is not linked to children’s or the outcomes that are being aimed for. But the company’s approach to thought leadership goes far beyond rhetoric – drawing on years of experience working with local authorities, it has devised an alternative model – the Valuing Care programme – and put it into practice with its clients. As a result, IMPOWER is transforming the life chances of thousands of children and has created a nationwide movement.

Change and Transformation in the public sector with Ealing Borough Council

This nomination is about demand-led change in adult social care.

Ealing Council was facing a crisis: a growing budget gap and an overwhelming rise in demand for adult social care services. It partnered with IMPOWER to transform the way it delivers support to its most vulnerable residents. Drawing on many years’ expertise, IMPOWER worked closely with the council at all levels to help it understand how to better manage demand and fundamentally redefine the way it delivers adult social care in order to support independence. Demand for adult social care services has reduced, and thanks to tailored coaching and training from IMPOWER’s team, the council is able to use tools and processes introduced to sustain improvements itself. The Better Lives programme has directly saved £4 million, and indirectly saved a further £6 million.

Thought Leader Consultant of the Year – Jon Ainger

This nomination is about thought leadership work on outcome productivity in the public sector. Jon writes:

In May 2017, I launched the IMPOWER INDEX – a pioneering tool which enables councils to improve citizens’ lives. It does this by providing a clear view of what is being achieved with the money that is being spent on public services, rather than focusing only the cost. The INDEX shows outcome productivity, which simply means that is measures a council’s performance against outcomes, per pound invested. For the first time, councils can find out how they are performing and use that information to improve decision making. In the subsequent 18 months, I embarked on thought leadership activities that help councils benefit from this approach, in line with our company mission. My belief is simple – that when public services work well and produce good outcomes for citizens, this ultimately costs the state less. My thought leadership activities have guided the direction IMPOWER has taken, boosted sales opportunities, is persuading the sector to adopt an outcome productivity approach, and benefits clients.

—

Having our work recognised in this way is highly significant, not least because the awards are as much a recognition of the work of our clients as they are of our own efforts – so congratulations to Hertfordshire County Council and Ealing Borough Council. Members of the IMPOWER team and client representatives will be telling their stories at the forthcoming panel interviews, and I look forward to finding out who has won at the Awards night on 28 March.