People centred services, such as health, social care and those supporting vulnerable or troubled families, consume a large proportion of public sector funds. They are also vital safety nets for people whose lives fall off the rails. However, our studies show that these services are often plagued by inefficiency and ineffectiveness, at great financial and human cost. Methods designed to solve this problem include pooled budgets, demand management, integrated services and early intervention.  They all have the aim of increasing efficiency and improving outcomes for local people. However, their impact is often reported as limited.

The Vanguard Method in people centred services is the biggest opportunity to significantly reduce costs and, more importantly, to improve people’s lives. We understand how to design public services that actually work. As a result costs fall dramatically. But that’s not all. The wider consequence of providing services that work is that demand falls.  Not only do you wipe out the strangling effect of high failure demand, you learn that fewer people experience problems.

Happier people, better families, strengthened communities. Isn’t that what public services ought to be about?