1. Presentation to Portfolio Committee on New Innovation Projects
15 March 2017
CENTRE FOR PUBLIC SERVICE INNOVATION

2. Overview
Background
New Projects
Strategic Health Focus – new projects
Multi-year projects
Awards as feeder programme
Capacity
Structure
Discussions

3. Background
The selection of projects is guided by the National Development Plan’s vision of building a capable and developmental state, as well as the following outcomes of Government’s Medium Term Strategic Framework:
Outcome 1: Access to quality Basic Education
Outcome 2: Health Access
Outcome 3: Reduction of Crime
Outcome 12: Effectiveness, efficiency, development oriented public service

4. Background Value proposition:
Leverage innovation (ICT & non-ICT) to unlock service delivery challenges
Where strategies / policies / frameworks / templates / service delivery models are not achieving the desired outcomes, we harness innovation to unlock service delivery blockages, thus improving efficiency and effectiveness and saving money
Leverage gains in the S&T field to the benefit of citizens
Harness strategic partnerships – Private, public, NGO and academic sectors to benefit service delivery, e.g. UN, MTN, TIH.
Provide a risk-friendly environment for testing and piloting

5. Background Value proposition:
Create an enabling environment for PS innovation to thrive within departments
Products and platforms on PS innovation (Conference, workshops, Journal)
Multi-media Innovation Centre where public servants can explore their challenges, access a repository of innovative solutions (local and international) and engage with CPSI staff
Unearth implemented innovations for replication and scaling to avoid re-inventing the wheel.
 Recognise and reward innovative public servants and teams
Facilitate replication of awarded projects
Champion regional and international thought-leadership on PS Innovation

6. Background New projects are initiated in the following ways:
Departments approach the CPSI and request support. Departments then take ownership and the CPSI work closely with the department or institution to confirm the perceived challenge, determine if innovation is needed and then support the development of a new innovation.
The CPSI approaches a department or institution with a service delivery solution unearthed through the annual CPSI Public Sector Innovation Awards or identified through our international innovation networks.
The CPSI receives a ministerial or Portfolio Committee Directive to intervene (e.g. after an unannounced site visit).
Initiating a project is a lengthy and complex process as we first have to ensure the buy-in of all stakeholders before being able to start with adaptation and implementation.
NB: SOME WILL BE PILOTS/PROTOTYPES, OTHERS WILL BE REPLICATIONS

7. New Projects Home Affairs - Front-office optimisation
Initiated a project with Department of Home Affairs to support their Front Office Improvement Plan to develop a management and reporting tool to identify, report and manage challenges such as long queues or system problems.
DTI - Performance reporting of public entities
Initiated a project with DTI to optimise, track and standardise performance reporting of entities reporting to the department through a web-based in-house application. This will enable the department and Minister to have a “dashboard” view of performance against the entities’ mandates.

8. Strategic Health Focus – new projects
In order to best leverage limited resources, the CPSI took a strategic decision to have a sector-specific focus, prioritising health.
Numerous requests from hospitals
Significant number of awards entries (innovative solutions) coming from the Health Sector
Health topical e.g. Statistician General highlighted challenges with maternal and infant mortality
Challenge of queues in hospitals but queue management frameworks, systems and training not effective (over the years) due to numerous back office challenges (root causes not the same in all institutions) – queues are a symptom of deeper and complex issues

9. Strategic Health Focus: new projects
The CPSI, starting in 2015, initiated a series of provincial health sector specific workshops in collaboration with the UNDP and GEMS:
Five provincial health sector specific workshops have been conducted to date for 163 hospital CEOs and clinical managers in Limpopo, Mpumalanga, KZN and Gauteng.
The Gauteng workshops have already resulted in the projects in Bertha Gxowa, Chris Hani Baragwanath, Far East Rand, Leratong and Tembisa hospitals.
The UNDP has committed to co-fund the workshops over the next four years, based on the success thus far.
WHILST THE SECTOR SPECIFIC FOCUS WAS ON HEALTH, EDUCATION AND FINANICIAL SERVICES WILL ALSO IN FUTURE BE PRIORITISED

10. Health Projects Innovation Hubs in hospitals:
In support of the Gauteng Department of Health’s Lean Management initiative, the CPSI is facilitating the development of a hospital-based innovation hub at Bertha Gxowa Hospital – replication of Groote Schuur model (from awards)
Tembisa Hospital: requested the CPSI’s support to optimise theatre utilisation (currently at around 30%)
Maternal referral system between Chris Hani Baragwanath and feeder clinics:
Development of referral system with entrepreneurs at The Innovation Hub. This project will contribute to the reduction of maternal and infant mortality and the reduction of queues.
Pharmacy optimisation project at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
Automation of back-office to decongest and reduce queues, reduce dispensing time and eliminate stock losses (from awards - successfully implemented at Helen Joseph Hospital)

11. Health Projects Health - High-volume Cataract Theatre
Initiated this innovative solution to double the number of cataract operations at Bheki Mlangeni Hospital. This initiative will reduce pressure and the backlog of an estimated eye operations at Chris Hani Baragwanath hospital.
Hospital blood-use optimisation projects
New projects already implemented:
Bertha Gxowa Hospital (district hospital): Saving of R from May 2016 to January 2017
Far East Rand Hospital (regional hospital): Saving of R for January 2017
New projects initiated at the following sites:
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital (academic hospital)
Leratong Hospital
Tembisa Hospital
Pholosong hospital
Training has been completed and are in the process of implementing (e.g. setting up of blood transfusion committees and accountability measures)

12. Multi-year projects Safety and Security in Schools
installing innovative alarm systems linked to CPF and local police stations in 140 no-fee schools in Gauteng and handing out 3500 personal alarms to learners. More than 20 police stations now linked to system.
The Helen Joseph Energy Efficiency project
Multi-year pilot to develop a model to reduce the energy use in state hospitals in close collaboration with GDID and GDOH. What has been achieved especially in savings? Other Gauteng hospitals started introducing elements of the model and more than R3 million has been saved at Charlotte Maxeke hospital
eLearning in Mthatha
On 13 March 2017 the MEC, on behalf of the Minister, handed over an elarning solution (multi-media computer centres) that is assisting two neighbouring schools to benefit from the excellence in Mathematics and Science being achieved by St Johns College in Mthatha.

13. Awards as a “feeder” programme
The CPSI Public Sector Innovation Awards Programme serves as a “feeder programme where we unearth new innovations for replication and recognise innovative initiatives. This programme has been benchmarked by organisations such as the UN and OECD (see next slide).
The 2016 Awards have brought to the fore 16 new projects from which more projects will be selected for replication: examples:
Cable theft prevention project in Free State
Contractor development project in Free State
Revenue Enhancement Project in Limpopo
NB: When a project is being replicated in a new environment it becomes a totally new project, with new dynamics and we start from scratch.

14. Awards as a “feeder” programme
Global benchmarking of the CPSI’s Awards programme:
February 2017 OECD report:
INNOVATION SKILLS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR: BUILDING CAPABILITY IN CHILE

15. Youth and Entrepreneurial Development
CPSI inundated with requests with “new” solutions from service providers, entrepreneurs.
Most pitching their product in the hope that CPSI can facilitate business with the state.
Therefore own development process in collaboration with other entities in the National System of Innovation
Identify real service delivery challenge with department
Investigate root causes and potential solutions
If no solution available, post on The Innovation Hub’s OpenIX Exchange
Invite community of innovators to respond with potential solutions (conceptual/prototype/tested)
Platform connect entrepreneurs, including eKasiLabs, Mlabs and provincial development agencies
Best solution then selected for testing and piloting in a service delivery context

16. Youth and Entrepreneurial Development
Solutions developed thus far:
Elimination of duplication in dispensing chronic medication (City of Tshwane)
Memeza Household and Community Alarm (Honeydew Cluster)
Through the Awards, especially the Special Ministerial Awards, the CPSI identify, recognise and reward social entrepreneurs that contribute to service delivery improvement, including:
Re-purpose School Bags
Medicine on Wheels
Cable theft prevention

17. Challenges
Current capacity to manage projects: 2 project managers and one researcher
Leadership support
With every change at leadership level projects are compromised.
Very difficult to secure executive leadership support in some departments
Funding for innovation on departmental level is a challenge
Procurement of new solutions from local entrepreneurs should be prioritised vis-à-vis procurement of resellers of off-the-shelf solutions
Culture of risk aversion discourages the willingness of accounting officers to test new solutions

18. Structure Minister for Public Service and Administration
Executive Director (Accounting Officer)
Programme 1: Administration
Strategic Management
CRM
Finance
HR / Facilities
Programme 2: Public Sector Innovation
Research and Development
CD and 2 x DD
Solution Support and Incubation
CD, D, 2xDD
Enabling Environment
CD, 2xDD, ASD
Internal Audit / Legal Services (DPSA)
Deputy Minister for Public Service and Administration

19. THANK YOU