The Civil Service World Podcast

Latest Episodes:

It's Personal: How Aberdeen is reimagining public services Oct 09, 2026

Show notes

In the latest episode of It's Personal, created in partnership with KPMG, Jess Bowie and Jo Thomson continue their exploration of what makes great public services in the digital era.

This time they are in Aberdeen, where Jo grew up, to meet the man behind one of the UK's most ambitious council transformations. Andy Macdonald, interim chief executive and executive director of corporate services at Aberdeen City Council, has helped the Granite City go from playing catch-up on digital public services to being a trailblazer.

In a wide-ranging conversation, Andy discusses moving from reactive to predictive care, how Aberdeen council has repivoted its homepage around life events, and why – despite a sophisticated chatbot – citizens can always reach a real person when they need one.

Hosted by Jess Bowie, editor-in-chief of Civil Service World, and Jo Thomson, partner, customer transformation at KPMG.

Recorded and produced by Podot.

Crocodiles, missile alerts, and a search for the future of government: In conversation with Derek Alton Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

In February, former public servant Derek Alton joined us just before he set off on a year-long journey around the world. Since then, he's been to 13 countries and more than 20 cities, looking for the people driving change in government.

In this episode, CSW editor-in-chief Suzannah Brecknell catches up with Derek – founder of Civic Punks – to hear about the best (and worst) public services he found on the road, where government's rule-breakers and changemakers tend to thrive, and why parts of Asia are taking a more optimistic approach to AI than many governments in the West. Derek also reflects on his time in Kyiv, where he saw how Ukraine's digital transformation has continued under bombardment.

We also get his views on the changes in UK government since we spoke earlier this year, including the new cabinet secretary's promise to back officials who take risks, and find out where his world tour goes next.

Recorded and produced by Podot.

Derek's article for CSW ⁠Transformation in times of war: Kyiv's digital chief Victoria Itskovych shares her story⁠
Civic Punks on YouTube

Civic Punks Substack
Derek's latest interview with Pia Andrews
Derek's interview with Victoria Itskovych
Amber Guette, Dear Minister, Letters from a Public Servant: https://www.dearminister.net/books

It's Personal: When Actors Do What PowerPoint Can't Jul 20, 2026

Show notes

This episode of It's Personal has a slightly different feel: Jess hands the mic to co-host Jo, who doubled up as a roving reporter at KPMG's Citizen Experience Excellence report launch – an immersive night of theatre, citizen testimony and audience votes, all designed to make senior civil servants feel the data rather than just read it.

Jo talks us through the characters who took over the stage – plus what happened when an audience member's own experience became part of the evening. Then we hear from four attendees, from NHS Devon, DCMS, DWP and the Environment Agency respectively, about what they're taking back to their teams.

Hosted by Jess Bowie, editor-in-chief of Civil Service World, and Jo Thomson, partner – customer transformation at KPMG.

Recorded and produced by Podot.

It’s Personal: How do you make tax feel less taxing? Jul 06, 2026

Show notes

What does great citizen experience look like at scale? In this episode of It’s Personal, Claire Walsh and John Swift from HMRC’s Customer Experience Directorate join Jess and Jo to explore how the department is learning from industry and mapping customer journeys to improve services. They discuss how you measure success, bring colleagues with you when you’re on a transformation journey, and build openness to new ideas.

Hosted by Jess Bowie, editor-in-chief of Civil Service World, and Jo Thomson, partner – customer transformation at KPMG.

Recorded and produced by Podot.

The UK's strategy gap, and how to fill it: In conversation with Catherine Day Jun 12, 2026

Show notes

Catherine Day spent 25 years as a civil servant, including a posting as the UK's spokesperson in Iran and senior posts in No.10, Cabinet Office and the FCDO advising ministers and senior officials on national strategy, security and reform.

In 2023 she left, convinced that our governance system is broken, and that it cannot be fixed from within.

In this episode, Catherine talks to Suzannah Brecknell about what those 25 years taught her, why she believes there is a critical gap at the centre of our institutions, and what she is doing about it.

We find out more about the National Strategy Project, which Catherine co-founded, and how civil servants can get involved in the work of renewing our democracy.

We also explore why biological anthropology – the study of how humans organise to survive and thrive – turns out to be the perfect training for a career in government, and Catherine explains why she remains, despite everything, optimistic.

Hosted by Suzannah Brecknell

Recorded and produced by Podot

It’s Personal: How AI is Transforming NHS Diagnostics Jun 05, 2026

Show notes

In the latest episode of It's Personal, created in partnership with KPMG, Jess Bowie and Jo Thomson continue their exploration of what makes great public services in the digital era.

One in three chest X-rays in the NHS is now reviewed with the support of AI – but what does that actually mean for patients? In this episode, we speak to Rob Dale, Head of AI Diagnostics and Implementation Lead for Digital Histopathology at NHS England, who leads the a £21m fund that has deployed AI tools across 64 NHS trusts. Rob explains how the programme moved from concept to scale without falling into the trap of 'pilotitis', and why getting the balance right between central coordination and local autonomy has been critical to its success.

Hosted by Jess Bowie, editor-in-chief of Civil Service World, and Jo Thomson, partner – customer transformation at KPMG.

Recorded and produced by Podot.

In conversation: How can we protect frontline civil servants from being abused? May 14, 2026

Show notes

As cross-sector research shows rising levels of abuse towards customer-facing staff, this episode explores how one of government’s largest operational departments is protecting its frontline officials – while also improving services for citizens.

We’re joined by Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services and chief customer officer, who explains the kind of abuse frontline civil servants face on a daily basis and outlines the department’s response, from peer support and mental health advocates through to legal intervention. We discuss the role of technology in tackling abuse, and the unique challenges public sector organisations face since they, unlike the private sector, have an obligation to interact with every customer.

Joining the conversation, Jo Causon, the chief executive of the Institute of Customer Service, shares data on the scale of the problem, including how it can impact staff retention and sick days, and explains why her organisation is calling for a standalone legal offence covering all customer-facing workers, not just those in retail.

Hosted by Tevye Markson, online editor of CSW.

Recorded and produced by Podot.

It's Personal: How does it feel to live in one of the UK's smartest cities? Apr 30, 2026

Show notes

In the latest episode of It's Personal, created in partnership with KPMG, Jess Bowie and Jo Thomson continue their exploration of what makes great public services in the digital era.

Sunderland was named the UK's smartest city in 2024 – but what does that actually mean for the people who live there? In this episode, we sit down with Liz St Louis, Director of Smart Cities and Enabling Services at Sunderland City Council, to explore how data and technology are being used to make services faster, safer and more responsive.

From sensors detecting damp in homes to multi-agency hubs where council teams work alongside police and fire services, Liz shares how Sunderland has moved from being 'data rich but intelligence poor' to using real-time insight to prevent problems before they escalate. We also hear about the city's long-term infrastructure partnership, its network of hubs tackling digital exclusion, and why – even as 60% of interactions move online – keeping a human-first option remains non-negotiable.

Hosted by Jess Bowie, editor-in-chief of Civil Service World, and Jo Thomson, partner – customer transformation at KPMG.

Recorded and produced by Podot.

Procurement as a launchpad for growth: In conversation with Rikesh Shah Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

The government spends nearly £430 billion a year on public procurement, or around 15% of GDP. In this episode Suzannah Brecknell speaks to Rikesh Shah, chair of the Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre, about how government can use procurement as a genuine strategic lever for innovation – and why that's a challenge for the whole civil service, not just procurement teams.

Rikesh sets out what innovation in procurement actually means in practice, why engaging the market early is essential, and the opportunities presented by NISTA’s £718bn infrastructure pipeline. He also tackles the cultural barriers head-on, with practical examples of how taking a calculated risk on innovation generated significant returns at Transport for London.

Hosted by Suzannah Brecknell, Editor-in-Chief, Civil Service World. Recorded and produced by Podot.

Links mentioned in this episode:

Innovation Procurement Empowerment Centre: https://cp.catapult.org.uk/project/innovation-procurement-empowerment-centre/

To share your procurement challenges with IPEC's cohort programme, email: contact@ipec.org.uk

What can government do differently to rewire growth? In conversation with Alan Welby Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

The Chancellor has said she wants to build an active and strategic state that drives investment-led growth across the whole of the UK. But is the wiring in place to make that happen?

In this episode, recorded at the Connected Places Summit in London, Suzannah Brecknell speaks to Alan Welby, managing director for built environment and local growth at the Connected Places Catapult, about what it will take to turn that ambition intoreality.

Drawing on a new report finding that only 1% of SMEs in most UK cities meet the threshold for investment readiness, Alan explains why capital continues to follow familiarityand existing networks rather than potential, and what needs to change. Theconversation covers blended finance, devolution, and the skills gap betweenpublic and private sectors. Plus, we hear a concrete example of how innovativefinancing models are being used to retrofit ageing housing stock in Glasgow.

Alan calls on civil servants to be bolder, and get muchsmarter about supporting – and challenging – places to collaborate as they drive growth.

Hosted by Suzannah Brecknell, Editor-in-Chief, Civil ServiceWorld.
Recorded and produced by Podot.

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

The Civil Service World Podcast

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected