For those that follow this blog and my column in The Conversation I am changing my focus in terms of research.
Changes to UK public services within the last 10 years have not only led to increasing marketisation but have also introduced new challenges for public service governance. These changes are very interesting if viewed across the public sector rather than in isolation.
Education IS a public service ; when Bevan designed the welfare state it was central to his thoughts on re building post war Britain. But since then it has as a discipline, become increasingly isolated from the rest of the public services.
Working with other public services on areas such as inspection really brings to light the similar challenges that services are facing in today’s public service.
Writing with Professor Catherine Farrell from the University of Cardiff , we are looking across four services: fire; police; health and education to pinpoint the changes to governance structures over the last five years. The paper will be presented at the Policy and Politics Conference in the autumn 2015. This will be followed by a paper on inspection in the four services.
In light of this changing focus I have moved to The Open University Business School – www.open.ac.uk/business-school – ranked in the top third of business schools worldwide.
As a member of the Department for Public Leadership and Social Enterprise my new role leaves me well placed to pursue research into leadership and governance across the public sector. It also provides new and fruitful contacts in the area of volunteer identity – another of my research interests (see www.expertpublics.com).
I hope that you will continue to find this research interesting and that broadening the scope will lead to new insights and avenues for exploration .
In due course my Column on The Conversation will also be reflecting this change.
best for now – Jacqueline 
Professor Jacqueline Baxter 