Level 2 and 3 Diploma in Business Support (4475-12/13)

Unit 307 Principles of working in the public sector
Guidance notes
Outcome 1 Understand the characteristics of the public sector
1. Types of organisation eg government departments, non-ministerial government departments
(eg Ofsted, HMRC, Charity Commission), Executive Agencies, Non-Departmental Public Bodies
(NDPB) (executive and advisory), Local Authorities (all types eg county councils, district councils,
unitary authorities).
2. Differences in terms of purpose, size, budget, service provided, customers eg clients, service
users; governance, values and ethics.
3. Aims in relation to type of service, values etc and how these relate to the objectives of the
public sector eg provide efficient and effective public services, carry out policy and comply with
legislation.
4. In terms of how central government determines the overall policy and local organisations work
within that policy eg health policy is determined by central government and interpreted and
implemented by the National Health Service . This may also include how some central
government departments have local offices through an executive agency eg Department of
Work and Pensions and Job Centre Plus.
5. Key features in terms of purpose (eg profit making, provide public services), sources of finance,
utilisation of surpluses. (nb Not-for–profit sector is also frequently referred to as the Community
and Voluntary Sector, or as the Third Sector). Not all not-for-profit organisations operate within
the Third Sector. Compare – in terms of explaining why different types of organisations, the way
they are structured and financed etc. are appropriate for different purposes.
6. Key eg legislation that defines the type of organisation, the powers of the organisation and its
key services; (eg Local Government Act 2000, Sustainable Communities Act 2007, Education
and Skills Act 2006, Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Acts 2005) ), and the values by
which it must operate (eg The Equality Act 2010) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, The
Disability Discrimination Act 1974.
Outcome 2 Understand how the public sector interacts with the UK
political system and the purpose of accountability
1. Elected members eg elected representatives (members of Parliament – at national level),
elected members (councillors in local government) and appointed non-executive members (eg
boards of non-departmental public bodies, police authorities, NHS Trusts etc).
Role is to represent the interests of their constituents, their political party, or the organisation
that nominated them; contribute to informed decision making and debate on public sector
policy and activity; comply with and uphold standards of public behaviour eg need to act within
statutory powers, comply with common law, be well informed, follow procedure, take legal
advice, recognise that all documentation is potentially in the public domain, consult,
demonstrate that the process leads to well-reasoned decisions.
2. Explain with reference to the non-executive members of public sector organisations that the
organisation has to respond to the decisions made eg activities have to be developed, amended
or discontinued to comply with the decisions made.
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