Research Report
Data's role in propelling the UK public sector forward
NetApp gathered insights from 200 public sector decision makers in the UK. This research report collates the findings of that survey.
Data is undoubtedly one of the buzzwords of the 21st century – for good reason.
It's now the driving force of the world's modern economies, fuelling innovation in businesses large and small. Since the onset of the COVID pandemic, data has even helped to save lives and livelihoods, enabling governments, businesses, and public sector organisations to share vital information, efficiently and ethically.
On the road to economic recovery, we have an opportunity to make the most of the valuable lessons learned, to keep using data to innovate, experiment, and drive a new era of growth in the UK. Herein lies the purpose of the National Data Strategy (NDS), which is designed to harness the power of data to boost productivity, create new jobs, improve public services, and position the UK as a pioneer in the next wave of innovation.
However, to move forward with the NDS, fiscal and physical investment is required to equip organisations, especially those in the public sector, with the necessary skills and infrastructure to use data effectively. To explore the current state of data usage and effectiveness across the public sector, NetApp gathered insights from 200 public sector decision makers in the UK.
This research report collates the findings of that survey. The NetApp® report examines the relationship between national policy and individual government departments, and the steps needed to help the public sector become truly data driven.
Features and Benefits
The capabilities that set Data's role in propelling the UK public sector forward apart.
Do public sector leaders believe in the doctrine and direction of the National Data Strategy?
Belief in the National Data Strategy
In its National Data Strategy manifesto, the UK government states its belief that unlocking the value of data is key to driving growth, both within the digital sector and across the wider economy. Most public sector leaders agree, with three-quarters (75%) saying that the NDS is imperative to the UK's future economic growth, while 73% believe that it will help the UK cement its position as a global digital leader.
Alignment with the NDS
Furthermore, organisations across the public sector are using the NDS as a guide for their own data policies, with the majority (79%) of respondents saying that their organisation's policy for how they use data is aligned to the NDS. Similarly, 71% are also in favour of the UK having a central strategy to improve how data is used across the public sector.
Investment in infrastructure required
Despite these responses, continued investment in infrastructure is required to improve processes around data sharing and delivery of digital services. Over half (56%) of respondents do not believe that their organisation's data is currently stored on infrastructure that is fit-for-purpose, while just under half (47%) say that they require further investment to provide a platform to deliver digital services in the future.
Legacy systems challenge
Part and parcel of this challenge is the public sector's longstanding dependence on legacy systems, which can make data difficult to collect, maintain, organise, and share, creating many barriers in the process. Removing data barriers requires upgraded infrastructure, to transform systems and make data more accessible. Only then can users begin to wield data to inform decisions and increase productivity.
Greater cloud adoption is the key to unlocking efficient data sharing and hybrid working
Cloud adoption in the public sector
On the journey to becoming data driven, the need to harness the power of cloud and analytics to accelerate digital transformation will continue to be even more critical. The survey findings support this notion, with the majority (79%) of public sector organisations storing at least some of their data in the cloud. Key benefits cited are reducing costs (35%), enabling data sharing (35%), and supporting workers in hybrid environments (34%).
Future cloud investment
Given the mounting need for public sector organisations to expand their capacity for data sharing and the delivery of digital services to citizens, it's also likely that the investment in cloud will continue to grow in the next 12 months. NetApp's research is a clear indication of this, with a vast majority (87%) of respondents saying that they will maintain or grow their cloud expenditure, while more than half (53%) expect to increase their use of cloud services in the next 12 months.
Cloud First policy progress
However, although there is evidence that public sector strategies are maturing when it comes to investing in cloud services, this hasn't advanced at the expected rate. Since 2013 the UK government's flagship Cloud First policy has been at the forefront of enabling departments to shed their legacy IT architecture to embrace digital transformation. But with only 30% of public sector leaders consciously adopting a cloud-first approach, cloud-appropriate is perhaps a more financially and operationally prudent way to describe the delivery of digitised public services.
Hybrid cloud as the answer
To this end, hybrid cloud could well be the answer to the UK public sector's infrastructure challenges. By creating a hybrid cloud data fabric as opposed to separate disconnected storage silos, with support from NetApp, public sector organisations can improve data mobility and sharing, meet data compliance obligations, and optimise for both performance and cost.
Investment in technology must be underpinned by digital and data upskilling
Need for data-literate individuals
Public sector organisations can elevate employee and citizen experiences by using data effectively in today's digital-driven economy. However, doing so requires data-literate individuals. Currently, there's a desperate need for digital skills that simply aren't there.
Bridging old and new worlds
If the National Data Strategy is to truly position the UK as a pioneer in the next wave of innovation, more support is needed to bridge old and new worlds to drive the transition from complex legacy IT platforms to digital-first architectures.
Digital skills gap
With one in eight job opportunities residing in the digital sector, the UK government's data skills gap report claims that as many as 234,000 data-related roles are presently unfilled.
Cultural change and training
In keeping with the government's report, NetApp's findings reveal that a majority of public sector leaders (69%) believe that their organisation must also change their culture to embrace new technology. Similarly, 63% also believe that a lack of employee training is a barrier to digital transformation, while the same number say that they need more support from senior management to meet digital objectives in 2022.
Digital upskilling solution
Ultimately, the looming shortage of technical skills is a challenge that organisations must overcome to expand their data sharing and digital capabilities, to truly benefit from investment in digital infrastructure and cloud services. In response, all roads seem to lead to training as the solution to close the gap, with 65% of public sector leaders agreeing that digital upskilling is required to help their organisation achieve its digital transformation goals.
Collaboration between sectors
Public sector organisations need to manage the vast amounts of data they have at their disposal, which is a complex undertaking with significant rewards. As well as implementing training and initiatives to increase IT proficiency and digital literacy among existing employees, the technology and higher education sectors must work together to produce data-savvy graduates across all disciplines. This effort will help organisations across all industries, beyond the public sector, respond to the challenge posed by the technical skills shortage and the increasing requirement for decision making at every level to be more data driven.
Conclusion
Impact of the pandemic
Following the onset of the pandemic, the kind of shifts that were expected to take place over a decade swept across the UK – and indeed, the world – seemingly overnight. But few sectors, if any, were as impacted as the public sector, as organisations scrambled to continue serving and protecting the public.
Data as a lifeline
In the face of adversity, data emerged as a lifeline, informing decisions and guiding strategies that saved countless lives and kept the economy running during a period of intense disruption. In 2022, as the world continues to reopen and recover, the emphasis is now on learning and building on these valuable lessons to revolutionise the public sector, remove complexity, and elevate the lives of citizens.
The key to unlocking data
Data can be the answer to realising these benefits. But to unlock it, we need the key, in the shape of modernised infrastructure, continued cloud migration, and employees equipped with digital and data skills. The UK government's National Data Strategy is an essential piece of this puzzle, providing direction and the foundation for a truly data-driven society. But although it's a huge stride in the right direction, the NDS alone isn't enough to realise this ambition. More financial, time, and resource investment is crucial to maintain momentum and give public sector organisations the support they need.
NetApp as a powerful ally
This is where partners like NetApp can be a powerful ally to the public sector, with a proven track record of empowering public sector organisations to lead with data, while helping to unify digital, data, and technology functions.
The journey ahead
Ultimately, the UK has changed, and that journey is far from over. But by unleashing the power of data to become truly data driven, the public sector can thrive in the age of accelerated digital transformation to improve the lives of millions, while being ready for whatever comes next.
Expert Guidance
Thrive with expert-led storage guidance
Get tailored advice on how Data's role in propelling the UK public sector forward fits your environment — from sizing and deployment to long-term optimization.
Technical Specifications
Exhaustive hardware and software metrics extracted directly from official documentation.
-
NDS imperative to UK growth75% of public sector decision makers say the National Data Strategy is imperative to UK growth
-
NDS as global digital leader enabler73% believe that it will help the UK cement its position as a global digital leader
-
Organisational policy aligned to NDS79% of respondents say that their organisation's policy for how they use data is aligned to the NDS
-
Support for central data strategy71% are in favour of the UK having a central strategy to improve how data is used across the public sector
-
Infrastructure not fit-for-purpose56% of respondents do not believe that their organisation's data is currently stored on infrastructure that is fit-for-purpose
-
Need further investment47% say that they require further investment to provide a platform to deliver digital services in the future
-
Storing data in the cloud79% of public sector organisations are storing at least some of their data in the cloud
-
Reducing costs35% cite reducing costs as a key benefit
-
Enabling data sharing35% cite enabling data sharing as a key benefit
-
Supporting hybrid workers34% cite supporting workers in hybrid environments as a key benefit
-
Maintain or grow cloud expenditure87% of public sector leaders will spend more on cloud or maintain their current level of investment
-
Increase cloud use in next 12 months53% expect to increase their use of cloud services in the next 12 months
-
Cloud-first approach adoptionOnly 30% of public sector leaders consciously adopting a cloud-first approach
-
Unfilled data-related rolesAs many as 234,000 data-related roles are presently unfilled
-
Job opportunities in digital sectorOne in eight job opportunities reside in the digital sector
-
Need for cultural change69% of public sector leaders believe that their organisation must also change their culture to embrace new technology
-
Lack of employee training as barrier63% believe that a lack of employee training is a barrier to digital transformation
-
Need senior management support63% say that they need more support from senior management to meet digital objectives in 2022
-
Digital upskilling required65% of respondents believe digital upskilling will help public sector organisations achieve their digital transformation goals
-
Number of respondents200 public sector leaders
-
Research partnerOpinium, an independent research consultant
-
Sectors surveyedCentral and local government, health and social care, emergency services, education, and defence organisations in the UK
-
Contact+1 877 263 8277
-
Document ReferenceNA-796-0222
-
Copyright© 2022 NetApp, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Learn more
Explore resources
Datasheets, whitepapers, case studies, and technical documentation.
Explore resources