The Civil Service World Podcast

00:30:27

Crocodiles, missile alerts, and a search for the...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/09/25

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

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00:21:13

It's Personal: When Actors Do What PowerPoint Can't

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/07/20

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

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00:34:39

It’s Personal: How do you make tax feel less taxing?

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/07/06

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,

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00:35:07

The UK's strategy gap, and how to fill it: In...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/06/12

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

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00:28:22

It’s Personal: How AI is Transforming NHS Diagnostics

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/06/05

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, Senior Programme Manager for Digital Diagnostics and AI at NHS England, who leads the AI Diagnostic Fund: a £21m programme that has deployed AI tools

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00:22:02

In conversation: How can we protect frontline civil...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/05/14

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

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00:39:21

It's Personal: How does it feel to live in one of the...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/04/30

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

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00:20:39

Procurement as a launchpad for growth: In...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/04/09

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,

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00:24:22

What can government do differently to rewire growth?...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/03/26

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

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00:31:17

Open government, trust and the fight against...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/03/20

From October, the UK takes on the chair of the Open Government Partnership, a global network of over 70 countries committed to more transparent, accountable and participatory government. In this episode Suzannah Brecknell speaks to Kevin Keith, chair of the UK Open Government Network and the UK Multi-Stakeholder Forum, about how the civil service can make the most of this moment.From the lessons of a psychological experiment from 1950s Oklahoma, to what open government means in practice and why it

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00:31:45

The rise of Civic Punks: Can rebels fix government?

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/02/20

Why is it so hard to do government well – and who’s trying to change that?In this episode Suzannah Brecknell speaks to Derek Alton, founder of Civic Punks and former public servant, about his global quest to find the people who are building the future of government.The conversation explores why governments struggle to adapt at the pace they need to, what history and even ecology can teach us about renewal, and how change can happen through the people who make the system work.And, of course, we meet

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00:15:53

An Extraordinary Week at the Centre: The Sacking of...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/02/13

The latest Civil Service World Podcast discusses the extraordinary week we've just seen in Westminster and Whitehall. CSW's editors-in-chief Jess and Suzannah are joined by Hannah Keenan from the Institute for Government to reflect on the sacking of cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald, the unprecedented nature of the situation - given how recently Wormald was appointed, and the impact of the turmoil on civil service morale. Presented by Jess Bowie and Suzannah Brecknell.Recorded and produced

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00:28:06

How a senior civil servant uses AI day-to-day: In...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2026/01/23

In this episode, we speak to Megan Lee Devlin – DG for Service Transformation at the Ministry of Justice – about practical, responsible AI adoption in government. Megan shares how she uses AI day-to-day, from making the most of the general tools licenced by her department to the no-code tools built by civil servants themselves. She also tells us about bespoke, large-scale tools like Justice Transcribe, which has halved the time probation officers spend on admin. She offers advice on building

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00:24:31

It's Personal: How is HMRC improving customer services?

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2025/11/06

In episode four 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.In one way or another, HM Revenue and Customs touches the lives of almost every adult in the UK. In this episode, we sit down with Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s director general for customer services, to hear about the challenges and complexities of designing services that need to work for everyone. We also hear some examples of

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00:21:51

Changemakers: How the Ministry of Defence built an AI...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2025/10/29

In this episode we speak to Heidi Edwards, assistant head of AI skills and talent at the Defence AI Centre in the Ministry of Defence, to find out how a new way of learning is helping to grow AI skills across all parts of the MoD.We also discuss what an AI ready workforce would look like in terms of skills, culture and leadership with Heidi and Olivia Lory Kay, director of workforce development at Capita. This episode is sponsored by Capita. Hosted by Suzannah Brecknell, editor-in-chief, Civil

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00:22:42

Inside the Autumn Issue: A behind-the-scenes look at...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2025/10/17

We're doing things a bit differently this episode. Instead of interviewing a senior civil servant, we're pulling back the curtain and giving listeners an all-access look at how we put together the current issue of Civil Service World. We hear from three members of Team CSW - Tevye Markson, Susan Allott and Beckie Smith - about the features they worked on and who they enjoyed interviewing, and also ask Beckie, who is now in charge of the print magazine, how it felt to put together her first

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01:02:15

What's the future of workplace learning in the civil...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2025/10/10

In this episode we explore how learning is changing across government. Our panel discuss the pressures facing departments, the opportunities that new approaches can bring, and the lessons organisations can take from recent examples. Our guests are Mike Zealley, managing director, learning services at KPMG, Louise Scott-Worrall UK head of learning services at KPMG and Tamsin Cooper, managing director at Forward Institute.You will hear about the trends shaping workplace learning and the challenges

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00:26:13

It's Personal: Insights for better service delivery...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2025/09/25

In episode three 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. Jess and Jo hear first from three citizens, some of whom have seen an improvement in public services, others who have been let down. Our main interview this episode is with Kate Caulkin, a former senior civil servant and HR and project delivery expert who is now people and operational management insights director at the

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00:29:53

Art, railways and the unexpected creativity of the...

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2025/09/17

Suzannah Brecknell sits down with Sherin Aminossehe - director of growth and missions at the Ministry of Defence, talented artist, and author of a new book celebrating British railways.They discuss Sherin's career spanning both public and private sectors, the lockdown challenge which inspired her first book, her earliest memories of making art, and the importance of buildings in creating communities. Plus, of course, our favourite railway stations.You can buy Sherin's new book - 200 Years of

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00:13:40

Changemakers: Building an AI-ready department

The Civil Service World Podcast ·

2025/07/25

In this episode we meet Sam Rose, a leader in data science, advanced analytics and AI in the Department for Transport, to find out more about the holistic approach the DfT is taking towards AI adoption. We hear how officials are using behavioural science techniques to map opportunities, evaluate interventions and understand what an AI-ready department would look like.Hosted by Suzannah Brecknell, editor-in-chief of Civil Service World.Recorded and produced by Podot.

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