In this episode of the Fraser of Allander podcast, Mairi Spowage is joined by Ed Roddis, Head of Public Service Research at Deloitte, and Lesley Smillie, Senior Partner for Edinburgh at Deloitte, to discuss the latest State of the State report. Together they explore how people in Scotland feel about public services, what senior leaders are saying about reform, and what the findings mean in a Scottish election year. From cost of living and NHS pressures to social care, public satisfaction and the role of AI in reform, this is a wide-ranging conversation about the future of Scotland’s public services.
This episode is the final one in a series partnering Deloitte with the Fraser of Allander Institute. In this series expect lively debate, expert insights, and thought-provoking discussions that will reshape the conversation around Scottish economic growth. This Scottish-focused initiative builds upon Deloitte’s UK-wide Growth 35 programme, painting a bold vision for a thriving UK economy by 2035.
(00:00) Welcome and episode overview
(01:02) Meet Ed Roddis and Lesley Smillie
(03:44) What is the State of the State report?
(10:11) The big takeaway for Scotland in an election year
(11:32) Public priorities: cost of living, healthcare and immigration
(18:44) How Scotland compares with the rest of the UK
(21:06) Public satisfaction with services and pressure on the NHS
(29:14) The mood among public sector leaders
(36:19) Is there a real opportunity for public service reform?
(38:04) AI, digital transformation and the future of public services
Authors
Mairi is the Director of the Fraser of Allander Institute. Previously, she was the Deputy Chief Executive of the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the Head of National Accounts at the Scottish Government and has over a decade of experience working in different areas of statistics and analysis.
Ed Roddis
Ed leads Deloitte's public sector research and is the author of the flagship State of the State annual report.
Lesley Smillie
Lesley is Deloitte's Edinburgh office senior partner and has spent her career working with the Government and Public Services across Scotland and the wider UK.