The Man in the Caravan

Wilf is an 80 year-old man who had lived much of his life in a dilapidated caravan without running water or electricity. Wilf's life has since been transformed by Kent County Council, which developed an innovative recuperative care scheme to assist Wilf and others like him. Thanks to the scheme, Wilf has been given the home comforts he deserves and now lives in a smart flat, where he can spend time enjoying luxuries such as watching television.

Wilf's story is just one of seven that are told in this book: The man in the caravan and other stories. The book was commissioned by the IDEA as part of a wider project to develop the IDEA improvement model. The model sets out to clarify what is critical for councils to improve and how to effectively share knowledge and learning on improvement. These stories help to bring this model to life. They also help to demonstrate how councils can find new ways to blend the basic ingredients for public service improvement such as: strong leadership; demanding performance management; and continued customer focus. At the heart of each story is how local councils have created or improved their services to transform the lives of individuals. The detailed study of what has led to these positive results can provide vital clues for managers and politicians in the public sector.