We recently brought the Hub team together for two strategic collaboration sessions focused on deepening that spirit of partnership: one to shape our organisational values and one to explore how we engage across the full ecosystem of public service.
Together, they’ve reminded us what good public sector collaboration looks like and what it requires of us.
Grounding ourselves in shared values
In our values session, we reflected not just on what our values are, but on how those values show up day-to-day; in the way we listen, work across boundaries and balance consistency with flexibility.
Some of the key themes included:
- Building trust through transparency and openness
- Creating safe spaces for challenge, learning and adaptation
- System-wide thinking
- Staying grounded in public service, even when working at pace
This wasn’t about setting rigid rules. It was about naming what matters and making those values visible and supported across the organisation.
Exploring our customer and collaboration ecosystem
In the second session, we turned our attention outward to map who we work with, who we could collaborate with more closely and what shared value we can help deliver.
Rather than approaching this commercially, we asked:
- Where are we best placed to collaborate or co-design?
- What capabilities do we offer that could support others in delivering their objectives?
- How can we create better alignment between our structures and the needs of those we support?
It became clear that there are shared challenges and shared opportunities across the system if we’re willing to work differently.
What this tells you about us
If you work in or around the NHS, public sector or local systems, here’s what we hope these sessions demonstrate:
We believe:
- Good procurement is about insight and relationships, not just transactions
- The future of public service delivery lies in shared capability
- Being a partner matters more than being a provider
What’s next?
The conversations started in these sessions are informing:
- How we evolve our ways of working
- How we grow partnerships
- How we understand, share and measure value – beyond savings figures
We’re open to exploring new models of collaboration, co-creating with peers and partners and learning from those facing similar pressures across the public service.
A note to our colleagues across the public sector
If you have similar questions about strategic collaboration, capacity or capability in the public sector we’d love to share learning and explore where alignment might unlock more value for everyone.
We don’t have all the answers. But we’re committed to asking the right questions and doing it together.
If your team is wrestling with similar questions, let’s talk. We’re actively seeking peers to share insight and build collective value.
Contact us to start the conversation.