Sean Worth

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Sean Worth was a special adviser to the Prime Minister David Cameron[1] until June 2012. He left to join the think tank Policy Exchange to head up a six-month project on public services reform, [2] known as the 'Better Public Services Project'.

In September 2012 Worth also joined lobbying firm MHP Communications as a senior adviser, "providing strategic advice to clients across a range of policy areas". [3]

Background

Worth has a PhD in labour market policy from the University of Bath[4] and worked as an academic specialising in social and economic policy. Following this, he spent two years as an adviser on social policy for the Conservative Party. In September 2005, Worth joined the Association of British Insurers (ABI) as a financial inclusion adviser. Additionally, he specialised in employment, welfare and inclusion policy consultancy "for a range of public and private sector organisations".[5]

Worth returned to the Conservatives as Head of the Policy Unit in 2008.[6]

Health reform

Worth is widely credited with devising the Tory proposal for a voluntary insurance scheme to fund long term care for the elderly. In 2010 his brief covered communication between the Department of Health and Downing Street, which according to the Health Services Journal, was likely to be aided by a good working relationship with Health Secretary Andrew Lansley’s policy adviser, Bill Morgan. Politically astute and dedicated to market ideology, it said Worth would "be relied on to push through reform if the DH stumbles".[7] In 2011 Worth was seconded to the DoH to help Lansley with his NHS reforms.

Policy Exchange 'Better Public Services Project' June 2012

Worth reports to Policy Exchange director Neil O'Brien in his role as head of a project on public services reform, which 'aims to use innovations to improve the quality of public services at a time where budgets are being cut'. [2]

Set up against the backdrop of the UK government's recent commitment "to opening the whole public sector to competing providers", this project is clearly pitched at shaping how this should be done.

We need a revolution in our public services. People should have the right to choose from an open field of the best charity, business and social enterprise providers. Fair competition should be used to get people the best possible results. And the new technologies modernising every other service sector should be used to transform our public services too.
...with policy detail still forming, concerns remain about how improvements can be achieved practically and fairly. The Better Public Services Project is conducting new evidence and research to form concrete recommendations for how government can meet its reform ambitions. Policy Exchange, [8]


In September 2012 Policy Exchange published opinion research which it claimed showed "that many people cannot access good public services and a majority – even of public sector workers – want charities and businesses to replace them". [9]

Joins MHP Communications in September 2012

According to PR Week:

Gavin Devine, chief executive of MHP, said that Worth is ‘an acknowledged expert on politics and how policy is formulated’. He is exactly the kind of bright, experienced person who can do smart thinking, and offer the best advice to really add value for our clients,’ he added.
MHP pointed out that, in line with the rules set down by the Government's advisory committee on business appointments, Worth will only offer strategic advice and will not lobby Government.[3]

Contact

Twitter: @SeanWorthPX
Email: sean.worth@policyexchange.org.uk
Tel: 0207 340 2650

Resources

Better Public Services Project. http://www.policyexchange.org.uk/better-public-services/item/better-public-services-project-2


Notes

Notes

  1. Department of Information Services, "Parliamentary Information List", accessed 07.09.10
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sara Luker, Prime Minister's special adviser Sean Worth to join Policy Exchange, prweek.com, Friday, 01 June 2012, acc 6 June 2012
  3. 3.0 3.1 Matt Cartmell, MHP Communications appoints former Downing Street adviser Sean Worth, prweek.com, Wednesday, 26 September 2012, acc 1 October 2012
  4. International Travel Insurance Conference, "Beyond Cost Containment", 10.05.07, accessed 08.09.10
  5. The GAIC Secretariat, "Family History, Genetics and Insurance", 22.11.07, accessed 08.09.10
  6. BPPA Analysis, "Can Labour recover?", accessed 08.09.10
  7. Health Service Journal, HSJ100 2010, 17 November, 2010 (subscription required)
  8. Better Public Services Project, acc 3 Jan 2013
  9. Policy Exchange, Do the Public Back More Reform of Public Services? An overview of the latest opinion research, 10 September 2012