Local public sector bodies are wasting £7.2bn a year by failing to enable proper mobile working among staff, according to a new report.

Local public sector bodies are wasting £7.2bn a year by failing to enable proper mobile working among staff, according to a new report.

A report produced by the Centre for Economic and Business Research for supplier O2 found that councils and other services are facing challenges in embracing technology.

It said that investment in mobile technology could increase savings and improve efficiencies.

Billy D’Arcy, managing director of public sector business at O2 said: “The findings highlight the crucial role technology has to play in supporting these organisations, both in terms of cost savings and delivery of services and in care to local communities.

“I believe the right investment in digital technology can have a real impact on social value, for example providing frontline staff with devices to empower them to work more flexibly, or giving doctors the technology to deliver remote diagnosis to patients that need help.”

He added that smartphone penetration is expected to reach 80% by next year, leading to growing demand for services to be delivered through mobile channels.

The report found that 53 hours a year per employee are being lost due to poor connectivity, equating to £2.2bn.

It also said that community workers could reduce the time taken to complete follow up tasks after home visits by as much as 30% with better connectivity.

Technology “would allow  them to file real-time reports and update patient records without having to travel back and forth to the office”, it said.

Employers believe that with the right tools and technology in place, employees could choose to spend another 22 days a year working from home, equating to a 90% increase in current levels, the report concluded.