The ingredients of what makes a successful multi-ethnic public service have been highlighted in a new report.
The report follows a year long study undertaken by the Open University, who visited 11 primary and 18 secondary schools across the country already noted as being successful in meeting the educational needs and aspirations of their African-Caribbean, Bangladeshi and Pakistani pupils.
Previous research has identified that it is these groups who are not reaching their full potential. 

Developing paradoxical thinking in middle managers
Clarke M
Journal of Management Development, (UK), Vol 17 No 3 98
Start page: 191 No of pages: 16
Summarizes the changes that have taken place in the middle managers’ role and in the way that they are expected to carry out their managerial responsibilities, reducing their role as a technical expert and increasing the need for them to possess more generalist managerial skills. 

The number of children being looked after by local authorities is increasing year on year according to according to figures published today.
Nearly ninety thousand children are looked after at any one point in time by local authorities in England.
The figures, for the year ending 31 March 1997, show that the total number of children looked after at any time during the year was 88, 700. The number has increased by five percent over the past five years. 

Health Minister Alan Milburn today announced a major recruitment drive to boost by 50 per cent the number of staff centrally tackling the 100 million pound annual cost of prescription fraud in the NHS.
The Prescription Pricing Authority’s Fraud Investigation Unit, based in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, is recruiting 20 more staff.
Mr Milburn said this was another significant stage in the Government’s action programme to stamp out fraud in the NHS. 

David Casey
“This is an interesting and useful book written by a leading and widely respected consultant and learning facilatator.”
- Human Resource Management Journal.
“…the concepts and cases are fascinating… extremely thought provoking…well worth buying.” - Action Learning News
“…tightly written, based on experience in many public and private organizations, from international computer giants to local government, hospitals and schools. 

Ulrich D
Harvard Business Review, (USA), Jan-Feb 98 (76/1)
Start page: 124 No of pages: 11
Refers to the debate surrounding the role and maintenance of the human resource (HR) function; argues that HR has never been more necessary in achieving organizational excellence, and lists ways in which this excellence should be delivered. 

Harrington H J
The TQM Magazine, (UK), 1998 Vol 10 No 2
Start page: 69 No of pages: 3
Looks at the life cycle effect of organizational improvement methodologies, and suggests that one particular methodology, process re-engineering has moved rapidly from being the ‘in’ thing to do, to beyond the stage where it is no longer in favour because of a failure to produce desired results. 

The Public Services Minister today called for a 30% cut in sickness absence in the public sector following the publication of a new report.
The report, Working Well Together, makes 27 recommendations intended to ensure that current average sickness absence rates are cut by 30% by 2003. 

Public service managers about to invest in new telecoms services for customers could pick up some useful hints on consumer attitudes in newresearch from OFTEL.
The survey of over 1000 business and residential customers and 26 telecoms companies set out to find how many customers knew about or used new services like call waiting, the Internet and voice mail.
The results show that even though many customers are aware of new services, as yet few are taking advantage of them. 

2nd edition. Edited by: David Farnham, Professor of Employment Relations, University of Portsmouth, and Sylvia Horton, School of Social and Historical Studies, University of Portsmouth
Managing the New Public Services evaluates managerial changes in British public services since 1979 focusing on the ‘New Public Management’ and its rationale and practices.