Proposals for rigorous new national standards for quality and consistency in the treatment of heart disease have been announced by the Health Department.The proposed standards are outlined in the Emerging Findings Report from the Expert ReferenceGroup which is drawing up the new National Service Framework on coronary heart disease.
The Framework will set out action to be taken across the board by the NHS to cut deaths and illnesses from this major killer. 

The DTI is to embark upon a two hundred million-pound public-private partnership to replace its computer systems.Peter Mandelson, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, says the new system will enable the public, businesses and other government departments and agencies to exchange information and do business with the DTI ‘on-line’.
The project is called ELGAR - Electronic Government through Administrative Re-engineering - and will be supplied by a consortium led by ICL. 

Brennan C, Douglas AManaging Service Quality, (UK), 1998 Vol 8 No 4. Start page: 241. No of pages: 7
Advocates the adoption of standards in local government public service environments, arguing that with the introduction of compulsory competitive tendering UK councils have become increasingly quality conscious in recent years. Defines ’standards’ and looks at their role.