The Government has set out its agenda for older people following the setting up of a ministerial group to look into their concerns by the Prime Minister in the summer.Social Security Minister John Denham has launched the consultation paper ‘Building a Better Britain for Older People’ which sets out the Government’s progress so far and sets out priorities for future work. 

Policy-makers across the public sector will be asked to test future decisions against their likely impact on the Government’s new ‘quality of life’ barometer.The ‘Sustainability Counts’ indicators cover everyday factors that impact on life, such as health, jobs, air quality, and traffic. Controversially, there is no reference for poverty or crime in the consultative list just published. 

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. 

2Keith Hellawell, the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, has welcomed new guidance on drugs misuse for teachers and youth workers.The new guidance was criticised earlier this week, ahead of issue, for the suggestion it might tie the hands of headteachers in dealing with pupils found with drugs. 

Extra money has been allocated for training social care staff, following a series of scandals up and down the country in which poor quality of social service provision and supervision has been a factor.Health Minister John Hutton has also announced a new initiative to develop better training for top managers and a new awards scheme. 

Wattie ACA Magazine, (UK), Sep 1998 Vol 102 No 1106Start page: 26. No of pages: 3
Considers the problems arising from the UK Private Finance Initiative (PFI), i.e. partnership between the public and private sectors; and reports that the current government is trying to revive the PFI programme, e.g. by training civil servants in best practice tendering methods. Argues that some projects are definitely unsuitable for PFI (e.g. 

There’s been praise for the way in which different parts of the public sector are working together to improve the housing benefit system.The review of the system, the ‘Housing Benefit Simplification and Improvement Project’, involves the DSS, local authorities and housing associations, among others.
Social Security Minister Angela Eagle said “We are working closely with local authorities and other interested parties on the review. 

There is more evidence of the roll-out of cash following the Comprehensive Spending Review with the announcement that a quarter of all Accident and Emergency Departments are to see modernisation.Money is also available for improved outpatient departments, and for eliminating unpopular mixed sex wards.