Public bodies need help in meeting challenges in developing on line government. This is the advice of a Government and Industry Round Table Seminar on E-commerce.

Financial organisations and structures are seen as major obstacles. Finance departments often fail to understand what is involved and are less than sympathetic. Electronic delivery can reduce costs by nine tenths, but when a parallel traditional service has to be maintained the result is an increased cost. Budget structures do not match new services and there is a need to move from an organisation based budget to one for the process.

Read more on CHALLENGES FOR ON LINE GOVERNMENT…

Civil Service standards are under the spotlight Public Service Minister Peter Kilfoyle told the conference of the International Institute of Administrative Sciences at Sunningdale. Bringing more people into the Civil Service from outside and increased use of short term contracts and secondments could challenge the standards of ethical behaviour. Impartiality, integrity, honesty and accountability could be undermined.

Read more on NEW LOOK AT CIVIL SERVICE STANDARDS…

By Shona Arora, Anne Davies and Sarah Thompson.

Health Improvement Programmes are designed to ensure that health authorities, primary care groups and local councils work together to identify and act on the underlying causes of avoidable ill health locally. This report produced by the King’s Fund summarises findings from interviews in the London area. The authors found enthusiasm for the initiative and for the opportunity to work together with other organisations. But they warn of difficulties because local councils are overwhelmed with a wealth of other new obligations and primary care groups are in their infancy. They also warn that because doctors dominate the boards of primary care groups, the Improvement Programmes can become too narrowly focused on clinical issues.

Read more on DEVELOPING HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMMES…