Archives for November 2002

SIDES AGREE ON TERMS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY BODY

Headlines, PublicNet: 29 November, 2002

Agreement has been reached on the terms of reference for the commission which will examine pay and rewards for local government services staff. Setting up the body was one of the key proposals made by the Arbitration and Conciliation Service as part of the two-year pay proposals to settle the council workers’ dispute.

Read more on SIDES AGREE ON TERMS FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT PAY BODY…



UNDERACHIEVING YOUNG MEN PREPARING FOR WORK

Features, PublicNet: 29 November, 2002

By Trefor Lloyd Main stream systems do little to prepare underachieving young men in the final school years for the world of work. The author describes how a programme involving classroom work and visits overcame barriers and brought the participants back from the margins. He argues for a more flexible approach by schools and training across the professions involved in the problem.

TALKS PLANNED ON FUTURE DEALS IN THE NHS

Headlines, PublicNet: 29 November, 2002

Hospital consultants are setting up a round table meeting with other medical organisations to ensure they present a united professional view on the shape of a new contract for consultants in the National Health Service. The meeting being arranged by the BMA’s consultants committee will take place next Wednesday. Organisations invited include the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, the British Association of Medical Managers, the Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association and the Joint Consultants Committee.

Read more on TALKS PLANNED ON FUTURE DEALS IN THE NHS…

ANNUAL VOLUNTARY SECTOR SALARY SURVEY

Abstracts, PublicNet: 28 November, 2002

The Survey found that average staff turnover has increased from 8.5% in 2001 to 10.7% in 2002. Resignations have risen to 7.5% compared with 4.7% in 2001. 91.2% of employers surveyed undertook some recruitment in the past year with 50% of them reporting problems in recruiting. These problems were most commonly encountered when recruiting Managers or Professional staff, while it was competition from other organisations which caused the greatest difficulty for the recruitment of other staff. The second most common reason for difficulty in recruiting for all categories was salary levels. These findings are in line with those from the commercial and public sectors which show similar recruitment and retention trends. Shortages in specialised skills appear to be the primary cause of difficulty with recruitment in all sectors while salaries tend to be the most reported cause of retention problems.The Survey was carried out by Remuneration Economics in association with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations. The report is available from Remuneration Economics http://www.celre.co.uk  Tel: 020 8549 8726.

Read more on ANNUAL VOLUNTARY SECTOR SALARY SURVEY…

BEACON COUNCILS SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED

Headlines, PublicNet: 28 November, 2002

More than 80 local councils have made it to the next stage of the Beacon Council Scheme – the Government’s initiative for identifying and spreading best practice in local government.The authorities, which have been selected from an initial field of 187, are judged to have shown evidence of excellence and a commitment to spreading best practice in a range of services under ten themes. These included raising standards in education, co-ordinating road works to minimise disruption to pedestrians and motorists, encouraging online access to local services and supporting homeless people.

Read more on BEACON COUNCILS SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED…

E-GOVERNMENT STRATEGY STRESSES COUNCILLORS’ ROLE

Headlines, PublicNet: 28 November, 2002

Councils now have national guidance for making e-government a reality. The government and the Local Government Association have joined forces to launch the strategy.It sets out the issues it is believed councillors and chief executives need to consider to make the most of online technology. In a joint foreword to the document, Sir Jeremy Beecham, the LGA chair, and Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford say, “Local leadership, particularly that of elected councillors, is vital to deliver the benefits of local e-government. It is essential that councillors appreciate both what local e-government can offer them and their role in leading their councils to make it real.”

Read more on E-GOVERNMENT STRATEGY STRESSES COUNCILLORS’ ROLE…

A GUIDE TO MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS

Book News, PublicNet: 27 November, 2002

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development’s most recent annual absence survey revealed that stress is the most common cause of long-term absence for non-manual staff, cited by 44% of survey respondents. The guide is aimed at helping managers to gain a better understanding of what stress is and importantly, helping to enhance employee well-being. The focus of the guide is a positive and hands-on approach to improving the well-being of the workforce. This involves creating a healthy workplace – rather than waiting until problems have occurred and then trying to fix them. The well-being approach includes activities such as focus groups which look at systematic ways of solving problems so that individuals feel supported; employee surveys that ask people how they feel; appraisals and training and counselling. The guide also outlines some of the factors that can lead to stress including an unsympathetic organizational culture; poor communication between managers and employee; lack of involvement in decision making; excessive workload; bullying; continual change and lack of challenge.Published by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. http://www.cipd.co.uk

Read more on A GUIDE TO MANAGING ORGANIZATIONAL STRESS…

HEALTH OMBUDSMAN HIGHLIGHTS FAILURES IN CARE AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

Headlines, PublicNet: 27 November, 2002

The Health Service Ombudsman, Ann Abraham, has drawn attention to the need for independent clinical advice to be available to those managing the NHS complaints procedure.Reporting on 39 cases she investigated in the three months from April to July this year she also highlighted the issue of the medical care of people with a mental illness. She said complaints about the care of mentally ill people formed an increasing proportion of the cases looked into by her office. She intends to raise the subject with the Department of Health and the National Patient Safety Agency.

Read more on HEALTH OMBUDSMAN HIGHLIGHTS FAILURES IN CARE AND COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE…

NEW FREEDOMS MEAN ‘ROOM TO BREATHE’ FOR COUNCILS

Headlines, PublicNet: 27 November, 2002

The Local Government Association has welcomed what it calls “the room to breathe” free from central government controls which councils have won for themselves.After extensive negotiations between the LGA and the Office for the Deputy Prime Minister a package of ‘freedoms and flexibilities’ has been launched alongside the publication of the Local Government Bill. The ODPM called it a ‘dramatic devolution of power to local government’.

Read more on NEW FREEDOMS MEAN ‘ROOM TO BREATHE’ FOR COUNCILS…

LIVERPOOL’S E-VOLUTION

Features, PublicNet: 26 November, 2002

By David Henshaw – Liverpool City Council Chief Executive. Reproduced by permission of eGov Monitor Weekly. Liverpool is being transformed from sea port to e-port and investment in new technology is helping to drive the change. David Henshaw describes how customer access and customer relations have been revolutionized. He also explains how the know-how is being marketed to generate income for the council.

© PublicNet is a KnowShare production | Technology by Jag Singh + Hilton & Hilton Ltd | Admin Log in