Plans to modernise the National Health Service are being hampered because an increasing number of experienced and skilled older workers are retiring early to escape heavy workloads, long hours and low morale, according to a report today from the King’s Fund.’Great to be Grey’ warns the Government that its plans are in danger unless older people are encouraged to stay on and more older staff are recruited to fill vacancies in the health service. 

More than half of the largest councils in England are either good or excellent, according to a major report today from the Audit Commission but the assessment process has been condemned by a local government think tank which wants the one billion pounds spent on inspecting councils to be redirected to improving services.The Commission has published the results of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment of all 150 county, metropolitan, unitary and London councils.