In a move to further reduce the boundaries between health and social care, two new inspectorates are to be created. Although the Commission for Healthcare Audit and Inspection (CHAI) and the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) will have separate structures, they will have a joint responsibility to provide independent inspection and assessment of the management, provision and quality of all public and private health and social care in England.The inspectorates’ work programmes will be developed in parallel and one of their major concerns will be promoting joint working. As well as streamlining inspection arrangements they will strengthen the accountability of those responsible for the commissioning and delivery of health and social services.

Read more on BRINGING DOWN THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN HEALTH AND SOCIAL CARE…

Town hall managers are set to benefit from an on-line strategic leadership programme launched today. The programme is a joint venture between the Cabinet Office and the Improvement and Development Agency. It also involves a public-private partnership with Epic Group plc and iMPOWER plc.An online leadership programme for central government, known as PRIME: Leadership, was launched in March 2002 and has proved very successful. The new programme PRIME: Local Government, has been created to drive through a transformation in leadership skills across the public sector. It offers individuals an intensive learning programme based on a range of learning methods including tutorials, case studies, scenario-based simulations, off-line exercises and links to qualified sources of information. The programme encourages managers delivering front-line public services to develop practical leadership skills. It uses a wide range of examples of successful delivery of services.

Read more on BOOST FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP SKILLS…

By Peter C. BrinckerhoffUntil very recently, popular belief held that business skills were not needed at charitable organizations. No longer. In order to deliver services charities need techniques such as marketing, cash flow analysis, property management, and good use of technology. The successful not-for-profit is really a mission-based business. In an era of rapid change, increasing competition, and the need for more accountability to governments, foundations, insurers, and donors, knowing how to innovate, compete, and take reasonable risks on behalf of the mission is critical. It is, in short, the era of the social entrepreneur. This book describes the techniques needed by the social entrepreneur with a focus on community wants and needs.

Read more on SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE ART OF MISSION-BASED VENTURE DEVELOPMENT…