By Mark Exworthy and Susan Halford.The book presents an overview of the restructuring of British personal public service and its implication for professional employees. It focuses on health and social care, reflecting on the recent past and looking at the possible futures.

Read more on PROFESSIONALS AND THE NEW MANAGERIALISM IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR…

About one third of 2004 graduates are looking for work in the public sector. A survey by GTI found that 65% of those looking at the public sector wanted a job that was ‘worthwhile’ and contributed to society rather than making money. Some 55% saw the public sector as providing greater job stability and 54% rated better work-life balance as an important motivator.The Civil Service came out as most undergraduates’ top choice followed by local government – the latter probably a result of a hard fought awareness raising campaign and the National Graduate Development Programme. Most graduate recruitment literature is still geared towards the private sector, so it’s more difficult to find out about public sector careers. 70% of those surveyed said that university careers services have more information about private sector careers than careers in the public sector. As a result, 64% said it was “easier” to get a job in the private sector.

Read more on PUBLIC SECTOR ATTRACTIVE TO GRADUATES…

Public bodies in Wales are on track to save 90 m pounds on procuring goods and services by 2010. This represents an annual saving of 3% on a spend of 3b pounds. The Welsh procurements Initiative, launched by the Welsh Assembly in 2002 is the first public sector body in Europe to address the entire public sector procurement activity of a nation. The WPI received the 2003 public sector central award for procurement excellence by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply.In the last year 7.2 m pounds savings have been identified across the whole of the Welsh public sector. This is 1.2 m pounds more than the target. The largest contributor to the savings is a 6.7 m pounds reduction in telecommunications costs. There are also savings by the NHS on the purchase of medical equipment. The WPI has introduced a Welsh Purchasing Card in conjunction with Royal Bank of Scotland and this is now delivering savings.

Read more on WALES LEADS THE WAY IN PUBLIC SECTOR PROCUREMENT…