This report from the Audit Commission describes the payment by results programme as one of the most significant challenges facing the health service, requiring higher standards of financial management in primary care trusts, NHS trusts and foundation trusts. The system offers major opportunities and incentives that will benefit everyone. But it also carries major risks, which if not well managed will lead to financial instability and service difficulties.The timetable for implementing payment by results is that primary Care Trusts will start to introduce cost and volume service level agreements. From 2005/06, the national tariff will apply to most activity in acute and specialist hospitals and almost all activity will be commissioned using cost and volume contracts. By 2008/09 trusts will need to have adjusted their financial arrangements to accommodate the tariff and the new system will also apply to mental health trusts.
Better provision of early education and childcare and an improved system of parental leave could have significant economic and social benefits for Britain, according to a report today. It has been produced by PricewaterhouseCoopers and evaluates a long-term vision developed jointly by Daycare Trust and the Social Market Foundation. The report puts the long-term benefit to the economy of such a package of measures at between 12 and 24 billion pounds a year.These estimated economic benefits are the equivalent of one to two per cent of Gross Domestic Product, based on 2004-5 values, and would broadly match the total costs of the package to government and parents. The economic benefits would come from increasing parental employment and by boosting the future productivity of children who benefit from high quality early education and care. The report predicts that such education and care would also have significant social benefits in reduced child poverty and improved life chances for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Read more on COUNTING ECONOMIC IMPACT OF IMPROVED EARLY YEARS CARE…
Ambitious new recycling targets for local authorities are among the recommendations in a report out today. It also claims that government policy is undermining the UK’s efforts to improve its poor recycling record.”Wasted Opportunities” has been produced by sustainable development charity Forum for the Future for the liquid food packaging company Tetra Pak and will be launched at a seminar in Westminster for policy makers, local authorities and other stakeholders.
Read more on GOVERNMENT ACCUSED OF UNDERMINING RECYCLING EFFORTS…