This publication from the Centre for Public Scrutiny raises important questions on the nature and effectiveness of current mechanisms for public scrutiny; what value they add to public services in terms of accountability and improved performance; and how they might develop to ensure services are genuinely shaped around citizens’ needs. It charts the range and reach of scrutiny bodies across the public sector, outlining current mechanisms for scrutiny and potential future developments at all tiers of government at local, regional, devolved and central levels. It also examines selected policy areas including criminal justice, education, health and social care, housing and regeneration, public utilities and transport.The Scrutiny Map highlights recent developments in the public scrutiny landscape including moves towards increased scrutiny at the local level, as well as initiatives designed to encourage greater public involvement in scrutiny: i.e. via foundation trust boards of governors, courts boards and patient and public involvement forums. It also looks at trends towards greater flexibility and coordination of inspection mechanisms in order to reduce burdens on service providers and ‘join up’ mechanisms within and across policy areas: This includes the Audit Commission’s recent emphasis on ‘strategic regulation’, suggested moves towards a combined criminal justice inspectorate and Ofsted’s new role overseeing inspection of children’s services.
Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt has warned health managers that targets for improving cancer services and reducing waiting times for treatment must be met. The warning comes after preliminary data shows that some NHS Trusts are not making the progress expected on cutting waiting times.The NHS Cancer Plan, published in 2000, set out two targets for cancer waiting times. All patients with cancer who have been urgently referred by their GP should begin treatment within a maximum of 62 days of referral. In addition when a decision is taken to treat a patients diagnosed with cancer, treatment should start within a maximum of 31 days. There is clear evidence that diagnostic tests are currently causing delays which could prevent the targets not being met.
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Despite recent failures and reported under performance, the Department for Education and Skills is pressing on with the specialist schools implementation programme. A further 194 schools have been awarded specialist status bringing the number to 1957 out of a total of 2382 schools. Some 2.5 million students are now benefiting from the programme. As a result of the new additions, seven Local Education Authorities are now fully specialist.The most popular specialism in the newly approved schools is arts with 41 approvals. This is followed by humanities with 28, business and enterprise with 26, sport 24, maths and computing 22, science 19 and technology 10. Just four of the newly approved schools specialise in languages.