Archives for January 23rd, 2006

BEST VALUE USER SATISFACTION SURVEY 2006-07

Abstracts, PublicNet: 23 January, 2006

This consultation document sets out the Governments’ proposals for the 2006-07 Best Value User Satisfaction Survey. Views are invited from stakeholders on these proposals and on the draft questionnaire. The Survey measures the satisfaction of residents and service users with the quality of services delivered by their local authority, and their safisfaction more generally with a range of quality of life issues in their local area. Survey results provide information which can help councils to shape, deliver and improve local services around the needs and wishes of local people. These surveys are one of the largest conducted in the country. In 2003/04 they involved over 500,000 responses.In addition to stakeholder’s general comments, views are invited on whether county councils should run joint surveys, the merits of a single prescribed research method, the use of stratified sampling and clustering and whether any of the existing questions should be removed.

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VOLUNTEERS FAILING TO MARKET THEIR SKILLS

Headlines, PublicNet: 23 January, 2006

People who undertake voluntary work in the UK or overseas are failing to market the skills they gain to employers. According to research from the Chartered Management Institute and Voluntary Service Overseas, individuals who volunteer internationally develop expertise that addresses UK skills gaps. And even though employers are quick to recognise the value of volunteering, individuals do not always market themselves sufficiently when they return home. The researchers found that some 70% of managers in local government are involved in either domestic or overseas volunteering.Eighty percent of volunteers believed they returned with expertise that they would not have gained in the UK. Some 90 per cent said they were now more capable of handling different cultures and three-quarters suggested they became better communicators. Around half also claimed that voluntary work had developed problem solving abilities and influencing skills. However, only 23 per cent saw it as a chance to build networks, and just 16 per cent cited the prospect of learning new skills as motivation for volunteering.

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MORE PATIENT CARE TO BE PROVIDED IN THE COMMUNITY

Headlines, PublicNet: 23 January, 2006

The NHS strategy of moving patients out of hospitals and into the community has been boosted with the announcement that 60 new GP surgeries, health centres and clinics, will open in 2006. This follows the opening of 50 similar premises in 2005.The new buildings will offer many services traditionally only found in hospitals. By including additional facilities patients will no longer have to make journeys to hospital many miles away for example to receive renal dialysis or minor surgery. Older patients and those with long-term conditions will receive care closer to home. Many of the new facilities are in the poorest areas and they will help to raise the standards of care in places where it is needed most.

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