The Audit Commission says an annual Government survey of so-called NEETs – young people who are not in education, employment or training – has underestimated the scale of the problem. The Commission believes a new approach could make scarce resources work harder to help the young people and is calling on councils to do more to meet their needs.

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A group of senior doctors say they cannot find any evidence that the four hour Accident and Emergency target set for hospitals benefits patients’ clinical care. In the BMJ today they say the system has encouraged target-led rather than needs-led care.

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This report from the Institute for Public Policy Research says that any plans by the new government to decentralise the delivery of public services to achieve greater efficiency must be coupled with minimum guarantees so the poor and excluded don’t end up with sub-standard provision.

Read more on EQUALITY ENTITLEMENT AND LOCALISM…