The Freedom of Information Act has paid for itself many times over by highlighting money being wasted in public services, according to the Information Commissioner. The claim came in a message from Christopher Graham to mark International Right to Know Day, in which he said FOI had a key role to play in helping to deliver greater transparency and accountability.
Read more on FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ‘NOT A MERE BACK OFFICE FUNCTION’…
Plans have been unveiled to hold local organisations to account over care for people with dementia. They will be expected to publish details of how they are providing quality care for sufferers under proposals from the Care Service Minister Paul Burstow.
The proposals are part of the revised Dementia Strategy Implementation Plan, which lays down the Coalition Government’s focus on outcomes. It identifies four priorities, good-quality early diagnosis and intervention for everyone, improved quality of care in general hospitals, living well with dementia in care homes and a reduction in the use of antipsychotic medication.
The ideas have been welcomed by the Alzheimer’s Society, which said they provided an exciting opportunity to change the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Mr. Burstow said dementia was one of the most important issues society faced as the population aged. The plan, he said, was not about extra resources but making smarter use of what was available. “It’s about getting resources to the people that need them rather than tied up in backroom bureaucracy. Local organisations will be expected to publish how they are delivering on quality outcomes so that they can be held to account by local people,” he said.
Ruth Sutherland, the interim chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Society said the plan recognised ‘the dementia crisis facing us today’ and that the disease had to be made a priority. “Investing sensibly in dementia now will improve people’s lives and could potentially save hundreds of millions of pounds,” she said.
Read more on LOCAL ACCOUNTABILITY PLAN TO IMPROVE DEMENTIA CARE…
By James M Kouzes and Barry Z Posner.
In these turbulent times, when the very foundations of organizations and societies are shaken, leaders need to move beyond pessimistic predictions, trendy fads, and simplistic solutions. They need to turn to what’s real and what’s proven. In this book the authors reveal ten time-tested truths that show what every leader must know, the questions they must be prepared to answer, and the real-world issues they will likely face.
People across the country are being asked to tell councils how savings should be made in one of the biggest ever consultations on public spending. The Local Government Group has created an online system so residents can see how their local authority spends its money and to give them the chance to suggest ways to cut millions of pounds in annual spending.
Read more on SOFTWARE GIVES LOCAL PEOPLE A SAY ON SPENDING CUTS…
Recycling and composting rates in Wales have reached 44 per cent of municipal waste, according to new figures. They show a three per cent increase released and also reveal that the overall amount of waste being collected by councils has fallen.
Read more on WALES TOLD ITS TIME FOR NEW GENERATION OF RECYCLING SERVICES…
The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development have published a guide which spells out employers’ legal obligations in identifying and preventing stress at work. It highlights not only the legal risks employers face if they ignore responsibilities in this area, but also the harmful effect on performance.
Council leaders say fifteen billion pounds will have to be spent in the next four years if every school child is to have a place in a decent classroom. Analysis by the Local Government Association and Association of Directors of Children’s Services says the figure is the absolute minimum councils need between now and 2015 so every child can be taught in a classroom which is safe and structurally sound.
The study also warns that almost five billion pounds is considered essential for the next financial year. The two bodies say that their figures reinforce the need to reform the country’s entire approach to capital projects in the face of the unprecedented squeeze on public spending. More than 700 projects from the Building Schools for the Future programme have been halted by the Government because of the state of the economy.
Council leaders want all public spending on buildings and other capital projects to be pooled in local areas to get best value for money and to attract private investment. They say that would mean the building work needed for new school capacity could be combined with a scheme to provide a new GP surgery, for example, leading to savings in both the education and health.
Baroness Margaret Eaton, who chairs the LGA, said: “Local government is asking for freedoms which will make the country’s money go further. The common sense flexibility we’re requesting will mean councils all over the country can build new schools and improve neighbourhood facilities that residents use every day.”
Read more on COUNCILS’ FLEXIBILITY CALL OVER NEED FOR BIG INVESTMENT IN SCHOOLS…
Councils are being given online help to assist in dealing with the pressures on councils and other care providers caused by Britain’s aging population. The Audit Commission has produced a new free, online finance improvement tool enabling authorities to respond to the financial impact of providing services for increasing numbers of older residents.
The Commission says funding for care of the elderly is in the news again following the call from the cross-party Commission on 2020 Public Services for increases in local public health and social care. The new tool is available on the Improvement Network website and is based on the challenge and review areas identified in the Commission’s February report ‘Under Pressure: Tackling the Financial Challenge for Councils of an Ageing Population.’
Read more on ONLINE HELP FOR CHALLENGES OF AGING POPULATION…
By Robert O’Brien
The loss of information by public sector organisations is a continuing saga, but it can be prevented. The author describes the vital role that users play in the data protection process and he explains how technology can ensure that they are aware of their responsibilities and fully engaged in carrying them out.
Read more on KEEPING INFORMATION SAFE AND AVOIDING DISASTER…
Four out of ten social workers in England and Wales feel their caseloads are unmanageable, according to a study by a specialist social work recruitment consultancy. The research by Liquid Personnel also found two thirds of social workers reported that their workload had increased in the past year.
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