A leading public sector trade union has claimed that a report from the Audit Commission looking at social care budgets has created concern that some of the most vulnerable people could be hit further by Government cuts in spending. Meanwhile local government leaders have said personal budgets are a key part of providing the best possible social care to those who need it.
Read more on COMMISSION REPORT RAISES FEARS OVER SOCIAL CARE…
A new report says the overall quality of Serious Case Reviews shows a strong trend of improvement. The report from Ofsted said more than 40 per cent of the reviews it had looked into were judged good and only 16 per cent were rated as inadequate.
Read more on OFSTED REPORT TRIGGERS TRIBUTE TO SOCIAL WORKERS…
By Richard Cowley.
At a time when the UK’s population is being dubbed an ‘older, fatter and sicker’ generation, it is now the responsibility of the leisure industry and local authorities to work collaboratively. Richard Cowley, group health and wellbeing manager from DC Leisure, explains.
Local authorities detected frauds totalling 135 million pounds last year. Figures today show that in 119,000 cases councils uncovered about 99 million pounds worth of benefit fraud, more than 15 million in council tax cheating and saved 21 million pounds by spotting false insurance claims, abuse of the disabled parking ‘badges and other matters.
Read more on AUDIT REPORT HIGHLIGHTS FRAUD MENACE FACING COUNCILS…
The Care Quality Commission is today promising to use its regulatory powers to bring about improvements in services for patients who are subject to the Mental Health Act. In its first annual report on the use of the Act it highlights areas of poor practice.
Read more on COMMISSION PLEDGES IMPROVEMENTS TO USE OF MENTAL HEALTH ACT…
By Christian Bason
In a time of unprecedented turbulence, how can public sector organisations increase their ability to find innovative solutions to society’s problems? “Leading public sector innovation” shows how government agencies can use co-creation to overcome barriers and deliver more value, at lower cost, to citizens and business.
Housing Minister Baroness Hanham has called on public bodies to be innovative in the use of property in searching for responses to the Spending Review.
Councils own more than £128 billion worth of buildings and land across the country. Innovative thinking, particularly considering sharing offices with other public bodies, has the potential to realise the value of the assets and to reduce running costs.
The London boroughs of Westminster, Hammersmith & Fulham and Kensington & Chelsea are to merge services. This goes beyond back office services and will include front line services. Merging a wide range of functions in this way could lead to the development of a new business model for councils across the country.
Read more on LONDON BOROUGH’S SERVICE SHARING COULD LEAD TO A NEW BUSINESS MODEL…
A change tool has been launched by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development to help with the challenge of organizational transformation.
Change and re-organisation presents a range of challenges and the Institute has developed a collection of practical aids, focusing on change, re-organisation and the role of HR professionals.
Read more on CHANGE TOOL LAUNCHED TO SUPPORT ORGANISATIONAL TRANSFORMATION…
The Spending Review will cut council budgets by 28 % over the next four years resulting in significant job losses and a major rethink of how services are delivered. The Spending Review also lays the foundation for transformation of services when the pain of downsizing has subsided. The new concept of a community budget will be introduced in 2011 on a pilot basis. But transformational change based on the total place philosophy is many years down the track.
Read more on SPENDING REVIEW BRINGS FOUR YEARS OF DOWNSIZING BUT LAYS FOUNDATION FOR TRANSFORMATION…
© PublicNet is a KnowShare production | Technology by Jag Singh + Hilton & Hilton Ltd | Admin Log in