The annual survey to find out public perceptions of the NHS shows a decline in satisfaction with the current situation and concern about the future.

The survey is the latest in a series conducted by the Ipsos MORI Social
Research Institute for the Department of Health between Spring 2000 and Spring 2012. It aims to explore public perceptions of the NHS and to track how perceptions have changed over time.

Read more on FALLING SATISFACTION WITH NHS AND CONCERN ABOUT THE FUTURE…

Regional pay for the public sector would ‘aggravate geographical, economic and social inequalities’, say 60 leading academics.

A warning from sixty leading academics that the government’s regional pay proposals for public sector workers could cause huge economic damage and widen inequalities, comes as ministers consider whether to proceed with plans that could end national pay bargaining, following a review instigated by the Chancellor.

Read more on REGIONAL PAY WOULD WIDEN INEQUALITIES BETWEEN REGIONS SAY ACADEMICS…

In this book Alyse Nelson describes how women around the world are leading powerful change.

Women’s progress is global progress. Where there is an increase in women’s university enrollment rates, women’s earnings, and maternal health improve.

Read more on VITAL VOICES: THE POWER OF WOMEN LEADING CHANGE AROUND THE WORLD…

The Agency Workers Regulations were introduced one year ago. Agency workers are now entitled to the same basic employment conditions as permanent recruits after 12 weeks in the same role. Jon Milton explains how Comensura has supported clients in complying with the regulations.

Read more on AGENCY WORKER REGULATIONS – ONE YEAR ON…

Colleges are charging excessive management fees to small companies who need funding for apprenticeship schemes. With charges as high as 39 percent, the practice is undermining the funding arrangemnents.

The Skills Funding Agency introduced minimum contract values in 2011 in a move to streamline funding arrangements. The result was that smaller providers had to choose between forming a consortium or setting up as a subcontractor for larger providers.

Read more on OFSTED REVEALS COLLEGES EXPLOITING SMALL COMPANIES PROVIDING APPRENTICESHIPS…

The NHS procurement strategy will result in a 6 per cent cost saving. Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust expects to reduce the orthopaedic procurement bill by 23 per cent.

The NHS spends annually £20bn on procurement and it expects that the new strategy, launched in March 2012, will cut the bill by £1.2bn. Rotherham has almost quadrupled this saving by buying in the expertise of procurement consultancy Inverto to support the Trust¹s Procurement Team.

Read more on ROTHERHAM SHOWS THE WAY IN CUTTING NHS PROCUREMENT BILL…

New legislations will allow government departments to share information on people and businesses that owe them money. This will allow information which departments already hold to be used get a clear picture of the debtor and the prospects for recovering the debt.

Read more on SHARING INFORMATION BETWEEN DEPARTMENTS WILL BOOST DEBT RECOVERY…

Soctim estimates that some 66 per cent of contacts to local councils are online. This amounts to some 388m website visits.

Details are published in ‘Channel shift: grasping the opportunity’. The report emphasizes that for some councils, per head volumes will be much higher and it urges all councils to work out their own score for this key variable. This process will highlight the scope for savings on the cost of handling initial enquiries and provide evidence for a business case for a ‘digital by default’ strategy. The aim is that 80% of public services should be delivered online.

Read more on MAJORITY OF CONTACTS WITH COUNCILS NOW ONLINE…

Deaf children’s entitlement to communicate and be communicated with is fundamental to their development and progress. But many agencies need to review their services and improve the quality of communication.

A survey by Ofsted found effective joint working across agencies supporting deaf children but the quality assurance and evaluation of impact of services was not well developed. Overall, the auditing and reporting of the quality of multi-agency services were underdeveloped.

Read more on WATCHDOG CALLS FOR BETTER MANAGEMENT OF DEAF CHILDREN’S SERVICES…

The factors that can put a child at risk of being out of education, employment or training at age 16 are complex and varied. But uncovering them earlier is crucial to successfully improving outcomes for young people, says Dr Christopher Arnold, Senior Educational Psychologist at Sandwell Council.

Read more on TACKLING YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT FROM THE SCHOOL PLAYGROUND…