By Iain MacBeath
The public sector is faced with its greatest challenge of maintaining quality, but cutting budgets by 25 per cent. The challenge of caring for the elderly is particularly acute because the nation’s ageing demographic adds further strain on adult support services and care workers. The author describes Hertfordshire County council’s venture to improve financial efficiencies and tailored care packages for its adult residents with complex needs.
The involvement of parents in the education of children is vital, but as they move on to secondary school communication channels are fewer and the independence which comes with growing up weakens the links. This article describes how technology can strengthen the links so that parents are in touch with schools and are kept up to date about what is happening with their children.
The number of young people described as not in employment education or training (NEETs) is continuing to grow. Engaging young people who are isolated, disadvantaged, at risk, or uninspired is a major challenge. The author describes how in Thurrock, an urban area east of London, the challenge is being met by introducing them to theatre.
By David Vant
Cutting costs in public services is a top priority and every option is being explored. Outsourcing debt collection is widely used in the private sector and is becoming more common in the public sector. The author explains the benefits of outsourcing and describes the safeguards for confidentiality and ethical collection.
By Emma Gorringe
Since the Total Place pilot, partners in Bedfordshire including Central Bedfordshire and Luton Borough Council have been developing more than 50 proposals which aim to cut crime and improve the welfare benefits system in Bedfordshire and Luton.
Central Bedfordshire and Luton have been one of 13 Total Place pilots across the country, set up to transform public services through improved working between central and local government agencies.
A key feature of the LGA Group’s offer of a deal to the Coalition Government is to find large scale savings from a total place approach across the board. All 13 pilot project reports show clearly that duplication and unnecessary bureaucracy cost money and can be substantially reduced. But big savings demand transformation, not just change. Transformation is difficult to do, as the report about Collaborative Procurement from the National Audit Office and the Audit Commission clearly shows. So what are the prospects for reducing budgets without harming front line services?
Read more on TRANSLATING TOTAL PLACE FINDINGS INTO NATIONAL COST SAVINGS…
By Ray Lawrence
The search for efficiency savings is boosting the use of e-learning which has now become an established part of the public sector training scene. The cost of e-learning can be further reduced by using open source software, which unlike propriety software, does not involve the payment of licence fees. The author explains the benefits of e-learning and shows how public bodies have applied it successfully.
Read more on GETTING INCREASED SAVINGS FROM E-LEARNING WITH LICENCE FREE SOFTWARE…
Lifestyle plays a big part in the health of people, but many are unaware of the scale of difference it can make. The NHS MidLifeCheck helps people find out how their lifestyle compares to a more healthy approach and suggests what they can do to become more ‘healthy’. There are also signposts for further help.
By Mark Harvey and Anthony Von Bergan.
Technology continues its rapid advance making systems progressively obsolete. People also change and managers who have grown up with yesterday’s systems are starting to retire in large numbers. The authors argue that now is the time to stand back and see how the public sector ICT landscape is changing and how new developments can be used to bring much needed efficiency.
Read more on TECHNOLOGY FOR THE NEW MILLENIUM – VISION 2020…
By Stephen Welch.
The new coalition government has attracted many different analogies of what the partnership is like. And there have been lots of opinion pieces as to whether it will wither or prosper. The author looks at the likely success of the partnership in the light of research and the experience of helping organisations collaborate.
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