NHS: A Safer NHS? – According to government figures, there has been a fifteen-fold increase in the number of prosecutions against those who physically assault NHS staff. During 2004/05 there were 759 prosecutions compared to 51 cases identified in 2002/03.
The increase follows a drive by the NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) to ensure that effective sanctions are applied to those who attack NHS staff.
The above press announcement raises two points of interest, the first of which is the continuing apparent ability of patients, some schoolchildren (& their parents), ‘bad’ neighbours, drunks, yobs, etc. to assault other people and to ‘get away with it’, or suffer a minimal penalty.
Perhaps if Judges had their ability to ‘instantly’ jail / fine people for contempt of court removed, they might get a taste of reality and be more inclined to impose the full penalties that the government has tried to impose on such anti-social individuals.
The second point is yet again we have an illustration of the disingenuous nature of statistics, with Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt claiming that there has been a “huge increase in prosecutions”. Yet the reality of the situation is that there are well over 100,000 cases of violence & abuse against NHS staff reported every year. So in fact action is only taken in less than 1%of cases.
What the SMS has achieved is a good start, but what is left to be done is a ‘huge’ amount, not a ‘huge achievement’!
Press release ~ NHS Security Management Service (NHS SMS) ~ Legal Protection Unit ~ Identicom ~ A Professional Approach to Managing Security in the NHS ~ National Association for Healthcare security (NAHS) ~ National Syllabus on Conflict Resolution Training for the NHS. ~ A Safer Place to Work: Protecting NHS Hospital and Ambulance Staff from Violence and Aggression – Full report: ~ Executive Summary ~ Annex: Methodology & Surveys ~ NHS Zero Tolerance Campaign ~ Pupil & Parent violence
DCA: We will all get old sometime - People who may not always be able to make their own decisions as a result of an illness like dementia, disability or injury and those who live and work with them - including banking, legal, finance, health and social care professionals - are invited to have a say in how new mental capacity legislation will work in practice.
The government is holding workshops (limited spaces) during October which will allow people with direct personal experience (professional and personal) to feed back their experiences of supporting someone to make decisions in the key areas of finance, welfare and health and assessing capacity. The intention is to feed into the proposed Code of Practice
The dates of the workshops are:
·
·
·
Anyone interested in attending the workshop should contact: vanessa.rogers@dca.gsi.gov.uk as soon as possible.
Press release ~ DCA website for the Mental Capacity Act 2005 ~ Social Care Green paper - Independence, wellbeing and choice ~ Alzheimer’s Society Response to Independence, wellbeing and choice
English Nature: Top British ecologists gathered at
Kingley Vale Nature Reserve in
Press release ~ British
Ecological Society ~ English
Nature ~ Natural England. ~ New Phytologist
Trust
MoD: Once Gurkhas have served in the British army for three
years they will, from
Press release ~ Brigade of Gurkhas ~ Judicial review on T&C of former Gurkhas ~
BBC news item
~ Khukuri House
DfES: From
Press
release ~ National Agreement on Raising Standards and Tackling
Workload ~
National
Remodelling Team ~ NUT
Guidance to Members ~ Cracking the Introduction of Planning,
Preparation and Assessment and Modern Foreign Languages Challenge for
KS2 ~ Financial effect of workforce reform 2005-06 ~ Teachernet Remodelling web pages ~ FAQs from Devon
British
Library:
The British Library is the
Press release ~ Business & Intellectual Property Centre ~ reader’s pass ~ Patent
Office ~ What is a ‘patent’?
Defra: Margaret Beckett has announced her intention to appoint
new members to the
Press release ~ <
FONT color=#800080>application form (return by
Defra: Revised compensation rates applicable
to the BSE and Offspring compensation schemes (effective for the month of
September 2005) have been announced.
Press release ~ Defra
BSE website ~
DH:
A new database on the prevalence &
management of common chronic diseases, intended to make it easier to
monitor patients with long-term conditions, has gone live. Launched under the Quality and
Outcomes Framework (QOF), it rewards
practices for providing a high-quality service in a range of areas and includes
incentives for having proactive systems in place to ensure patients with long
term conditions are properly monitored &
reviewed.
Press release ~ Quality and Outcomes Framework ~ BMA guidance ~ QOF scores by PCT ~ QOF prevalence data ~ Payment by
results
Met Office: The
Met Office sends its forecasts of hurricane tracks to the National Hurricane Centre (NHC) in
Miami NHC every 12 hours. However, Katrina only marks the halfway point in
the Atlantic hurricane season, which usually runs from June to
November and there are predictions for up to another 5 or 6 hurricanes this
season.
Press release ~ Met Office ~
National Hurricane Centre
(NHC) in Miami ~ Natural Hazard Working Group (NHWG) ~ Disasters
Emergency Committee ~ World Meteorological Organisation
MCA: The UK
Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) have joined forces to host the
four-day 4th International Shallow
Survey Conference 2005 (starts 12 September) which will be taking place in Europe for
the first time since its establishment in Sydney, Australia in
1999.
Press release ~ 4th International
Shallow Survey Conference 2005 ~ UK
Hydrographic Office (UKHO) ~ Maritime and
Coastguard Agency (MCA) ~ Oceanographic Data Service (BODS) ~ Royal Navy survey ship HMS Enterprise ~ International
Federation of Hydrographic Societies ~ Integrated Coastal
Zone Mapping
DH: The
government is claiming that figures show that since 2000/01, additional
investment in cancer services has reached £639 million - £69 million more than
was committed in the NHS Cancer
Plan. However, there is no
mention of the fact that cancer charities provided over a quarter of the
additional funding, or that NICE has delayed spending on some cancer
treatments.
One should also bear in mind that the figures only go
up to 2003/04 and that the Audit
Commission’s report in June 2003 was not so congratulatory with regards to
the efficient targeting of funds to frontline NHS
services.
Press release ~ NHS Cancer Plan and
DH Cancer website ~NICE delaying Treatments ~ NAO - The NHS Cancer Plan: A Progress Report (March 2005) Summary ~ Full report ~ Audit Commission ~ Achieving the NHS Plan (2003) ~ NHS Cancer Screening Programmes ~ Tackling Cancer:
Improving the patient journey
- Executive summary ~ Full report ~ NAO - ’Tackling
cancer in England: saving more lives’ (March 2004) - Full Report ~ Executive Summary
DTI: London’s Regent Street and an Eco
Centre in Wales are among 18 projects that will share over £1.5million in
funding as Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks announces the latest successful solar
energy schemes that will receive Government money under the Solar Photovoltaic Major Demonstration
Programme.
There is still funding available for large scale projects and the
last deadline for applications is
Press release ~ Solar Photovoltaic Major Demonstration Programme ~
British Photovoltaic Association ~ Energy Saving
Trust ~ The Low Carbon Building
programme consultation is currently still
open
Defra: The Rural Development Service (RDS) has reminded farmers that they can
still submit Entry Level Stewardship
(ELS) applications for the majority of their farms and that they don’t have
to wait until outstanding issues with the Rural Land Register (RLR) on individual land parcels are
resolved.
Press release ~ Rural
Development Service (RDS) ~ Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) ~ Rural Land Register (RLR) Briefing note ~ The Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) - The
Rural Land Register Data Capture Exercise - IACS 40: Guidance
booklet (3Mb) ~ Rural Payments
Agency
Defra: The
government has welcomed an industry-led initiative to promote improved water
efficiency. Waterwise - a new body funded jointly
by water companies but acting independently of them - has set itself the target
of reversing the trend in rising demand and reducing stress on the water
supply-demand balance, within five years. Average per capita consumption has
risen from146 litres/head/day in 1994/95 to 154 litres/head/day in
2003/04.
Press release ~ Waterwise ~ Ofwat ~ Envirowise
programme ~ Enhanced Capital Allowances (ECA) scheme ~ Defra water conservation website ~ Waterwise plant guide ~
Thames
Water - waterwise
Welsh Assembly Gov: A Disability Summer School, organised by
CyMAL: Museums Archives and Libraries Wales, began at the
The event
also saw the launch of the Wales Edition
of the Disability Portfolio at the event, which is a series of 12 guides to help staff in
museums, archives and libraries become more accessible.
The Summer
School continues at the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth on September 6 and at Swansea Rugby Club on
Press release ~ CyMAL: Museums
Archives and Libraries Wales
~ Wales Edition of the Disability Portfolio ~ Disability
Summer School - contact
ChristineTaylor: mailto:Christine.Taylor@wales.gsi.gov.uk (01970
610231)
Home Office: Tthe Home Office is consulting (closes
26 October
2005)
on a standard set of powers for Community Support Officers
(CSOs), which they think
will help tackle crime & anti-social behaviour and increase
community safety. At present the powers
available to CSOs vary from force to force.
Press release ~ Consultation on Standard
Powers for Community Support Officers ~ White Paper - Building
Communities, Beating Crime ~ Police
Reform Act 2002 ~ Community Support Officers (CSOs)
Home Office: The government is consulting (closes
Liz Longhurst, whose daughter Jane was murdered in
2003 by a man obsessed with violent sexual pornography, said: “We have lobbied the Government and
collected over 35,000 signatures for our petition and I am hopeful of reaching
a target of 100,000 signatures by Spring 2006”.
Press release ~ Consultation documents
(scroll down) ~ Liz Longhurst’s
petition ~ Briefing on
current UK Laws ~ CPS –
Adult material on the
Internet ~ Internet Protection Task Force ~ Internet Watch
Foundation ~ Internet Content Rating Association ~ ISPA - children on the Internet
DCA: Details of how the review of legal aid
procurement (being undertaken by Lord Carter of Coles) will be taken forward
over the next few months have been announced. The government says that its
success will depend on the ongoing engagement, input and support of the legal
professions and government departments & agencies
involved.
Several
pieces of work are being carried out over the next few months to inform the
review and, while this work is being undertaken anyone with an interest in this work can
make submissions (no date given) to the Secretariat
Press release ~ Lord
Carter’s Review website ~ Community
Legal Service Direct ~ Legal Aid calculator ~ Scottish Legal Aid
Board ~ Criminal Defence Service Bill
DCA: The Government has published a consultation paper (closes on
Press release ~ Hearing the Relatives of Murder and Manslaughter
Victims ~ CJS
‘victim’ web pages ~ Victim
Support ~ Taking Account of Victims in the Criminal Justice System: A
Review of the Literature - 1999 ~ Valuing the Victim
Defra: Industry,
conservation groups and the public are being invited to give their views on the
government’s proposed Marine Bill that is intended to ‘establish an integrated system for the
streamlined planning, management and protection of coastal and marine natural
resources’.
Partner organisations are being invited to a series of
three events. The first
forum, at the Strand Palace Hotel,
Press release ~ Defra Marine Bill website ~ Our coasts and seas - making space for people, industry and wildlife (3Mb) ~ Maritime State of Nature Report for England: getting onto an even keel (3.7Mb) ~ Our coasts and seas - A 21st Century agenda for their recovery, conservation and sustainable use ~ Marine Health Check 2005 (2.4Mb) ~ WWF Marine Act Campaign ~ WWF web pages on UK Marine and coastal ecosytems
Press release ~
HSE: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently
investigated several complaints relating to flame failure devices (FFDs) on gas
forges used primarily by farriers. The key issues are the purchase of suitable
equipment and safe operation of the forge.
Press release ~ The Gas
Appliances (Safety) Regulations (GASR) 1995 ~ HSE Simple
guide to the Provision & use of Work Equipment regulations 1998
HSE: A
revised version of guidance designed to help employers who supply & use
personal protective equipment (PPE) at work meet their duties under the law has
been published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
The
guidance, Personal Protective Equipment
(PPE) at Work Regulations 1992 (L25), which was first published in 1992,
has now been updated to reflect changes to the Regulations, developments in PPE
and to clarify guidance queries commonly received by HSE.
HSE has also
reissued A Short Guide to the Personal
Protective Equipment at Work Regulations, a free leaflet aimed at providing
employers with a brief summary of the laws main requirements. In
particular, the guide includes a short synopsis of common workplace hazards and
types of PPE that can be used to prevent workers
exposure.
Press release ~ A Short
Guide to the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations ~ HSE PPE
web page ~ Order Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992 (L25) ~
HSE: The Construction Industry Advisory Committee, (CONIAC) are pleased to
announce that the industrys leading health & safety campaign, Working Well Together (WWT), will once
again visit construction workers at their places of work during a five week nation-wide
roadshow, starting at a Persimmon Homes site in Bathgate, West Lothian, Scotland,
on Monday 5
September.
Press release ~ HSE Worker engagement initiative ~ WWT Campaign
website ~ Work Programme for
2005 ~ Construction Industry Advisory Committee, (CONIAC) ~
Inspector training and Speakers packs ~ Brief Guide
to Regulations ~ HSE Falls website ~ HSE
Construction website ~ Improving health and safety in the construction
industry
LSDA: News from the Learning and Skills Development Agency
of 10 new A levels that have been designed to provide students with both the
knowledge & skills that relate directly to specific occupational sectors.
They are backed-up by production of a CD-ROM, which is intended to ensure that
students get real life rather than ‘textbook’ examples they can draw
on.
From
September 2005 the new ‘A’
levels replace the Vocational
Certificate of Education (VCE), which was introduced in 2000. The new
qualifications have an AS/A2 structure, comparable to existing GCEs.
Press release ~ Vocational Learning Support Pack -
Bringing the world of work to new A-levels ~ Learning and Skills
Development Agency
LSDA: The LSDA has produced a CD-ROM which includes
downloadable leaflets, guidance for teachers, student activities and examples
of how The Alnwick Garden markets the attraction. They are all designed to link
directly to GCSE and A-level units in customer service, marketing and
management.
Press release ~ Virtual visit – a
teacher’s resource is available free (limited numbers) from LSDA - Email:
enquiries@LSDA.org.uk ~ The Alnwick Garden in
Northumberland ~ Increased Flexibility
Programme ~ IFP
case studies ~ Association of Teachers’ websites
DWP: A new DVD - We
Can Help - has been launched to promote Jobcentre Plus services to
disabled people and those with health conditions.
Press release ~ DVD obtainable from
Disability Employment Advisers at
DH: A new computer programme which will provide the NHS with an
early warning system for identifying patients with long-term
conditions most at risk of admittance to hospital, has been launched by the
Department of Health. The computer
software uses a wide range of patient information to work out who is most at
risk and, once prioritised, NHS care teams can then work with patients to help
them maintain their health and avoid a visit to hospital.
A conference about the risk prediction tool is being held on 27 October in central
Press release ~ Patients at Risk of Re-Hospitalisation (PARR) Case Finding
Tool ~ Also called - Predictive risk
system Project ~ NHS Networks – Supporting people with long-term
conditions ~ NatPaCT – working with data ~ Health
Dialog ~ Long Term Conditions Case Management - Community
Matrons ~ Essex Strategic Health Authority ~ NHS Modernisation
Agency
DfES: The annual
School Sport Survey 2004/05 has been published and the government is claiming
that it shows that more children are participating in school
sport.
Press release ~ 2004/05 School Sport Survey ~ Primary Playground Development ~ national school sport strategy ~ Ofsted - The Physical Education, School Sport and Club Links
Strategy(PESSCL) ~ Extended school
hours ~ School Sport Partnerships ~ Youth Sport Trust ~ Making a Difference: Reducing burdens in school and
community sport (summary) ~ 2012 Scholarships ~ School Playing Fields Advisory Panel
Acas: Acas has published its corporate plan
of action to 2007/08, which outlines its strategic aims & plans for
improving employment relations in
Press release ~ Improving the world of work plan of action 2007/08 ~
Reminder on
Minimum Wage Increase
DWP: A new set of reports has been published by the Department
for Work and Pensions, which present findings from three independent studies
commissioned by the Department into hybrid, or risk sharing, pension scheme
designs.
The main
objective of the research was to increase knowledge of risk sharing and hybrid
pension plans compared to traditional final salary defined benefit (DB) and
pure defined contribution (DC) plans; and to promote discussion and better
understanding of pension scheme design within Government and the wider pensions
world.
Press release ~ Research report: 270 - Risk Sharing & Hybrid Pension Plans (this contains summaries of the
next three) ~ Research report: 271 - Hybrid Pension Plans: UK and International Experience ~
Research report: 269 - Comparing Pension Outcomes from Hybrid Schemes ~ Research report: 272 - The
Optimal Allocation of Pension Risks in Employment Contracts (NB these files range from 1Mb to
3Mb)
ODPM: The Government claims that its Key
Worker Living Programme (KWL) is making a positive contribution towards
improving recruitment and retention of key workers, such as teachers, nurses
and police.
The early findings of the evaluation has led to the
ODPM widening the range of front line public sector workers applying for the
programme from
April 2006, where there is evidence of recruitment & retention
problems.
Press release ~ Starter Home Initiative
(SHI) ~ Key Worker Living (KWL) programme ~ Report No. 220 - Key Public Sector Workers: Exploring
Recruitment and Retention Issues and Housing Preferences (
Scroll down for Summary and Full versions) ~ Report No. 221 - Starter Home Initiative
Evaluation ~ Report No. 222 - Key Worker Living Evaluation: Early
Findings (scroll down
for Summary and Full versions)
LSDA: A new report Beyond prejudice –
inclusive learning in practice, published by the Learning and Skills Development Agency,
highlights the need to address the issues of inclusive learning and the end to
‘tunnel vision’ more vigorously.
Press release ~ Beyond prejudice – inclusive learning in
practice ~ Human
Rights Act (1998) guidance ~ Disability Discrimination
Act (Part 4) user guide ~ Learning and Skills Council’s National Equality and Diversity
Strategy ~ Niace Briefing sheet ~ EDIMs (equality and diversity impact measures) by the
LSC.
OFT: New
guidance to help make caravan contract terms clearer & fairer has been
published by the Office of Fair Trading.
The guidance has been produced for owners of
caravan parks & organisations offering advice to consumers looking to buy a caravan.
The consumer
leaflet, A fair pitch for your
holiday caravan - A guide to agreements for static holiday caravans
is being published at the same time as the guidance.
Press release ~ Guidance ~ A fair pitch for your holiday
caravan ~ Guidance consultation document ~
Park Home Site Licensing: Further
Reform outlines ~ ODPM Park Homes
website
Defra: Rules have now come into force that the
government claims will clamp down on black-market fish traders by improving the
way fish landings are monitored by requiring the registration of buyers and
sellers of fish sold for the first time after landing.
Press release ~ Application forms (Form No. RBS 1) ~ Defra
Fisheries web pages ~
The Registration of Fish Buyers and Sellers and
Designation of Fish Auction Sites Regulations 2005 ~ Explanatory leaflet RBS 2: Applying to be a registered buyer or seller of first sale fish in the
UK ~ CEFAS Annual Report and Accounts 2003/2004
Welsh Assembly Gov: First Minister Rhodri Morgan offered a warm welcome to
Foreign Ministers from all 25 European Union member states, as
British Red
Cross: One year on from the hostage
crisis in Beslan that claimed the lives of 338 people, including 172 children,
the International Federation of Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies reports
that a third of the families affected will need long-term psychological
support.
Using funds
raised through Red Cross societies globally, the Russian Red Cross has provided
an outreach support programme where some 20 nurses visit affected families each
week. However, psychological
problems are often compounded by physical disabilities.
Press release ~ British Red Cross ~ International Red Cross and Red
Crescent Movement ~ Beslan Operations update ~ Independent – How Beslan is
coping one year on
DWP: Trustees who
have not yet submitted information to the Governments £400 million
Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) now have less than 6 months to apply. Trustees who think their schemes might
be eligible, should contact the FAS Operational Unit on 0845 6019941 to obtain
form FAS A1. This form should be returned by
Press release ~ Financial assistance scheme ~ Pensions Act 2004
DWP: The Department for Work and Pensions has today announced
that the new funding requirements for defined benefit occupational pension
schemes will now come into force on 31 October 2005, instead of the
previously expected
The Pensions Regulator will publish a suite of
guidance materials in October to help trustees, employers and their
respective advisers comply with the new funding regime.
Press release ~ Pensions
Regulators website ~ Current Codes of
Practice
CC: The
Competition Commission (CC) has concluded that the completed acquisition by
Somerfield plc (Somerfield) of Wm Morrison Supermarkets plc (Morrisons) may be
expected to result in a substantial lessening of competition in 12 local
grocery retail markets in
CC: The Competition
Commission (CC) has published an issues statement as part of its inquiry into
the classified directory advertising services market.
Press release ~ CC Statement ~ The OFT’s reasons for making a
reference
For further information on the
events listed below (and subsequent events) please click HERE
Date: 3 - 5 October
2005
Venue:
Organiser: Neil Stewart
Associates - Reinventing
Accountability for the 21st Century
A two-day international
event and training day which will explore innovative approaches to building
accountable leadership and organisations in the 21st century.
Date:
Venue:
Organiser: Homeless
Link - Making the link: opening up research into
homelessness
Homeless Link supported by the Joseph Rowntree
Foundation, provide an opportunity for people both within and outside the
homelessness sector to talk us about the wider issues affecting homeless
people.
Date: 5 - 6 October
2005
Venue: Victoria Park Plaza
Hotel,
Organiser: Chartered
Institute of Purchasing & Supply – Premier
Conference
The central themes of this
year’s Premier Conference examine the contribution that purchasing and supply
management can make to the management of risk, whilst ensuring security of
supply, and how procurement can drive innovation, both within organisations and
with external suppliers.
Date:
Venue:
Organiser: Local Government
Chronicle – Improving policy design
A timely conference that
will analyse the recent initiatives aimed at improving communication between
central, regional and local government.
Date:
Venue:
Organiser: Royal British
Legion -
Date:
Venue: Inmarsat Conference
centre, London EC1
Organiser: Neil Stewart
Associates – Modernising Mental health services: Developing Leadership,
Recruitment, Retention and training
An opportunity to discuss
how best to develop a more diverse and coherent NHS Mental Health workforce,
with structured career development programmes and a drive to recruit more
service users as part of the workforce.
Date:
Venue: Chepstow race
course
Organiser: Royal British
Legion - Chepstow
Raceday
Date:
Venue: Fairfield Halls,
Croydon.
Organiser: Royal British
Legion - Biennial gathering of the Massed Bands of the
Royal British Legion Concert
Date: 26 –
28 October 2005
Venue:
Organiser:
Equipping
people to work at a level to provide top-quality support to their managers and
developing their potential to be the leaders of tomorrow. Designed for
administrative officers and their equivalent, on completion you should
understand the basis of effective management
 
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Date: 26 –
28 October 2005
Venue:
Organiser: Chartered Institute of
Purchasing & Supply – CIPS Supply Management
Awards 2005
The awards are run jointly
by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing & Supply (CIPS) and its
fortnightly magazine, Supply Management. For the CIPS Supply Management Awards
2005, the 10 team and two individual categories will be presented at a
black-tie gala dinner at the London Hilton on
Date: Up to 15
December
Venue: none
Organiser: Citizenship Foundation - Take a hands-on approach to
politics, journalism and the legal system
Now in it’s 15th year, The National Youth
Parliament Competition helps
11-18 year olds understand the democratic process and gives them the
opportunity to video their own parliamentary debate.
The National
Political Journalism competition, challenges young people (11-18 year olds) to
experience first-hand the relationship between politics and the media. They are
asked to tackle a local, national and international political issue of their
choice, by taking on the roles of media professionals and create real news
pieces in print, TV or radio.
In the Magistrates’ Court Mock
Trial competition students take on the roles of court staff, lawyers
& witnesses and present the prosecution and defence of a specially written
criminal case.
For further information on the above (and
subsequent) events please click HERE
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