General Reports and Other Publications
Cebr: Research from the world’s specialist insurance market, Lloyd’s of London, warns of an annualised $168bn insurance deficit that leaves 17 high growth countries severely exposed to the long-term costs of catastrophic events.
The independent study conducted by the Centre for Economics & Business Research and commissioned by Lloyd’s highlights clear risks for countries affected by this shortfall including an unnecessary burden placed on the State and a higher cost of recovery after disasters:
NHS Confed: A Royal College of Nursing survey indicates nurses are spending an estimated 2.5m hours a week on non-essential paperwork & clerical tasks.
Mike Farrar, NHS Confederation chief executive, said:
Mike Farrar, NHS Confederation chief executive, said:
"We fully recognise the story that the RCN's survey tells. It is entirely consistent with the picture that has emerged during the first phase of our work on tackling the burden of bureaucracy in the NHS. ……….
"It is clear we need to do more to free staff from the shackles of unnecessary form filling and create more time to spend on patient care. We need a smarter system of information use, not a bigger one. And we need to embrace technology that helps rather than hinders staff, moving away from the paper-based archaic NHS. ……
"We are currently undertaking a major piece of work looking at how we can cut bureaucracy by a third in the NHS. …… We will report our findings and recommendations in September."
PC&PE: The Committee of Public Accounts published its 41st Report of this Session which, on the basis of evidence from the New Schools Network and the Local Schools Network, and from the Department for Education and the Education Funding Agency, examined the expansion of the Academies Programme.
NAO: The Equitable Life payment scheme runs the risk of failing to meet payment targets and over-running on costs. The speed with which the Treasury had to set up a scheme to make payments to former policyholders of Equitable Life impeded its ability to design one which worked efficiently & effectively, according to the National Audit Office.
The data for making payments was old & incomplete and many practical issues had to be overcome including having to trace over one million people and confirm their identity. As there is still a large number of payments to be made, the Scheme runs the risk of failing to meet payment targets and overrunning on costs.
PX: A report from think tank Policy Exchange, Better Public Services: A Roadmap for Revolution, calls for a number of changes in the way services are delivered, which ‘puts power firmly in the hands of the public’. It argues that the state’s right to monopoly provision of public services should be swept aside.
Private companies & voluntary groups should be able to compete in an open & transparent process to provide services to the public. A new legal right would be established giving people the right to exercise choice in the public services they consumer.
Press release ~ Better Public Services: A Roadmap for Revolution ~ TUC rejects Policy Exchange call for wholesale privatisation of public services
IPCC: The Independent Police Complaints Commission has found that former senior officers at Surrey Police were “afflicted by a form of collective amnesia” in relation to the force’s failure to investigate an allegation in 2002 that the voicemail of Amanda (Milly) Dowler had been hacked by the News of the World.
The IPCC investigation found that there was knowledge of the allegation in 2002 at all levels in Operation Ruby, Surrey Police’s investigation into the abduction & murder of Milly Dowler, but that no action was taken to investigate it despite an indication that a crime had potentially been committed.
PC&PE: Shale gas production in the UK could enhance our energy security & boost tax revenues, but it is too early to say whether it will reduce energy prices, the Energy & Climate Change Committee has cautioned in a new report.
IfL: Improved learner outcomes & employment opportunities, enhanced teaching practice & professional development, and business growth for FE providers & local employers are just some of the benefits of partnership outlined in a report published by the Institute for Learning and the 157 Group last week.
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