Policy Statements and Initiatives
ScotGov: The Scottish Government will be running an emergency exercise this week (from April 27 2009) to make sure it is prepared for any pandemic flu outbreak that may occur. 'Cauld Craw' will be the government's main civil contingencies exercise for 2009 and is part of a programme of events to ensure Scotland is well prepared to deal with the consequences of any emergency.
The 4-week exercise, involving a range of agencies across the country, will test resilience and improve knowledge & understanding of how to handle the issues Scotland would face in the event of a pandemic. All participants will be conducting business as usual during this period. The Scottish Government is currently working with the UK Government to develop a national pandemic flu communications strategy.
Press release ~ ScotGov - Civil Emergencies ~ ScotGov - Bird flu and pandemic flu ~ DH – Pandemic Flu ~ UK Resilience: Human Flu Pandemic ~ Latest situation press release
WAG: A major exercise was held across Wales last week, focusing on local preparations for a flu pandemic. Exercise Taliesin looked at how local organisations in Wales will work together in the event of a pandemic.
The one day exercise considered a broad range of likely impacts that may result from a flu pandemic that go much wider than the immediate impact on health. This included the impact on schools, council services & utilities and the possible resulting disruption to everyday life.
BERR: A strategic plan to invest in Britain's economic & industrial future has been launched by the Government. The policy statement - Building Britain's Future - New Industry, New Jobs - identifies key areas where Government action can have most impact.
Key areas identified for immediate action & reform to win a bigger share of the opportunities ahead are centred on innovation, skills, finance, infrastructure and trade.
ScotGov: Alcohol & Drug Partnerships (ADPs) will be set up for every local council area in Scotland to transform the provision of services to tackle substance misuse. Replacing the current model of alcohol & drug action teams, they will be brought into the community planning process for each local authority area, including decision-making & accountability systems such as Single Outcome Agreements and NHS performance management.
Each ADP will develop & implement a local alcohol & drugs strategy to reduce the numbers of people with substance misuse problems. The strategies will ensure all relevant partners play their part, better identify local needs and ensure investment is focused on achieving agreed outcomes.
Minister for Community Safety Fergus Ewing also unveiled plans to set up a delivery commission to oversee the implementation of the national drugs strategy, identify emerging challenges and helping drive forward the necessary reforms.
In addition, he announced plans for a Scottish Drugs Recovery Consortium - a charitable trust bringing together key partners from the voluntary, public and academic field to promote and assist the greater focus on recovery - among services providers, workforce and the public. Further details of the new Commission and Consortium will be announced in the coming months.
Press release ~ National drugs strategy, 'The Road to Recovery: a New Approach to Tackling Scotland's Drug Problem' ~ ScotGov - Alcohol ~ Audit Scotland's drug and alcohol report ~ Final recommendations of the Alcohol and Drugs Delivery Reform Group ~ Single Outcome Agreements ~ Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action
MoD: The MOD has announced that it will be conducting an assessment of the health needs of nuclear test veterans and their descendants in a move welcomed by the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA). MOD experts will join representatives from the BNTVA and MPs to form a working group designed to finalise details of this research and identify a sample group to study.
The MOD will also follow up on last year's New Zealand chromosomal study. This work is in the planning stages but the aim is to create a study that will provide veterans with practical, relevant and timely results. It is hoped that these research projects will both be underway by the end of 2009.
Press release ~ British Nuclear Test Veterans Association (BNTVA) ~ New Zealand chromosomal study ~ National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) (Now part of Health Protection Agency) ~ Report NRPB-W27: Mortality and Cancer Incidence 1952-1998 in UK Participants in the UK Atmospheric Nuclear Weapons Tests and Experimental Programmes (2003) ~ UK Atmospheric Nuclear Testing Programme ~ Nuclear Tests
ScotGov: The Scottish Government has earmarked £150m as the first step to establishing a Scottish Investment Bank, delegates at the Scottish Trades Union Congress conference in Perth were told last week.
The Scottish Government will work towards establishing a Scottish Investment Bank to support business growth by initially bringing together Scottish Enterprise's existing Scottish Co-investment Fund, Scottish Venture Fund and Scottish Seed Fund.
Press release ~ Scottish Co-investment Fund ~ Scottish Venture Fund ~ Scottish Seed Fund ~ Scottish Trades Union Congress
DH: A new support team to tackle infant mortality has been launched by Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo, who said it would ‘help turn the tide on health inequalities’. The new Infant Mortality National Support Team will visit 43 areas with the highest rate of infant mortality in the routine & manual group, to deliver intensive four-day programmes of interviews & workshops and tailored support to local areas.
The team will help local health teams to deal with maternal obesity, smoking, teenage pregnancy, housing and child poverty all which have significant roles to play in the life expectancy of an infant. Other related factors include ensuring that all women have a health & social care needs assessment by 12 weeks of pregnancy. Ethnicity, immunisation, management of the unwell infant and infant nutrition can also have an impact.
Press release ~ DH – Infant mortality ~ Implementation plan for reducing health inequalities in infant mortality: a good practice guide
DH: 50,000 long-term unemployed young people will be helped into social care apprenticeships under new plans published by the Government. Backed by £75m from the Department for Work and Pensions, employers will receive a £1,500 subsidy to take on social care trainees aged between 18 & 24.
In a new Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy, Care Services Minister Phil Hope, also aims to lure experienced graduates, managers and leaders from the private sector into the social care sector.
Press release ~ ADASS Workforce Development Network ~ Adult Social Care Workforce Strategy ~ DH – Social care Careers ~ DH – Social care
DECC: A future that curbs emissions from new coal fired power stations will see the UK ‘lead the world’ in the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology, according to Ed Miliband, when he announced proposals for the basis on which coal fired power which will be permitted in the future:
* No new coal without CCS demonstration from day one. Alongside the Government's ongoing competition to build a post-combustion demonstrator, up to three further projects including pre-combustion technology, will be funded by a new levy mechanism
* Full scale retrofit of CCS within 5 years of the technology being independently judged as technically & commercially proven
These proposals form part of a consultation that will be released in the summer, alongside an environmental report.
The Government also published its response to last year's consultation 'Towards Carbon Capture and Storage', which sets out our approach to carbon capture readiness. This will apply to all new gas, oil, biomass, waste-to-energy and also coal power station applications on or above 300MW.
Press release ~ DECC: Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) (includes response to consultation) ~ Investing in a Low Carbon Britain ~ COACH (Cooperation Action within Carbon Capture and Storage China-EU) ~ NZEC (Near Zero Emissions from Coal) ~ EU Directorate General Energy and Transport - Coal ~ British Geological Survey (BGS) ~ Carbon Sequestration Leadership Forum ~ Storing CO2 under the North Sea Basin ~ CO2GeoNet Network of Excellence ~ UKCCSC - What is Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)?
ScotGov: Disadvantaged young people will be given the chance to undertake work placements under one of the first projects to be supported by the Scottish Government's £1m Social Entrepreneurs Fund. The new fund has been launched to get new social enterprises off the ground, enabling them to help get people into work and keep Scotland's economy moving.
The Social Entrepreneurs Fund is delivered by Firstport, a charity working to help start up social entrepreneurs and social enterprises throughout Scotland.
WAG: Plans are being developed in Wales to trial new measures to help protect NHS staff from violence & aggression and to provide more evidence to prosecute offenders when incidents take place. During the 12-month trial, CCTV will be installed in clinical & non-clinical areas in 4 major accident & emergency departments and some vehicles from one ambulance station. If the trials prove successful the initiative will be extended across Wales.
Recording of images will be carefully managed to ensure adequate information is obtained to assist with prosecution of offenders, whilst ensuring vigilant compliance with data security rules & guidance, other relevant legislation and patient privacy. Clear signage will be displayed to ensure public awareness of CCTV.
In addition, a number of devices & systems are being considered to improve protection and safety of lone workers in the NHS in Wales. This includes the possibility of personal safety alarms being linked to a centralised control system.
WAG: A new £150m fund which is intended to support the expansion of more than 800 businesses and create up to 15,000 jobs across Wales has been launched using £75m funding from the European Investment Bank under the EU’s JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises) initiative and a further £60m from the Welsh Assembly Government, via the European Regional Development Fund resources.
The funding – the first JEREMIE fund to be launched in the UK, will enable Finance Wales plc, a commercial funding provider to small & medium sized business in Wales (owned by the Welsh Assembly Government) to make debt & equity investments in growing businesses throughout Wales.
The fund is particularly important in the current economic climate in enabling the creation & expansion of small enterprises and encouraging regional economic growth.
Press release ~ EIB - JEREMIE (Joint European Resources for Micro to Medium Enterprises) initiative ~ Welsh European Funding Office ~ Finance Wales plc ~ WAG – Business and Economy ~ WAG - Leading Wales out of recession
CLG: Communities Secretary Hazel Blears is encouraging everyone to show their community spirit and get involved in making preparations for the BIG LUNCH - a national event, taking place on 19 July 2009, which is hoping to see millions of people across Britain get together with their neighbours to share food, drink & conversation.
DWP: The Department for Work and Pensions has extended its benefit cheats hotline to the Costa del Sol and Canary Islands following its launch in Alicante in September 2008. Residents in these popular ex-pat areas can report suspected British benefit thieves to a local number and their concerns will be passed on by the operator of the hotline to a team of investigators in the UK.
A publicity campaign, 'We're closing in', in the local ex-pat media is raising awareness of the hotline as well as a dedicated web site where suspected British benefit thieves living abroad can be reported on-line. This initiative is part of a growing relationship between Spain and the UK on social security issues that already includes agreements to data-match and share death notifications.
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