WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
WAG: Behind closed doors - Tackling violence against women & children is central to a new strategic action plan issued for consultation (closes on 21 September 2009). The new draft action plan builds on the All Wales Domestic Abuse strategy published in 2005, but goes much wider than domestic abuse in the home.
Recognising that women & children are suffer disproportionately, not only in the home, but often fearing for their safety in their communities, the draft action plan has been strengthened to tackle issues such as prostitution, sexual assault, forced marriage and trafficking.
Although women & children suffer disproportionately adult male victims of domestic abuse are not forgotten with action proposed to raise awareness about support for male victims of domestic abuse.
Press release ~ Strategic action plan to address violence against women and to update the Welsh Assembly Government’s domestic abuse strategy ~ All Wales Domestic Abuse strategy ~ Safer Caerphilly Multi Agency Centre (MAC): Tel. 01443 819317 ~ WAG - Domestic abuse ~ CAB – Domestic Violence ~ Fact or Fiction ~ International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women ~ Domestic Abuse Guidance: Supporting People & Multi-Agency Working ~ Wales Domestic Abuse Helpline ~ Welsh Women’s Aid
HA: Easier to deal with Abnormal - Phase Three of the Highways Agency’s Electronic Service Delivery for Abnormal Loads (ESDAL) service has gone live. Phase Three allows hauliers to save time & admin costs by using an online service to notify abnormal load movements to the relevant road, structure owners and police by web, email or fax. The system will store each notification & proposed route and enable the appropriate agencies to assess the route through the ESDAL website.
Phase Four now enters pilot trials and is due to be formally launched in the Autumn. It will add functionality to provide an automated route assessment. A facility to add constraints such as road works will also be made available.
Enhancements due to be introduced from the Summer through to Autumn 09 include a larger map, simplified VR1 applications, improved route descriptions and confirmation of notification delivery. The service is free and requires no third party software.
ScotGov: A picture of hope - A new campaign is aiming to raise awareness about organ donation by creating an online 'mosaic' of 60,000 photographs. The interactive Wall of Life campaign has been launched by the UK-wide NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and it aims to promote awareness of & support for organ donation to boost the number of people joining the NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR).
The Wall of Life is an online mosaic created from people's photos posted on the site to show their support for organ donation. These photos come together to make up the image of two-year old Louisa McGregor-Smith, whose life was saved by a heart transplant in 2007 at just five months old. At least 60,000 people need to upload their photos on to the Wall to build Louisa's image.
The Wall of Life has been created as part of a national campaign to highlight the constant need for organs in the UK. More than 10,000 people currently need a transplant operation, of whom 1,000 (3 a day) will die before an organ becomes available.
Press release ~ Wall of Life campaign ~ NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) ~ ScotGov related press release ~ InfoScotland Donor Register ~ NHS Scotland ~ NHS Organ Donor Register (ODR) ~ The potential impact of an opt out system for organ donation in the UK: an independent report from the Organ Donation Taskforce ~ DH – Organ Donation ~ EU Organ Donation Action Plan ~ NHS boss angry at transplant organs for foreigners ~ Consent for Organ Donation ~ Donate Wales – Tell a Loved One campaign ~ Kidney Wales Foundation ~ Organ Donor Register ~ NHS Direct Wales – Organ Donation ~ 'Organs for Transplants'
NE: Free outdoor summer fun - Discover butterflies, lizards, fossils, seals and even otters. Take a picnic, learn to make a bird feeder or go on a bog safari. These are just some of the ‘adventures’ on offer as Natural England rolls out its summer programme of family days out at National Nature Reserves (NNRs).
NNRs represent many of the finest wildlife & geological sites in the country, providing unique environments where many of England’s most extraordinary wild plants & animals flourish - commonplace species rubbing shoulders with national rarities.
To celebrate these amazing places and the 60th anniversary of the Act that created them, Natural England has put together a packed summer events programme for people of all ages. From music festivals to nature rambles, NNRs have something for everyone.
Press release ~ National Nature Reserves ~ Natural England to release one million children to the wild
DH: Disabled but not Unable - People with a learning disability will be helped into paid jobs to close the employment gap, Ministers have ‘pledged’. The goal is part of the new cross-government Learning Disability Employment Strategy, which sets out a vision to increase the number of real jobs for people with learning disabilities with appropriate support being provided.
The Office for Disability Issues is inviting interested organisations to submit proposals to become Project Search sites and take part in an evaluation of Project Search. Project Search supports people with learning disabilities into paid jobs by providing a series of internships with a host employer. A delivery plan, to be published alongside the strategy, will set out actions with timescales and responsibilities to ensure progress.
Press release ~ Office for Disability Issues – Project Search ~ Valuing People Now: A new three-year strategy for people with learning disabilities ~ Learning Disability Employment Strategy, plus Delivery Plan ~ Project Search - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital ~ Remploy - Project Search
Cabinet Office: Government hires ex-poachers as Gamekeepers - The PM has announced new measures to protect the UK & British citizens from the growing threats to our security in cyber space. With over £50bn spent online in the UK every year and 90% of our high street purchases made using electronic transactions, new technology is vital to our national prosperity.
But with modern life increasingly dependent on computers and communications technology cyber space is a new area where hostile states, terrorists, and criminals can all threaten UK security interests. The UK’s first Cyber Security Strategy will hopefully help the Government re-shape the way we respond to these challenges swiftly & effectively.
A dedicated Office of Cyber Security will take forward a cross-Government programme of work and a new multi-agency Cyber Security Operations Centre in Cheltenham will provide the co-ordinated protection of the UK’s critical IT systems.
Press release ~ Cyber Security Strategy ~ Updated National Security Strategy ~ UK’s updated strategy for countering international terrorism – CONTEST ~ National Security Forum
WAG: Civilised behaviour or denial of service to UK citizens as more slices cut from funding cake? - Amended Regulations to enable failed asylum seekers access to free healthcare will come into force on 15 July 2009, Health Minister Edwina Hart announced recently, saying: “I have made clear that the aim of these changes is to ensure that people who are in need of healthcare receive it. I believe the mark of a civilised society is the way in which it treats its people, particularly the sick and dying."
Forthcoming Event: 9th Annual Knowledge & Information Management for the Public Sector 29-30 September 2009, London.
The Ark Group presents (KIMPS 2009) a 2-day conference designed to help you:
* Convince your senior management that effective KIM is the key to cost-efficiency
* Get more from your existing knowledge assets on a tight budget
* Successfully harvest / capture knowledge, while keeping confidential personal data securely
* Understand how government organisations are using social networking technology
* Learn how horizon scanning is being used to prepare government organisations for the future
With knowledge & information management (KIM) budgets under severe pressure in many parts of the public sector, the task that lies before knowledge professionals is harder than ever before. You need to know how to demonstrate that your existing KIM strategy is delivering cost-savings for your organisation, before you can successfully bid for future funding.
The programme will showcase current best practice as well as new approaches to KIM. It includes case-studies from public sector organisations that are currently using social networking & semantic technologies, as well as horizon scanning techniques.
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For information on other forthcoming public sector events please click HERE to visit the WGPlus Events Calendar
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