WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
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Following withdrawal of CE certification for the Aquilon series of nebulisers, the manufacturer has continued to place the nebulisers on the market. A Medical Device Alert has been issued to all relevant healthcare professionals. M&HPRA: Aquilon Medical Nebulisers: people urged to stop use immediately |
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| Justice must be seen to be done |
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HMICFRS has published the 3rd interim report into the inspection of the MPS’s review & reassessment of alleged criminal offences arising from the 2014 mayoral election in the LB of Tower Hamlets. The MPS investigated these allegations at the time and after an election court ruling that declared the result of the election void. The court found that corrupt practices prevailed at the elections of both the mayor and the councillors for the 20 wards of Tower Hamlets. However, concerns were raised when initial MPS investigations did not result in any criminal convictions. As a result, the MPS confirmed that the force would carry out a new operation to review & reassess the allegations, called Operation Lynemouth. MOPAC agreed that HMICFRS should inspect & provide assurance of the operation. |
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HMICFRS: Operation Lynemouth: Third interim report Operation Lynemouth: Second interim report Operation Lynemouth: First interim report Has it happened elsewhere in the UK and can it happen again? Eternal Vigilance is price of democracy Voter ID pilot to launch in local elections Plans to return full democratic accountability to Tower Hamlets Grant-making powers return to Tower Hamlets PC&PE: Government and LAs must learn from Rotherham & Tower Hamlets interventions Tower Hamlet progress but no powers returned – Greg Clark Secretary of State sends in commissioners to Tower Hamlets PX: Electoral Commission is not fit for purpose, says think tank Trolling does not enhance democracy! |
| A skilled workforce helps increase productivity |
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Driving up quality, increasing choice and ensuring value for money are at the heart of a major review of post-18 education, launched by the PM last week. The UK already has a globally recognised higher education system, with record rates of young people, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, going to university. Work is also underway to transform technical education post-16 by introducing new T levels - providing high quality technical qualifications to rival traditional academic options - and overhauling apprenticeships to help provide the skills our economy needs for the future. Although significant progress has been made, it is clear that the current post-18 system is not working as well as it could be - for young people or for the country. The review will ensure that post-18 education is giving everyone a genuine choice between high quality technical, vocational and academic routes, students and taxpayers are getting value for money and employers can access the skilled workforce they need. |
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DfE: PM launches major review of post-18 education 10DS: PM: The right education for everyone CBI: "Build on strengths of our world-leading university sector & on the role further education" techUK: Jacqueline de Rojas Joins Panel for Major Review into Post-18 Education NCFE: Learners set to lose out as direct entry is withdrawn Plan to boost social mobility through education Help ensure a skilled workforce for the future Reducing confusion of route to gaining technical skills We need a skilled ‘home-grown‘ workforce to trade successfully worldwide after Brexit The problem is that politics is all about changes in policy Just what we need for post-Brexit The UK’s future prosperity is ‘under threat’ Talk of a ‘vocational route’ is a dead end HEFCE introduces first ever measure of vocational degrees Is FE really key to social mobility? Thousands of higher & degree apprenticeship vacancies announced |
| SME Supplier Locator update... | ||
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UK Government and public sector spend with SME’s is continually on the increase and by 2020, it is the stated intent of Cabinet Office that £1 of every £3 spent on government contracts goes to SME’s. The past 5 years have seen government make a priority of getting money through its supply chain into the hands of SMEs, by both setting targets and introducing new procurement mechanisms. Against this backdrop, the WiredGov Supplier Locator service has been developed specifically to embrace the SME Agenda and provide the ideal platform for SME’s to promote their services, solutions, accreditation and success stories directly to our ever increasing audience across all government and public sector verticals and Tier 1 suppliers. Recent arrivals to the SME Supplier Locator service include:
Click here to find out more. |
| Unfortunately it is a real issue for smaller businesses |
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British employers are ‘living in the dark ages’ and have worrying attitudes towards unlawful behaviour when it comes to recruiting women, new statistics from the EHRC reveal. Showing that many businesses’ attitudes are decades behind the law, the survey of 1,106 senior decision makers in business found around a third (36%) of private sector employers agree that it is reasonable to ask women about their plans to have children in the future during recruitment. The new statistics also reveal 59% of employers agree that a woman should have to disclose whether she is pregnant during the recruitment process, and 46% of employers agree it is reasonable to ask women if they have young children during the recruitment process. |
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EHRC: Employers in the dark ages over recruitment of pregnant women & new mothers TUC: Pregnancy discrimination scars lives & careers CBI response to EHRC pregnancy data After all, the babies grow up to be workers Pregnancy is too often a significant ‘bump’ in a woman’s career path Family-friendly employment rights fail female workers TUC: A quarter of new dads are missing out on paternity leave & pay TUC: Better paternity pay would help new dads spend more time with their children TUC: UK in the relegation zone for decently-paid maternity leave in Europe TUC: Women who become mothers before 33 suffer a 15% pay penalty |
| All talk, or any action? |
| Government review to see how employers are improving ethnic minority progression in the workplace. Results will assess progress made by employers on recommendations in the independent McGregor-Smith Review. |
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Business Minister urges UK's largest companies to increase transparency around workplace diversity Business Minister Margot James urges FTSE 350 chief executives to improve diversity & inclusion TUC calls on government & business to implement new race report recommendations |
| Still not ‘united’ |
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Professor Keith Willett has called on health & local government leaders to seize “the greatest opportunity in 70 years” to remake the NHS & local authority partnership and improve the health of their communities. England’s top urgent care doctor said the two sectors had historically struggled to overcome their financial, cultural & operational differences preventing them from adapting to public need. But changing health & care needs, the imperative of financial pressures, and the advent of integrated care systems means the conditions are right for a major shift in attitude. Positive results from joint working over the past year has now cut hospital delayed transfers of care to their lowest level in over three years. |
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NHS Confed: NHS Improvement report underlines why our members are at 'end of their tether', says The King's Fund response to NHS Improvement's quarterly performance report PC&PE: Government response on the Long-term Sustainability of the NHS published NHS Digital: Developers invited to add to NHS Apps Library Partial integration will only provide only limited benefits |
| Finance for innovators |
| Innovate UK is ready to provide financial support for innovators of new medicines, transforming food production and scaling up materials & manufacture. |
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Innovate UK: Improving the manufacture of new medicines - apply for funding – (Innovate UK: Scaling up materials & manufacture - apply for an innovation loan Innovate UK: Transforming food production - funding & events |
| It is an on-going war! |
| An LGA spokesperson responded to the report by Big Brother Watch, alleging that councils have experienced over 98m cyber-attacks between 2013-2017. |
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LGA responds to Big Brother Watch report Building a (cyber) secure future |
| As Oxfam mangers ‘hold their heads in shame’, elsewhere ‘Hope’ is being nurtured |
| Article by Mr Thomas Reilly on cookery lesson by Chef Moha at ''Education For All'' dormitories in Asni. |
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Increase share of UK aid to global education DIFD: Safeguarding in the aid sector First countries set to benefit from funding to ensure children get an education in times of crisis Unicef: New solutions needed to provide education for all Unicef: Getting every child back to learning in South Sudan Unicef: Helping keep classrooms safe as schools re-open in Sierra Leone DIFD: Safeguarding in the aid sector DIFD: UK & US launch innovation fund for ideas to save millions of lives in conflict zones FRC: The auditor's responsibility to report to a charity's regulator |
| Potentially life-saving |
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techUK has responded to MPs on product safety & recalls, by calling for a single portal for registrations and reaffirming the importance of CE marking. techUK responds to Product Safety Inquiry |
| Better measurement required |
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New report from the All Party Parliamentary Group for Climate Change explores energy & carbon impact of the ICT sector. |
| Joining the Royal celebrations? |
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With the royal wedding due on 19 May 2018, our online guidance helps bust popular myths & provides a useful checklist & practical advice for what is needed for anyone planning their own street party. MHCLG: It's time to start planning your royal wedding celebrations |
| Work in safety |
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RoSPA is preparing to welcome the first global standard for occupational H&S management systems. ISO 45001 will aim to proactively improve employee safety, cut workplace risks & create better, safer working conditions. RoSPA looking ahead to launch of ISO 45001 |
| GDPR requires action! |
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The ESRC holds address details of its Society Now subscribers in a database which they use to mail printed copies. They now need to confirm that all current subscribers wish to continue to receive it. ESRC: Don't lose your Society Now subscription |
| The power is with them! |
| Dstl is working in partnership with GCHQ and the Alan Turing Institute – the national Institute for data science – on a number of defence challenges that exploit the power of data science. |
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Dstl: Using the power of data science to answer world-wide challenges Data team wins Future Policy Network award New technology revealed to help fight terrorist content online £4m to develop data handling techniques for industry Updating the Data Science Ethical Framework £54m funding to transform health through data science Do you want to be a Data Scientist at Dstl? Eight new PhD training centres to boost UK's data science expertise New national innovation centre to put UK at forefront of big data Building capability & community through the Government Data Science Partnership Science Report published on use of data science in the FSA The Alan Turing Institute and ONS commit to shared vision for data science research and innovation |
| Where did the money go? |
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A top level probe into where the pension payments of NHS and other public sector workers, employed by Carillion, have ‘disappeared to’ was called for last week by Unite the union. Unite: Probe call into ‘disappearing’ Carillion NHS pension contributions |
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