WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
The Government ICT Strategy sets out to deliver better public services for less cost, and to release savings by implementing technology that increases public sector productivity and efficiency. A key aspect of the strategy is cloud computing. In parallel with the drive to adopt cloud computing for its business benefits, the government wants to reduce its impact on the environment in terms of greenhouse gas emissions by reducing energy and resource consumption, as reflected in the Cabinet Office supplement — the Greening Government: ICT Strategy. This latest white paper provides public sector organisations with advice and guidance to help them make appropriate use of "green" cloud services and helpfully explains:
Click here to download your copy of 'Greening Government ICT: How Cloud Can Help' |
Some personal care problems can be resolved quickly & cheaply using common sense |
People with serious medical conditions are able to carry heavy medical equipment with them on their mobility scooters from 9 March 2015. This will mean people who depend on specialist medical equipment can now load it on powered wheelchairs & mobility scooters to travel outside their home. It will increase the upper weight limit on these vehicles by 50kg to 200kg, in cases where the extra capacity from necessary medical equipment. Newlife Foundation for Disabled Children, a charity who funds specialist equipment for children with disabilities & terminal illness, had campaigned for the change. |
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‘Reassurance’ is key to their state of mind |
As part of Change Day NHS England is supporting “John’s Campaign” which supports people with dementia. The campaign calls for family & carers of people with dementia to be allowed to remain with them in hospital for as many hours of the day & night as necessary. Campaigners point to the difference between the treatment of family & carers when it comes to being with sick children & people with dementia. |
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Paid to train, no student debt, good employment prospects for both women & men and vital for future UK economic success |
BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, believes that IT apprenticeships have a vital role to play in helping to fill the emerging skills gap the profession faces and is calling on employers to support apprenticeship schemes. The Institute has been named as 1 of 3 assessment organisations for the Digital Industry Trailblazer apprenticeships. The first two IT apprenticeships to launch are Network Engineer and Software Developer. Apprentices studying these via a training provider assessed by the Institute will be given BCS membership for the length of their apprenticeship. The Digital Industry Trailblazer standards published by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills have been purposely aligned with the new Professional Registration of IT Technicians that the Institute, together with the Gatsby Foundation will launch later this year. An individual awarded an IT Trailblazer apprenticeship will be eligible to apply for a place on the professional register. |
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BCS: Apprenticeships vital to encourage more young people into IT profession Digital Industry Trailblazer standards (need to scroll down) Over half of primary school teachers say science is getting squeezed out - CBI Gov.UK: Information & communication technology (ICT) apprenticeships Minister for the Cabinet Office announces new initiatives for young people in cyber security DfE: Surrey college to train young cybersecurity experts announced Apprenticeships could compensate for likely IT talent drain techUK: New report highlights UK tech growth Lords say digital skills will make or break the UK New qualifications launched to meet UK demand for digital skills |
Opening up a world of independent travel |
A trial is underway at Pimlico Tube station to assist blind & partially sighted people to navigate independently, using Bluetooth beacons and a smartphone app. The Wayfindr system has been developed by ustwo, a studio which builds digital products & services, in response to the RLSB Youth Forum's desire to be able to navigate London Underground (LU) without assistance. |
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TfL: Young vision impaired Londoners set a new direction for Tube travel |
A police cell is not a mental health ward |
The Home Office has funded the launch of a pilot to provide an alternative place of safety for people detained under Section 136 of the Mental Health Act 1983. At the 2014 Policing & Mental Health Summit the Home Secretary announced that the Home Office would fund the Richmond Fellowship to deliver an alternative place of safety in Sussex. The pilot will run for 12 weeks. |
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HO: Home Secretary launches alternative place of safety pilot HMIC: Vulnerable children & adults need care, not custody Mental health illness prevalence in criminal justice system a scandal Deaths in or following police custody continue to fall but mental health remains an issue IPCC to investigate Humberside Police's detention of mentally ill woman NHS Confed: Partnership working the way forward, say mental health providers & police chiefs Providing better help and support for mental health services |
Giving ‘rogue’ employers a criminal record |
Employers who carry out ‘back-door’ criminal record checks on potential employees could face criminal charges after it has been finally outlawed. There is a well-established lawful process for checking criminal records, but some rogue employers have tried to bypass that by demanding prospective employees use their rights under the DPA to see information held about them. |
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EU migrants to ‘Pay in’ before UK taxpayers ‘Pay out’ |
New regulations mean that under Universal Credit no EU households will be able to access means-tested benefits in the UK without having worked here first. Action has already been taken to halve the amount of time EU jobseekers can claim Jobseeker’s Allowance, Child Benefit & Child Tax Credit and means that if they don’t have a job after 3 months they will lose their right to reside in the UK. New migrant jobseekers are also now unable to claim Housing Benefit. |
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And about time too |
Home Secretary has announced a package of reforms to improve the police complaints & disciplinary systems. The powers are part of a series of changes that aim to make police misconduct hearings more open & visible as well as increasing protection for police whistleblowers. They include:
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Co-operation rewarded |
The Communities Secretary has hailed the life-changing impact of the government’s Troubled Families programme, which has now turned around more than 105,000 of the hardest to help households in England. New figures show that the programme had already saved taxpayers an estimated £1.2bn, from a maximum government investment of £448m. |
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CLG: More than 105,000 troubled families turned around saving taxpayers an estimated £1.2bn Just throwing money at the problem doesn’t work; co-ordinated action is what gets results |
An innovative employment opportunity |
Graduate recruitment: Join the UK’s innovation agency - We help many of the most innovative ideas & businesses in the UK achieve commercial success. If you’ve graduated in the past 12 months or will be graduating this year and want to be part of the UK’s economic future, why not apply? All successful applicants must be able to attend Assessment on 28 April 2015. |
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Innovate UK: Graduate recruitment - Join the UK’s innovation agency |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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ScotGov: Greater gains from more fiscal control PC&PE: Smith Agreement "best of both worlds" for Scotland Scottish tax revenue £400 per head higher than UK Government Expenditure & Revenue Scotland 2013-14 IFS: Scotland’s fiscal position improves in 2013–14 but this is set to stall as oil price falls bite |