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WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
| We need to find an answer to this conundrum |
| Revenues for pharmaceutical companies need to be 'delinked' from sales of antibiotics to avoid their over-use and avert a public health crisis, says a new report from the think-tank Chatham House. By 2050, failing to tackle antibiotic resistance could result in 10m premature deaths p.a. Novel antibiotics to combat resistant pathogens are thus desperately needed, but market incentives are exacerbating the problem. The current business model ‘requires high levels of antibiotic use in order to recover the costs of R&D. But mitigating the spread of resistance demands just the opposite: restrictions on the use of antibiotics.’ |
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FCO: The Longitude Prize: Why India should be in it to win it Without a solution to this issue we will be, medically speaking, ‘In deep s**t’ |
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ECHO WINS MAJOR CONTRACT WITH STANDARDS AND TESTING AGENCY Outsourced customer contact specialist, Echo Managed Services, has won a major contract with the Standards and Testing Agency (STA) to provide a helpline service across the whole of England. Under the agreement, Echo will provide STA with a helpline which will provide targeted support and advice on tests and assessments across the national curriculum, from the early years foundation stage, up to key stage 3. |
| It always needs more! |
| Richard Murray, of KF, recently commented on the financial reports from NHS regulators - ‘…. NHS providers are heading towards an unprecedented end-of-year deficit’. |
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Kings Fund - NHS providers heading towards unprecedented deficit – (NHS performance frameworks need radical simplification & alignment, TKF’s review finds The Patients Association’s response to the NHS deficit NICE launches initiative to speed up adoption of health technologies DH: Restrictions on nurse recruitment from overseas changed More details of the NHS Funding Black Hole Financing the promised £8bn by 2020 We have known this for years so why hasn’t NHS management ‘reformed’ its purchasing? |
| The best win a contract |
| NHS England is funding a competition to help improve patients’ lives & NHS efficiency. Around £100,000 will be available for ideas that will reduce the pressure on urgent & emergency care services. This competition invites organisations to develop products that will help patients, clinicians & managers improve emergency care. Businesses with the most promising solution will be offered a government contract to test & prove their innovation. Deadline is noon on 17 November 2015. |
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Innovate UK: Improving urgent medical care - apply now for innovation funding Innovate UK: Reports highlight economic impact of business innovation funding Innovate UK: Collaboration Nation 2015: innovative companies at showcase event |
| If NHS needs +£8bn, what do LA’s need for social care? |
| Local government leaders & directors of adult social care have warned that the ability of councils to provide dignified care for people in old age or for those with a disability is at risk unless urgent steps are taken to plug the burgeoning gap in social care funding. |
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LGA: Dignified care for elderly & disabled at risk due to lack of funding, councils warn Most of us will all be ‘old’ someday We won’t be able to afford the NHS unless we ‘solve’ this problem |
| Patients are more likely to initially fall after treatment |
| Katherine Murphy, Chief Executive of the Patients Association commented on the pioneering report reviewing how well hospitals prevent inpatient falls. |
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Patients Association: Pioneering report reviews how well hospitals prevent inpatient falls Vulnerable elderly woman suffers severe facial bruising in hospital that failed her RoSPA launches new film to save lives & cost of elderly injured in falls at home Tripping & falling is no joke as your bones get frailer in later years Audit reveals variation in use of pain relief for hip fracture DH: Balancing the cost of preventive action against the need for health costs to fall |
| As always; Lies, Damned Lies & Statistics |
| Popular studies suggesting a fall in social mobility rely on a single dataset which has been widely challenged, including by the OECD. A new briefing from the Institute of Economic Affairs, examines the facts around both relative & absolute mobility, finding that a shortage of reliable & comparable data prevents drawing comparisons with other countries. |
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| This impacts on the economy as well as individuals |
| 41% of organisations have seen an increase in reported mental health problems (such as anxiety & depression) over the last 12 months, according to the annual CIPD Absence Management survey. |
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CIPD: 40% of organisations report increase in workplace mental health problems CIPD - 1 in 3 employers say more staff are going into work despite being ill NHS England: supports Get Online Week One never knows if a sudden crisis will impact on you or a family member Help & encouragement can speed return Like many other medical conditions, epilepsy does not preclude having a successful career |
| Training for a digital future |
| The UK’s first Software Academy and has been opened with a new intake of undergraduates following a successful pilot of the course earlier this year. While Scotland’s first digital skills academy has welcomed its initial intake of 15 students, who are due to graduate in January 2016. |
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WAG: Minister launches UK’s first Software Academy |
| ‘Appy’ cycling |
| The popular Santander Cycles app has been updated to make it easier for customers to use, with 1 in 12 hires now made through the app. Users of the app can now scroll across the docking station map, helping them easily & accurately plot routes across London and find docking stations close by. |
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| Santander Cycles app gets new interactive map to help customers find closest docking stations |
| Helping preserve a pristine environment |
| Cammell Laird in Birkenhead has been selected to build a state-of-the-art £200m polar research ship, which will operate in both Antarctica & the Arctic, and will be able to endure up to 60 days in sea-ice. Robotic submarines & marine gliders will collect data on ocean conditions & marine biology and deliver it to scientists working in the ship’s on-board laboratories. Airborne robots and on-board environmental monitoring systems will provide detailed information on the surrounding polar environment. |
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BIS: Merseyside beats global competition to build £200m polar research ship Chancellor puts UK at forefront of ocean research with new polar science ship Studying the causes of extreme weather in 2012 Respecting the Arctic, promoting UK interests Environmental Audit Committee publishes Government Response to its Protecting the Arctic report |
| Time to vote |
| Nominations for the Sun Military Awards are now open to salute the best & brightest of the UK’s Armed Forces. |
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| MoD: The Sun Military Awards return to highlight British heroes |
| Help make the IoT ‘safe’ |
| The FSA and The IT as a Utility Network Plus (a Research Councils UK funded project) are co-funding a programme of work on the Internet of Things (IoT) and food safety. As part of this programme, applicants are invited to bid for short‐term projects as a proof of concept and to develop an evidence base. Deadline for submission of applications is 5 pm Monday 2 November 2015. |
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| FSA: Call for proposals for FSA and ITaaU Network Plus pilot studies |
| Wales is full of fantastic people |
| Nominate someone for the St David Awards. Now in their third year, there are 9 categories – Bravery; Culture; Enterprise; Citizenship; Innovation and Technology; International; Sport; Young Person and the FM’s Special Award. Closing date is midnight on the 27 October 2015. |
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| Wales is full of fantastic people doing exceptional things, says FM |
| Every little ‘reduces’ |
| Councils across the country are tackling fast food outlets to introduce measures such as cooking with less oil, offering salad or rice instead of chips, and even using ‘reduced hole’ shakers that sprinkle less salt, as part of the battle against soaring rates of obesity. |
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ESRC: Toolkit to tackle fast food takeaways in the war on obesity |
| Public Services need continual improvement |
| A year ago, George Freeman (Life Sciences Minister) helped launch techUK’s Three Point Plan on public services transformation. The aim was to improve the engagement between the tech industry and Government. One year on, techUK thought it would be helpful to re-cap on their progress against the 3 pillars: better engagement, better information and more innovation. |
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| techUK: One year on from the Three Point Plan |
| Future Apple/Google? |
| Got a laptop, sleeping bag and a fantastic business idea that uses space technology to improve the wellbeing of society? If so you could win a 6 month business support package to help you develop your idea. The ESA’s Business Incubation Centre at Harwell in Oxfordshire is holding a FREE 2-day Hackathon (17 - 19 October) for entrepreneurs & problem solvers who want to develop the ‘next big thing’ by using space technology to improve the wellbeing of our society. Prior registration to the Hackathon is required for each individual to take part and teams will be confirmed on the day. |
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| STFC: Calling entrepreneurs - funding support on offer |
| Spare a minute to remember their sacrifice |
| Find out how you can join the annual commemorations on Sunday 8 November and the Government’s plans to commemorate the Battle of Jutland, which brought together the 2 most powerful naval forces of the time in the largest naval battle of the First World War |
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| DCMS: Remembrance Sunday 2015 – (DCMS: Government plans to commemorate the Battle of Jutland centenary) |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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ScotGov: A different path from austerity ScotGov: Scotland must have a role in EU talks |
