WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
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‘Radical’ guidance |
NHS England Prevent Mental Health Guidance and new e-Learning package now available. The guidance is aimed at providers of NHS mental health services and contains information applicable to mental health professionals who work within them. It is designed to support providers & staff to exercise their statutory & professional duties to safeguard vulnerable adults, children & young people at risk of radicalisation. |
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NHS England Prevent Mental Health Guidance and new e-Learning package now available |
They are our ‘future’ |
The CQC has completed the first phase of the review of mental health services for children & young people. The report is the first phase of a major thematic review requested by the PM in January 2017. CQC has drawn on existing reports, research & other evidence and its inspections of children & young people’s mental health services, as well as conversations with young people to identify the strengths & weaknesses of the current system. |
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CQC completes initial review of mental health services for children & young people NHS Confederation: Mental Health Network welcomes CQC review for children & young people LGA responds to CQC children’s mental health report Blog posted by Children’s Commissioner ‘Catching’ it early can be beneficial Hopefully more joined-up working will help reduce this problem |
New safeguarding strategy |
New training for Foster Carers who support unaccompanied asylum-seeking children was announced last week. The training, which will be made available to 1,000 foster carers & support workers, is backed by updated statutory guidance, a review of local authority funding and a drive to improve inter-agency advice and information sharing. It complements the guidance already available to every foster carer as part of their duties under the government’s Prevent strategy. |
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HO: New safeguarding strategy boosts support for lone child migrants Urgent, growing & long-term challenge of children in migration needs better EU response Family Restoration Fund gets £2m extra funding EHRC chair comments on irrational discussion on child migrants PC&PE: Unaccompanied child migrants failed by EU Member States |
SME Supplier Locator update... |
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. |
Just imagine the mental strain! |
Internet Watch Foundation is looking for a new analyst who can pass gruelling tests. With 12 analysts now on the IWF Hotline, the charity is looking for one more who can help its mission to eliminate child sexual abuse imagery online. An analyst’s job is to assess reports of online child sexual abuse content from the public, IT professionals and other sources. They also proactively search for child sexual abuse material and use internet tracing techniques to find images. They then have them removed. The difficult tests that must be passed to be offered a job at the IWF include a questionnaire, personal interview, formal interview and a psychological assessment. Once they get through this, they are then given an image viewing session which is the toughest test of all. Candidates will be questioned about their personal relationships, support networks and attitudes towards pornography. |
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IWF: Is this the UK’s toughest job? Internet Watch Foundation’s ‘Game On’ workshops with Everton FC nominated for 3 awards Watching over us, so as to ‘make the internet a safer place’ |
‘Seared’ in their memories |
Bishop James Jones’ review of the Hillsborough families’ experiences has been published by the Home Office. The review, entitled ‘The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power’, is aimed at ensuring the pain & suffering of the Hillsborough families is not repeated. It was commissioned by the now-PM following the conclusions of the fresh Hillsborough inquests in April 2016 so that the families’ perspective was not lost. |
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Home Office: Bishop's review of Hillsborough families' experiences published IPCC: Criminal charges following IPCC Hillsborough investigations Hillsborough investigations refer evidence to Crown Prosecution Service Adam Smith Institute: Safe Standing: An Open Goal For Football That Cuts Prices In Half "Alarming" inconsistencies in policing across forces must be addressed Statements from IPCC, Operation Resolve and CPS following conclusion of Hillsborough inquests |
What if men took career breaks and had ‘Care’ responsibilities? |
PM announces new drive to improve workplace equality. New figures published by the ONS show the UK’s overall gender pay gap rising marginally to 18.4%, but the gap for full-time workers falling to a record low – from 9.4% in 2016 to 9.1% in 2017. To close the gender pay gap further, the PM is calling on companies to:
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10DS: PM announces new drive to end the gender pay gap EHRC: Gender pay gap: closing the gap for a more equal Britain FCA publishes data on progress toward diversity targets and gender pay gap Can you help reduce gap between theory & practice? Lies, Damned lies, and Statistics Work Foundation - An end to workplace taboos surrounding women's health conditions IEA: Employer discrimination not to blame for the gender pay gap JRF response to the Women & Equalities Commission’s second report into the gender pay gap New Research: Low Paid Women Firmly Shut Out Of The Recovery |
‘Crack Cocaine’ of betting |
Government to take action on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals. 12-week consultation on stake reduction launched. |
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DCMS: Government to take action on Fixed Odds Betting Terminals LGA responds to review into lowering maximum stakes on fixed odds betting terminals LGA responds to report on lack of responsible gambling measures by operators LGA: Greater curbs needed on gambling advertising, councils urge LGA responds to APPG review of maximum stakes on fixed odds betting terminals LGA: Extra powers and lower machine stakes are needed to tackle betting shop clustering |
Smart success |
The Made Smarter Review (previously known as the Industrial Digitisation Review) has been published. The report identifies & describes the role of key Industrial Digitisation Technology (IDTs) such as IoT and AI, but its main focus is on how it is the convergence of these technologies where the UK will see the revolutionary advances in productivity & output. The Review quantifies this impact to be as much as £455bn over the next decade, including; increasing the manufacturing sector by 1.5-3% per annum, reducing CO2 emissions by 4.5% and a radical increase in productivity. |
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Less impact on the world |
Geovation, has launched a challenge to create greener, smarter communities for future generations to live in. The challenge is open to anyone with an innovative business idea, which makes it especially suitable for start-ups. You might be an innovator wanting to make a difference or an entrepreneur looking to build a new venture. We’re interested in ideas that are scalable and can be applied across Britain – or even globally. Winners will get an all-expenses paid place at a 3-day Geovation Camp and Conference in London in February 2018. This camp will equip you with the tools to build a sustainable business model and create a pitch to increase your chance of success. There will also be the chance to pitch for funding or a place on the Geovation Programme to help you get your business idea off the ground. |
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Innovate UK: Creating greener, smarter communities - apply to take part |
More difficult than trying to find ‘Good’ local school |
Cllr Linda Thomas responds to Which? research on the choice of care homes. |
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LGA responds to Which? research on care home choice Councils don’t / cannot afford to pay the true cost This problem is not going to be solved by taxing a few people a lot more Some Councils seem to have forgotten their ‘Duty of Care’ What is the state of ‘God’s waiting rooms’? Are you entitled to free care? Most services meet the ‘Mum Test’ but there is still too much poor care, finds CQC Citizens Advice responds to launch of CMA investigation into care homes Councils must offer affordable options when arranging care homes for families |
Change for the better |
The Personal Independence Payment guidance now reflects a recent legal decision. This was on the interpretation of people’s needs for supervision so as to carry out activities safely. The change will lead to approximately 10,000 claimants receiving an extra £70 to £90 a week by 2022/2023. |
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DWP: Personal Independence Payment (PIP) assessment guidance updated ScotGov: UK Government welfare cuts Second review of Personal Independence Payment Changes to Personal Independence Payment regulations PIP consultation response announced NAO: Contracted-out health & disability assessments CAB: PIP waiting times falling 'slowly but surely' Minister for Disabled People, writes about the recent PIP ruling |
Carers can now rest easy |
New sleep-in shift pay compliance scheme launched to support social care sector & identify back pay for workers. The government has launched a new compliance scheme for social care providers that may have incorrectly paid workers below legal minimum wage hourly rates for sleep-in shifts. The scheme has been designed to help ensure workers are paid what they are owed, while also maintaining important services for people who access social care. Social care employers will be able to opt into the new Social Care Compliance Scheme (SCCS), giving them up to a year to identify what they owe to workers, supported by advice from HMRC. Employers who identify arrears at the end of the self-review period will have up to 3 months to pay workers. |
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Lack of basic ‘protection’ |
NAO report investigates the NHS’s response to the cyber attack that affected it in May 2017 and its impact. |
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NAO: Investigation: WannaCry cyber attack and the NHS techUK: NAO publishes report on WannaCry Ransomware Attack on the NHS |
Just over 6 months away |
The ICO has launched a dedicated advice line to help small organisations prepare for a new data protection law. The phone service is aimed at people running small businesses or charities and recognises the particular problems they face getting ready for the new law, called the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The GDPR replaces the current Data Protection Act. Regulated by the ICO, the GDPR strengthens the rules around personal data and requires organisations to be more accountable & transparent. It also gives people greater control over their own personal data. |
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ICO: New data protection advice service aimed at small organisations preparing for GDPR GDPR will soon become a reality GDPR Guidance: What to look for in your Data Protection Officer (DPO) Transitioning for away from the EU DP ‘umbrella’ With GDPR coming into force next year ‘effective solutions’ are needed |
‘Unfriendly’ Banks |
Small businesses will be matched with alternative finance options, under a government scheme. 9 of the UK’s biggest banks will pass on the details of small businesses they have rejected for finance to 4 finance platforms - Funding Xchange, Business Finance Compared, Funding Options and Alternative Business Funding Ltd. These platforms will then share these details with alternative finance providers and go on to facilitate a conversation between the business and any provider who expresses an interest in supplying finance to them. These new rules make it easier for businesses to access finance when they have been turned down by traditional lenders. Research shows that 71% of businesses seeking finance only ask one lender and, if rejected for finance, many simply give up on investment rather than seek alternative options. |
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HM Treasury: New matchmaking service for small businesses looking for finance |
Conflict of interest? |
The CMA is investigating booking sites; Are their customers really able to choose the best hotel deal? The CMA is concerned about the clarity, accuracy and presentation of information on sites, which could mislead people, stop them finding the best deal and potentially break consumer law. |
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CMA launches consumer law investigation into hotel booking sites |
No mercy |
New DVLA ‘Tax it or lose it’ campaign is aimed at car tax dodgers New DVLA ‘Tax it or lose it’ campaign is aimed at car tax dodgers |
Check before paying |
There has been an increase in cold calls to the public from bogus bailiffs requesting payments for a “phantom” debt. The fraud involves being cold-called by someone purporting to be a bailiff working on behalf of a court, attempting to recover funds for a non-existent debt. Fraudsters are requesting payment by bank transfer and if refused they threaten to visit the people’s homes or place work in order to recover the debt that is owed. Though this type of fraud can occur throughout the UK, we have found that significant levels of reports are being made from those in the Yorkshire area. |
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Booking a restaurant for your work’s Christmas party? |
Make sure you choose a venue that is taking food hygiene seriously. So “look before you book” this festive season and check the food hygiene rating. Food Standards Agency: Look before you book this Xmas - don’t let poor food hygiene ruin your work party |
Editorial commentary; Doomsayers in full flow! - Remember Y2K (or Millennium Bug) foresaw the end of the electronic age. |
According to the IEA, Halloween may not be the most auspicious time to be talking about what happens if the Brexit negotiations break up without a deal. But there are still plenty of scare stories to dispel – including planes no longer flying, cancer patients being denied life-saving treatment, and criminals running amok. Firstly, a confession; I was one of many public sector employees in London who were charged with responding to all the doom mongering predictions back in 1998 - 2000 – among which was the claim that most lifts would cease to function and hospital equipment stop working! The media were all generally at panic stations as the ‘doomsayers’ flew around the world delivering their ‘message’ (for large fees) about the catastrophe which was about 18 months away (sounds familiar?)! That was until we began to analyse the ‘problems’, co-ordinate our activities, draw up contingency plans and generally work out what we had to do to work in co-operation with all Emergency Planning Officers, local & national government departments, NHS, F&R, transport organisations, local businesses, etc. These preparations included both local & London-wide meetings & conferences where everyone shared their concerns, state of preparation and plans. Within our organisation contingency plans were drawn up, tested & circulated (in some cases for the first time ever!), computer systems evaluated, updated, replaced, or in some cases scrapped. In general we questioned what we did & why, evaluated how we could do it better and eventually came to the conclusion the world would not end in the early hours of 01/01/2000. In fact, by the night of the Millennium, our biggest fear in London was that a relatively warm evening would be followed by a freezing cold drizzle after midnight. Things would then be complicated by someone ‘falling’ onto the underground track by Westminster, so that 1m+ people would then be forced to walk home, with many getting hypothermia! We should prepare for WTO trade, but that does not mean everything will grind to a halt IF we prepare in advance. Chances are that if we prepare the EU will agree to co-operate. |
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IEA: UK has nothing to fear from a ‘bare bones’ Brexit deal PC&PE: Government response to Brexit - Trade in goods Y2K bug | computer science | Britannica.com Is the Year 2038 problem the new Y2K bug? | Technology | The Guardian |
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Still a ‘hot topic’, with widely spread views, for those who put fingers to keyboard in order to ‘share their views’: |
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DExEU: Joint statement by the Department for Exiting the European Union and the EC DExEU: Government affirms commitment to strong consumer protections post Brexit 10DS: PM meeting with FM of Wales EU News: Joint statement by the EC and DExEU ScotGov: Cross-border policing ScotGov: Brexit analysis must be shared PC&PE: Government response to Brexit - Trade in goods Open Europe: Catalan separatism is part of a broader crisis of legitimacy IEA: UK has nothing to fear from a ‘bare bones’ Brexit deal NIESR Commentary: Monetary & fiscal policy normalisation as Brexit is negotiated |
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