WIREDGOV NEWSLETTER ARCHIVE
Just what we need when looking beyond the EU for growing markets |
techUK outlines its support for the UK to join the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement. New Zealand, Chile and Singapore have recently reached a Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA), which is a standalone agreement that sets new high quality, world leading standards in digital trade. It complements ongoing multilateral talks on e-commerce at the WTO and efforts in Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the OECD. As a leading digital economy, with high rates of internet penetration and use, a skilled workforce, and sophisticated academic and financial ecosystems that is well placed to leverage new ideas, the UK is already one of the best places in the world to establish and grow a tech company. |
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techUK encourages the UK government to seek membership of DEPA techUK launches "A Vision for Digital Trade" in Brussels GDS: The Global Digital Marketplace Programme - Moving into alpha UK statement on the WTO Joint Initiative on E-Commerce Launch of digital tools for traders UK and Commonwealth will champion free trade in face of growing global challenges World Trade Report 2019 focuses on the future of services trade Call on Leaders to Advance Digital Trade 7 Summit: techUK urges leaders to align on digital policies Chancellor pushes for international action on tax rules for the digital era Digital revolution to use the power of data to combat illegal wildlife trade and reduce food waste |
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A ‘sad’ part of modern life not helped by social media, bullying and on-line Trolls |
The latest ScotSID Unscheduled Care report (February 2020) is drawn from the Scottish Suicide Information Database. The data highlights the contact individuals have had with NHS24, Ambulance Service and out of hours GP services in the 12 months prior to them completing suicide. Shirley Windsor, Organisational Lead for Public Mental Health said: “We want Scotland to be a place where anyone who is in such distress that they are contemplating suicide can access the best possible care and support when and where they need it. The highest number of contacts across all the unscheduled care services were from the poorest areas so we need to continue our efforts to improve service interventions. Everyone has a part to play in preventing suicide.” For more information on suicide prevention, visit our suicide prevention web page. |
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NHS Health Scotland: Comment on latest Scottish suicide statistics The ‘mental’ pressures of life seem to be increasing! It also impacts on family members Start small and develop robust ICT solutions that really deliver benefits Ensuring there are people ready to answer ‘cries for help’ How to help the ‘casualties’ of modern society Children are mentally vulnerable Augmented Reality brings lifesaving human contact to people at risk of suicide |
Difficult to ‘prove’ cost/benefit of service |
Vulnerable young families in the LB of Greenwich being left with inadequate support because of plans to dissolve the area’s Family Nursing Partnership (FNP) programme, Unite, warns. Unite, the union, which embraces the Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association (CPHVA), said its members have raised the alarm over the impact on teenage mothers & young children if Greenwich’s FNP is lost. Despite denials by commissioners in the local authority that the FNP, which is run by Oxleas NHS Trust, has been decommissioned, the service will come to an end on 31 March if the plans go ahead. Unite said FNP staff and parent service users were excluded from discussions over its future and called on the council to ensure that the successful initiative is protected from ‘counterproductive’ funding cuts. The union added that the lack of consultation over the Greenwich FNP is linked to major service changes that are being ‘conducted without transparency’ because of the confusion surrounding the creation of the South East London Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG). Last month, Unite called on the newly formed group, which will completely replace the CCGs for Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark in April, to make the procurement process for a £2.25bn pathology contract more transparent. Unite regional officer George Dodo-Williams said: “Unite is demanding a meeting with Greenwich council and NHS bosses to discuss the future for this vital service. Since its creation in 2014, Greenwich FNP has delivered year on year results and made a difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable families in the area. “FNP is the only evidence-based programme for teenage mothers in the UK and consists of intensive visiting from specialist nurses with training and experience working with vulnerable young parents”. Greenwich council invited bids to implement the restructuring of its community nursing services last year, however the FNP was not included as part of the bidding process. |
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Unite: Health visitor outcry as services for vulnerable Greenwich mums face axe LGA responds to State of Health Visiting Survey The ‘damage’ will only be recognised in future years Unite: Lincolnshire health visitors vote to strike over council’s ‘divide and rule’ jobs move Unite: Crisis in health visiting comes under MPs’ spotlight today Unite: Suffolk families could be ‘badly affected’ by swingeing health visitor cuts |
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. Against this ambitious 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.
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Just in time for the cruise passengers to ‘book in’ |
The last of the guests staying at Arrowe Park after returning from China have left the hospital, NHS England and NHS Improvement announced recently (15 February 2020). All but one of the patients being treated at other NHS Trusts have now been discharged after twice testing negative for coronavirus. However, more than 100 guests remain at the Kents Hill Park Hotel, Milton Keynes. |
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NHS England and NHS Improvement Coronavirus Update ScotGov: Coronavirus preparation praised RUSI: Coronavirus – RUSI policy WAG: Statement from the CMO for Wales about Coronavirus (COVID-19): 21 February 2020 |
It was in the Tory manifesto and a UK government can make changes |
Home Secretary Priti Patel has launched a new points-based immigration system which will open up the UK to the brightest & the best from around the world. The new system, which takes effect from 1 January 2021, will end free movement, reassert control of our borders and restore public trust. It will assign points for specific skills, qualifications, salaries or professions and visas will only be awarded to those who gain enough points. The new single global system will treat EU and non-EU citizens equally. It will give top priority to those with the highest skills and the greatest talents, including scientists, engineers & academics. The global talent scheme will also be opened up to EU citizens, which will allow highly-skilled scientists & researchers to come to the UK without a job offer. In line with the government’s manifesto commitment there will be no specific route for low-skilled workers. It is estimated 70% of the existing EU workforce would not meet the requirements of the skilled worker route, which will help to bring overall numbers down in future. Student visa routes will also be points-based and be opened up to EU citizens, ensuring talent from around the globe has access to the UK’s world-class universities. Those wishing to study in the UK will need to demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, that they can support themselves financially and that they speak English. In addition, the seasonal workers pilot will also be expanded in time for the 2020 harvest from 2,500 to 10,000 places, responding to the specific temporary requirements of the agricultural sector. EU citizens and other non-visa nationals will not require a visa to enter the UK when visiting the UK for up to 6 months. However, the use of national identity cards will be phased out for travel to the UK and the Home Office will set out our plans in due course. Those EU citizens resident in the UK by 31 December 2020 can still apply to settle in the UK through the EU Settlement Scheme until June 2021. |
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Home Secretary announces new UK points-based immigration system HO: Douglas Ross comment on new points-based immigration system Defra: 10,000 workers to boost British farming sector FCO: UK to attract top global talent, including from Singapore DWP: Britain's jobs boom continues as wages rise LGA responds to immigration points-based system announcement ScotGov: Response to UK Government’s immigration proposals CBI responds to new UK immigration system techUK: The UK’s Points-Based Immigration System NIESR Monthly Wage Tracker: Slight Rebound Expected for Earnings Growth TUC: Government must ban zero-hours contracts BCS: A points-based immigration system should include a Skills Competency Framework IEA responds to Government’s post-Brexit immigration proposals CIPD: Awareness, cost & bureaucracy of new immigration system should be key concern ASI comments on new immigration system proposals NHS Confed: Immigration announcement provides no obvious solution for social care CIPD: UK employers not prepared for post-Brexit labour supply shock The intelligent merging of human & technical healthcare The future will be based on AI Looking for solutions to a growing problem AI GDP gain counter-balance for Brexit? A skilled workforce helps increase productivity An example of why the NHS has to continually ‘invest’ in research / pilot schemes We need a skilled ‘home-grown‘ workforce to trade successfully worldwide after Brexit B4B: The UK’s Pied Piper economy, the new immigration policy and Diane Abbott |
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