Welcome to WiredGov Plus
WiredGov Plus provides a weekly roundup of news from the UK Government and Public Sector. To save your time, we research & validate the links to websites / documents and selectively add additional background links as appropriate.
Please note that previously published newsletters can be accessed from the Newsletter Archive
| Some Councils seem to have forgotten their ‘Duty of Care’ |
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Editor; Two items in this newsletter illustrate the continuing ‘problems’ Councils appear to be having in providing ‘fair & equitable care home provision’. While appreciating budgets have been severely reduced, ‘sharp practice’ by Councils and Care Homes is not something Society can accept as the norm. Firstly; Councils across England are being reminded of the need to offer affordable care home placements to families when arranging relatives’ care, following an investigation by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman into Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council. Secondly; the CMA has published the initial findings of its care homes market study, and is investigating if some homes are breaking consumer law. The market study was launched in December 2016 to examine whether the residential care homes sector is working well for elderly people and their families. Having reached the halfway point of the study, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has published emerging findings and announced that, as a result of information received during this work, it has opened a consumer protection case to investigate its concerns that some care homes may be breaking consumer law. This is focused on concerns about certain care homes charging families for extended periods after a resident has died, and homes charging large upfront fees. The initial findings of the market study highlight wider concerns about the sector, which will form the focus of the next phase of its work. |
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National Ombudsmen finds systemic fault in council’s charging policy for Dudley care homes NO: Family charged thousands of pounds for care a nursing home could not prove it had provided CMA outlines emerging concerns in care homes market Citizens Advice responds to CMA care home investigation update Care system 'buckling' says Age UK as major care homes investigation launches What is the state of ‘God’s waiting rooms’? The NHS is not the only ‘care service’ with a funding ‘Black Hole’ Well it makes better sense than just ‘bill the middle-class who have savings’ LGA responds to Independent Age report on care homes Principia vanguard reduces A&E attendances by 29% for care home residents Health & social care integration NICE calls on care homes to prioritise the oral health of residents Information for people on their visiting rights in care homes Age UK: Older people who pay their own way in care homes struggling to get a ‘fair deal’ People in residential care to keep more of their money How the care homes vanguards can bring together local health and care systems Two leading clinicians offer an insight into the work of the care homes vanguards |
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| Would a policy of ‘no co-operation with the private sector’ be sensible? |
| A new report from the NHS Partners Network has highlighted examples where the independent sector is working with the NHS to avoid delayed discharges of care. Reducing delayed discharge – where often frail & elderly patients are unable to leave hospital due to necessary care, support or accommodation in the community being unavailable – is arguably one of the biggest priorities facing the NHS. |
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| 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. |
| VES’s legal argument seems to have been judged as ‘rubbish’ |
| Unite, the union, hailed an employment tribunal ruling last week as a ‘landmark victory’ which will have implications for the union’s several thousand members working on French-owned Veolia’s council waste & refuse contracts across the UK. Veolia Environmental Services was accused by Unite of hiding behind Brexit when it failed to incorporate overtime pay into annual holiday pay citing ‘Brexit legal uncertainty’.
Refuse workers win landmark victory in ‘overtime pay’ case, says Unite |
| Additional government funding is standard practice in these circumstances |
| Communities Secretary Sajid Javid has confirmed that a government emergency scheme – the Bellwin scheme – will be activated to support the immediate response operation following the horrific incident at Grenfell Towers in London. Financial assistance is available to local authorities to help with immediate costs following a disaster or emergency in their area that involves danger to life or property.
CLG: Government confirms emergency funding available in response to Grenfell Towers incident |
| Most people are incredibly generous, but a few just see it as a ‘criminal’ opportunity |
| Official advice for the public when donating to those affected by the Grenfell Tower Fire from the Charity Commission.
Charity Commission: Give safely to support those affected by Grenfell Tower Fire The Charity Commission has launched its annual safer giving campaign |
| An improved chance at ‘Getting at the Truth’ |
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Major changes, which modernise the way fatal accident inquiries are carried out in Scotland, will came into force last week. Changes introduced by the Inquiries into Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths etc. (Scotland) Act 2016 will ensure a system which is effective, efficient & fair. The power to hold FAIs into the deaths of Scots abroad will be introduced for the first time and a FAI will now have to be carried out for military service deaths in Scotland, as well as new categories of deaths including children in secure accommodation and deaths under police arrest, regardless of location. |
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| The problems arise when trying to judge the degree of neglect, sadism, cultural and other pressures involved, but should ignorance be an excuse? |
| The Sentencing Council published proposed new guidelines for sentencing offenders guilty of child cruelty. The guidelines cover 3 offences: cruelty to a child, causing or allowing a child to die or suffer serious physical harm, and failing to protect a girl from the risk of female genital mutilation (FGM). |
| A building block for a successful Brexit |
| As a UK business you can apply for a share of £15m to develop solutions to the challenges of future manufacturing & materials. We are looking to fund projects that tackle identified technical & commercial challenges. These should lead to increased productivity, competitiveness and growth for UK SMEs. The deadline for registration is midday on 12 July 2017.
Innovate UK: Future manufacturing & materials - apply for funding |
| No modern war is fought in the same way as its predecessors |
| An innovative new project is inviting playwrights & writers to submit plays exploring AI’s impact on conflict and warfare. For further information and to submit an entry, click here.
RUSI: 2050: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Conflict |
| Will we actually get a ‘BBQ Summer’ this year? |
| The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published the latest results from its survey of campylobacter on fresh shop-bought UK-produced chickens. The figures show that on average, across the market, 6.5% of chickens tested positive for the highest level of contamination, carrying more than 1,000 colony forming units per gram (cfu/g). This is down from 9.3%, for the same period last year. |
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Food Standards Agency: Survey shows further reduction in levels of campylobacter in chicken Consumers call for more action on campylobacter Technology Solving World’s Greatest Agricultural Challenges Up to one third of people at risk from campylobacter food poisoning during their lifetime |
| Some good news for the Greek Tourist Industry |
| Following extensive vaccination & surveillance campaigns, authorities in Greece have reported that no animals with rabies have been detected since May 2014. The rabies situation is considered resolved, although intensive surveillance & monitoring remains in place. The current Public Health England (PHE) rabies risk assessment for the whole of Greece is therefore no risk. |
| Go online for a sporting chance of getting tickets |
| Tickets for the inaugural 2018 European Championships are now on sale with 250,000 people expected to cheer on athletes. Fans can buy tickets on a first come first served basis at just £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s and over-60s. Tickets can be purchased online |
| Odes from Nottingham |
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Arts Council England has invested £15,000 from the National Lottery, allowing Nottingham UNESCO City of Literature to appoint a Young Poet Laureate for the first time. Open to all poets aged between 18-30, who are living, working or studying in Nottingham, the scheme will highlight the literary talent of local individuals and the importance of poetry to the city. ACE: Funding to help UNESCO City of Literature find Young Poet Laureate |
| A sign of ‘Brexit things to come’? |
| The principle of freedom to provide services guaranteed by EU law does not apply between Gibraltar and the UK. The provision of services by operators established in Gibraltar to persons established in the UK constitutes, as a matter of EU law, a situation confined in all respects within a single Member State.
EU News: CJEU: The principle of freedom to provide services guaranteed by EU law |
| Want to work at the heart of Government on tech, digital & telecoms policy? |
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The Digital and Media Group in DCMS is the heart of the Government's strategic policymaking & industry engagement on all things relating to tech, digital and telecoms. We have teams working on some of the most interesting, challenging and important areas for the UK economy: the tech sector is worth £118bn a year, and growing 3 times as fast as the rest of the economy. And we're recruiting! |
| Editorial Comment: Just a means of getting more money from England? |
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The FM of Wales, Carwyn Jones, has launched the Welsh Government’s policy paper on Brexit & devolution. The paper proposes replacing the current Joint Ministerial Council (JMC) with a new UK Council of Ministers that would take forward negotiations, reach binding decisions and help resolve disputes. (WAG: FM sets out a way forward for devolution post-Brexit ~ Is this a consultation model for England as well?). The council, served by an independent secretariat (at what cost?) and a structured work programme, would ‘bring the 4 governments together to negotiate & agree binding UK frameworks in devolved areas where they are needed’, as well as considering non-devolved policies, such as state aid. There will certainly be a need to discuss what powers (fishing, etc.) would be devolved after they return from Brussels, but as far as state aid is concerned, we already have a democratic way of apportioning it, with the UK Parliament, which represents all voters in the UK. What Carwyn Jones seems to be proposing is a way for the devolved governments (with less than 20% of the population) to outvote England (with the other 80%), in how the money (mainly raised by English taxpayers) is apportioned with regards to state aid. Other piratical issues to consider are: *Who/what would represent England? *What would happen (as is the present situation), the Northern Ireland Assembly was not functioning? *What would happen if England didn’t agree with the other 3? If the FMs of Wales and Scotland want to be ‘treated as equals’ on deciding such matters, then we could well see the English taxpayer decide that they are not prepared to be so generous when it comes to apportioning state aid in the UK. We could well see ‘English Votes for English Laws’ – EVEL – start moving towards ‘English Revenue for England only’ – EREO! Taxes from London and south-east 'propping up economy' - Telegraph ~ Labour plots tax raid on London & South East, says party chief. How easy it would be for Scotland & Wales to propose raising Inheritance Tax to get more revenue say, when their lower average property prices would mean their voters wouldn’t have to pay it! Financial Times: London & south-east pay nearly half of inheritance tax One wonders if he would be as keen on such a idea if the Barnett formula was revised along the lines that, if the devolved parliaments/assemblies could be shown to be able to afford policies (free prescriptions & hospital parking, etc.) that England couldn’t, then the state aid should be reduced by the cost of those policies in the spirit of equality! Some would say the Barnett Formula settlement for Wales must be too generous if they can afford this! ~ And now the other 60m+ want their ‘vote’ In reality though there is no point trying to ‘divvy up’ the Brexit £bns until we know how much & when! We might have to pay a ‘Brexit bill’ first. The paper also proposes a convention on the future of the UK. The convention, chaired by a respected, independent figure, would ‘consider major questions which will face the UK once it is outside the EU and take evidence from all political parties, civil society and all parts of the UK’. Let us start with the concept of finding a ‘respected, independent figure’ to chair the convention. The Scots, Welsh & Northern Irish would be loath to trust any English person and the English would probably feel the same about them. Personally as ‘a man of Sussex’ originally, I wouldn’t trust anyone north of Gatwick to be ‘independent‘ and that’s before we even introduce any political bias into the mix. All politicians are, by definition, biased to some degree and. as for academics, 88% of them are left-wing (Is this why so many of them are ‘Remoaners’?), and so that rules them out. In addition, when you consider that the Remoaners and the Brexiteers wouldn’t trust each other and that any Religious leader would be suspected of favouring ‘their own’ (Northern Ireland) and/or being ‘politically naïve’. Given the difficulty the Home Secretary had in finding an acceptable individual to head the (whatever happened to it?) Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (Government search goes to the ‘ends of the earth’ in hunt of impartiality), can you imagine the list of objections for any proposed chair for the convention? Perhaps we could have a referendum on the subject of UK constitutional reform and exclude MPs from the debate? |
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More news, opinions, documents, claims & counter-claims; |
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