The Week, 15 March 2019

18 Mar 2019 03:11 PM

Blog posted by: Imogen Farhan, 15 March 2019.

Reformer of The Week

The Department of Health and Social Care, for strengthening the powers of the national data guardian to ensure that patient data is used properly in the health and care system. Engagement with the public about how data about them is used is vital to build trust in data sharing.

Quotes of The Week

“It is right that we demand that the organisations we work with meet the high standards we need to protect our environment and employ workforces which represent our diverse society, including people with disabilities and those from ethnic minorities.”

 “Competition is fundamental to ensuring the market works in the interest of consumers, but we know some tech giants are still accumulating too much power, preventing smaller businesses from entering the market.”

Good Week For

Tech start-ups

An independent review has called for competition rules to be updated and strengthened in an effort to curb the market power of big tech firms and make it easier for new companies to join the digital economy.

Social value in public procurement

The Government has reiterated commitments to take more account of the social impact of the organisations it works with when awarding government contracts, and has announced a public consultation on the issue.

A Bad Week For

4-hour targets

NHS statistics published this Thursday show the number of patients seen within 4 hours in type 1 A&E departments hit an all-time low this February, at 75.7 per cent. In a publicationthis week organised by Reform, experts argued improving integration across public services is key to address the root causes of winter pressures.

Children’s Rights

The State of Children’s Rights in 2018 report called for urgent reform in the way children are treated by police and the criminal justice system. The report found police use of tasers against children is on the rise, with BAME children accounting for 51 per cent of Taser use.

Reform’s Week

Reform published its latest Reformer Thoughts series on the NHS Winter Crisis. This edition brings together the opinions of leading experts and covers challenges such as workforce supply issues, funding and a lack of systems integration.

Josh Pritchard, Researcher at Reform, published a blog arguing that placing users at the heart of public services will require rethinking the current balance of power between service users and professionals.