Consultations
FSA: A US company has applied to the Food Standards Agency for approval to market magnolia bark extract as a novel food ingredient. The magnolia bark extract is obtained from the bark of the plant Magnoliae officinalis, a type of magnolia tree, which is native to the mountains of China and has been used for centuries as part of traditional Asian remedies.
The company, William Wrigley Jr. Company, wants to use the magnolia bark extract in 2 confectionary products – chewing gum and a limited number of mint confectionery products – for its perceived breath freshening properties. Any comments on this application should be emailed to the ACNFP secretariat at acnfp@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk by Monday 1 February 2010.
MCA: The Maritime & Coastguard Agency has started a consultation on Search & Rescue provision in the southern part of the South West peninsula. The consultation (closes on 6 April 2010) considers the nature of the maritime-related public safety risks around the Southern part of the South West and the adequacy of the range of rescue services available to deal with them if the additional MCA boats at Hope Cove & Tamar are no longer available, and, if a risk remains, how best that risk can be managed.
The Agency is arranging 2 local public meetings hosted by officials to allow local people with concerns to make representations.
Press release ~ Consultation on Search and Rescue provision in the southern part of The South West Peninsula ~ Sea Vision UK campaign ~ MCA: Search and Rescue
WAG: Draft regulations have been published which will hopefully make it easier for patients to raise concernsif they are dissatisfied or if things go wrong with their NHS care. The Welsh Assembly Government wants to introduce a simpler process which will improve the way health organisations deal with concerns. Views on these proposals will now be gathered during a public consultation, which ends on 2 April 2010.
Under the proposed new system there would be more support & advice for patients & staff, as well as better training for those who investigate incidents. There would also be a named individual who would be a patient’s point of contact throughout an investigation. The regulations draw on a range of powers available to Welsh Ministers, including those set out in the NHS Redress (Wales) Measure 2008.
Press release ~ Consultation on Putting Things Right – a better way of dealing with concerns about health services ~ Putting Things Right project ~ AvMA (Action against Medical Accidents) ~ WAG: Health and social care
HMT: Work to increase options for UK businesses in need of non-bank finance is the subject of a discussion document recently released by HM Treasury. The document seeks views on the barriers to more diverse financing for firms with the intention to introduce proposals for reform later in the year. Comments are invited by 14 February 2010..
NICE: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence is in the process of updating its clinical guideline on the management of chronic heart failure in adults and has published its draft recommendations for public consultation (closes on 10 March 2010).
Since the original guideline was published in 2003, new high-quality evidence from randomised controlled trials in diagnosis, treatment & monitoring have been published. This partial update will ensure that the recommendations take into account the new evidence available.
ScotGov: With up to 200 farm buildings collapsing or suffering other major damage due to the weight of snow, a new short-life working group is to consider how those affected can be helped. The group will first meet when data has been gathered from questionnaires submitted by those affected, not later than 25 January 2010.
ScotGov: A consultation (closes on 9 April 2010) seeks to find responsible solutions to managing Scotland's legacy of radioactive waste. Scotland's Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy aims to ensure that the treatment, storage & disposal of such waste is done in a way that offers maximum protection to people and the environment.
The term ‘higher activity radioactive waste’ is used collectively to describe different materials which are radioactively contaminated and in some cases will be for many thousands of years. It typically comes from nuclear power research and electricity generation. The intention is to publish the Policy by the end of June 2010.
Press release ~ Scotland's Higher Activity Radioactive Waste Policy: Consultation 2010 ~ Supplementary Information ~ Environmental Report
DCSF: Parents & pupils were given details of the currently existing & new guarantees they can expect from schools, when Ed Balls launched a consultation (closes on 5 April 2010) alongside the second reading of the Children, Schools and Families Bill. In addition, the Government also launched a new consultation (closes on 5 April 2010) on changes to the role of School Improvement Partners and responded to the consultation on Home Education – See ‘In the News’ section for more information.
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