General Reports and Other Publications
CCWater: Dame Yve Buckland, Chair of the Consumer Council for Water, said: “There is currently little support available for those who struggle to afford their water bills, and when asked the question ‘Are your water bills affordable?’ one in five customers tell us no……….. Water affordability is an acute problem particularly in the south west of England and in Wales, but we are not sure if Walker’s recommendations have the potential to address the full scope of the situation……………… ;Walker makes a good argument that it might not be right for water customers to pay for work that benefits the wider community, especially since water bills are not based on ability to pay.
On the issue of metering, we agree with Walker’s recommendation to increase metering only where it makes sense. While many people can and do save money by having a water meter installed others could find they pay more. A robust safety net needs to be in place to protect those who may face unaffordable bills before metering is considered on a wider scale”.
Press release ~ Consumer Council for Water ~ Independent Walker Review of Charging and Metering for Water and Sewerage services
ScotGov: New research shows alcohol-related illnesses could be killing one in 20 Scots - twice as many as previously thought. The study totalled the proportion of 53 different causes of death - ranging from stomach cancer & strokes to assaults & road deaths - in which alcohol consumption played a part, to show that nearly 3,000 deaths in 2003 were alcohol-related.
This is double the figure for deaths from illnesses caused almost entirely by alcohol consumption alone, such as alcoholic liver disease. It means one Scot may be dying from alcohol-related causes every three hours.
The calculations are based on consumption data from the Scottish Health Survey 2003, updated to reflect the increasing strength of alcoholic drinks. New Scottish Health Survey data due for publication later this year will allow updated mortality figures to be calculated.
Press release ~ Alcohol attributable mortality and morbidity ~ ISD Scotland ~ Scottish Health Survey 2003 ~ Changing Scotland's Relationship with Alcohol: A Framework for Action ~ ScotGov - Alcohol ~ Audit Scotland's drug and alcohol report ~ Final recommendations of the Alcohol and Drugs Delivery Reform Group ~ Single Outcome Agreements ~ Know Your Limits campaign – Drinks calculator ~ How to cut down ~ Alcohol Focus Scotland ~ Scottish Health Action on Alcohol Problems (SHAAP) ~ Harmful Drinking 5: Alcohol and Young people ~ 12 Dimensions of a Manageable Problem
LLUK: The Scottish Government has published their third Skills Utilisation E-Bulletin, which updates stakeholders of the progress of the Scottish Government's Skills Utilisation Action Group to improve skills utilisation in Scotland.
Press release ~ Third Skills Utilisation E-Bulletin ~ LLUK ~ Scottish Government's Skills Utilisation Action Group
Monitor: Monitor has welcomed a progress report on the implementation of Lord Darzi’s Quality Agenda one year on. It is particularly positive that Lord Darzi continues to champion clinical leadership as the way forward and is considering how best to embed the principles of Service Line Management (SLM) across the NHS.
SLM is an approach Monitor has introduced to the NHS, and which has been widely adopted with positive results for patients. It provides clinical leaders with increased responsibility, not just for budgets but for overall service development & improvement. It also provides the ability to shape services around the needs of patients by understanding results, including outcomes & experience, by service line.
Monitor is proposing the development of anational clinical leadership academy and would like to work with the Department of Health and other partners in establishing this. The academy would recognise the unique potential of senior clinicians in managerial posts and provide clinical leaders with the skills to lead service lines effectively.
Press release ~ Monitor - Service Line Management ~ High Quality Care for All - Our journey so far ~ Review website
Socitm: Socitm has welcomed the Government’s proposal, set out in the Digital Britain Final Report, to deliver universal broadband access in the within 30 months. This achievement, says Socitm, is essential to ensure the accessibility, sustainability, efficiency and quality of service delivery through the proposed ‘digital switchover’ to public services available exclusively online.
However, despite its support for the Universal Service Commitment (USC), Socitm is critical of other proposalsset out in the report. It is concerned, for example, at the lukewarm approach to the development of fibre-based, future-proofed, next generation broadband networks, which will provide speeds of 100Mbps+, compares unfavourably with the 2Mbps internet connection proposed under the USC.
These and other views from Socitm on the Digital Britain Final Report are set out in a new Policy Briefing written by Socitm Futures for members. Other issues Socitm raises concerns about include the claimed fall in telecommunication costs and ‘accessibility’ to services (especially the for the disabled).
These and other views from Socitm on the Digital Britain Final Report are set out in a new Policy Briefing written by Socitm Futures for members. Other issues Socitm raises concerns about include the claimed fall in telecommunication costs and ‘accessibility’ to services (especially the for the disabled).
