General Reports and Other Publications

ESRC: Deploying UN and NATO peacekeeping forces can exacerbate insecurity for civilians in some countries, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). The in-depth study into peacekeeping in Haiti, Kosovo and Liberia showed why some peacekeeping operations are more successful than others and what role peacekeepers play in determining these outcomes.
Press release ~ Engendering Security in Peacekeeping Missions ~ New Security Challenges Programme ~ ESRC Society Today
 
OFT: The OFT has published its market study into the homebuilding sector which says that whilst the sector is broadly competitive, many homebuyers experience faults or delays.  As a result, the industry has agreed to develop its own code of conduct and redress scheme for consumers.
 
The OFT found little evidence of competition problems with the delivery of new homes in the UK and there is no evidence that individual homebuilders have persistent or widespread market power giving them the ability to restrict supply in order to inflate prices.
 
However, the OFT found that homebuyers can experience a number of problems, which include:
* delays in moving in
* faults in new homes
* issues around the sales process including reservation fees, the clarity of information provided to homebuyers and potentially unfair terms & conditions in contracts
Press release ~ Homebuilding in the UK - a market study ~ Homebuilding market study: questions ~ Code for Sustainable Homes ~ Barker Review of Housing Supply
 
HC: The Healthcare Commission has said that Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust had responded positively to concerns that the Commission had raised about the safety of patients in Stafford Hospital’s accident and emergency department (A&E).

Last March, the HC launched an investigation into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, which is still ongoing.  Investigators are looking into concerns about the trust’s mortality rate, as well as concerns about poor nursing care.  The HC expects to publish its findings early in the New Year.

The trust has improved medical staffing levels and increased the numbers of nurses in A&E, but further recruitment is required for staffing to reach the levels recommended by the College of Emergency Medicine and to reduce reliance on temporary and junior staff.
Press release ~ College of Emergency Medicine ~ Review of urgent and emergency care services 2007/2008
 
CLG: A new report that identifies ways to help councils manage high concentrations of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) has been published. 'Studentification' of university towns is a real concern especially during the summer months when neighbourhoods are left dormant because too many properties HMOs in one area are rented to groups of students. 
 
For example students from Queens University, Belfast typically live within a mile of campus and make up more than half of all households in the area with some streets exclusively occupied by students. The independent research sets out a series of measures including new planning mechanisms and the widespread adoption of a number of the best common sense local solutions that can be easily adopted.
Press release ~ Evidence Gathering - Housing in Multiple Occupation and possible planning responses ~ JRF: The Nature and Impact of Student Housing Markets within the Private Rented Sector (2000) ~ Directgov: Student housing: finding somewhere to live
 
HC: The Healthcare Commission has called for a new drive to improve the system for delivering urgent & emergency care across England. The call comes as it publishes a major review covering all urgent & emergency services which, for the first time, assesses how the whole system works together.
 
The review includes ambulance services, A&E, out-of-hours GP services, NHS Direct, urgent care provided by GPs, and urgent care centres including walk-in centres and minor injuries units. The Commission assessed three themes in each PCT area, how:
* services are accessed & delivered
* they work together to provide effective & efficient care to patients
* they are managed
 
The review shows that it is important for PCTs and healthcare providers to work more closely together to address gaps in the system.  It says that PCTs and the Government must now drive improvements through the whole system to ensure people get the right care as quickly as possible.
Press release ~ Review of urgent and emergency care services 2007/2008
 
CEL:  The Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL) has published a report of its research into further education & sixth-form colleges and their approaches to risk-taking in recruitment.  The research work was prompted by the governing body of an FE college questioning its own approach and asking to what extent CEL supported the sector in making perceived high-risk appointments to senior roles, potentially creating wider diversity in senior management.
 
The research found that colleges appeared to be recruiting candidates from a wide range of age groups and there was evidence of appointments from outside the sector, with consideration being given to the importance of business skills & entrepreneurship, as well as to knowledge of the curriculum and a track record in FE.
 
There was, however, evidence of more conservative recruitment behaviours too, such as favouring candidates with lengthy experience, but not too close to retirement.  Many governing bodies tended to err on the side of caution when making selection decisions.
Press release ~ Risk and appointments in further education: An exploration ~ Centre for Excellence in Leadership (CEL)
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