Policy Statements and Initiatives
ScotGov: A panel of independent experts has backed a Scottish Government plan to reform the system of NHS compensation claims. The No-Fault Compensation Review Group has recommended changing the current adversarial court system to one of no-fault compensation, which would mean patients who have suffered loss, injury or damage as a result of healthcare treatment could be compensated without having to take the NHS to court.
The proposed new system would still require proof that harm was caused by treatment, but would remove the need to prove negligence. The system would also remove the need to pay legal fees.
HL: The Government has announced that it is dropping plans for a 10% cut in housing benefit for anyone out of work (in receipt of JSA) for more than a year. The proposed cut appeared in the June 2010 emergency budget, but is no longer part of the Welfare Reform Bill published in Parliament by Iain Duncan Smith.
ScotGov: A new service, being rolled out across Scotland, will see all Scots turning 40 being invited for a health check. The NHS 24 service - 'Life Begins at 40' - will allow those contacted to assess their own health online or over the phone. Following completion of the self assessment questionnaire the user will be given health information specifically tailored to their individual needs, along with relevant signposting to other sources of information on national and local services
The Keep Well programme, which currently provides health checks in certain areas of high deprivation, will now be extended in an £11m plan to cover all of Scotland's poorest communities from 2012. As part of this programme, steps will also be taken to ensure health checks are offered to eligible carers.
ScotGov: The planning process for hydro electric schemes is set to be simpler & quicker. From June 2011, new applications up to 50MW will be determined by councils rather than Ministers. Currently, hydro schemes over 1MW are decided by Ministers and the changes will bring hydro into line with the thresholds for determining wind farms. There is no change to the threshold for other types of energy development.
Press release ~ Consultation (closed) details - Consent Threshold for Onshore Hydro Schemes ~ More about hydro power
ScotGov: Up to 5,000 people will be helped into work in Scotland thanks to a new funding package worth £10m. The money will be used to encourage SMEs to take staff on, provide assistance with hiring new employees and encourage Scotland's exporting companies.
There are 3 elements to the package:
* £5m for the Employer Recruitment Incentive run by Skills Development Scotland
* £2.5m for Small Business Employment Support
* £2.5m for a new Export Support initiative run by Scottish Development International
CLG: Councils should open up their public meetings to local news 'bloggers' and routinely allow online filming of public discussions as part of increasing their transparency, Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles said last week. He believes councils should open up public meetings to the 'citizen journalist' as well as the mainstream media, especially as important budget decisions are being made.
Local Government Minister, Bob Neill, has written to all councils urging greater openness and calling on them to adopt a modern day approach so that credible community or 'hyper-local' bloggers & online broadcasters get the same routine access to council meetings as the traditional accredited media have.
Press release and related links
WAG: Lesley Griffiths, Deputy Minister for Science, Innovation & Skills, has announced a £2.4m package to support skills in the workplace and to help those at risk of redundancy or redeployment. The funding will support 13 projects approved under the latest bidding round from the Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF).
ScotGov: The Scottish Government will continue to focus on comprehensive action to support jobs and ensure a continued & strengthened return to growth John Swinney said last week, as ScotGov launched a further update of its Economic Recovery Plan.
Press release ~ Economic Recovery Plan ~ Scottish Enterprise's work on Economic Recovery ~ Highlands & Islands Enterprise's work on Economic Recovery
ScotGov: Ways of adapting Scotland's goose management schemes to make them more responsive to conservation needs are being considered by the Scottish Government. It follows a review suggesting that the current schemes have been very successful in protecting & sustaining many important goose populations.
However, the review also suggests that the help available is inconsistent. The proposals would continue to allow farmers & crofters to organise the control of geese locally, but will re-balance the focus of payments made under local goose management schemes.
Press release plus links
DH: Designers are to rethink the design of hospital A&E departments in a bid to develop innovative new ways to reduce violence & aggression towards NHS staff, which is estimated to cost at least £69m a year in staff absence, loss of productivity and additional security. The year-long project, ‘Reducing violence and aggression in A and E by design’ is being run by the Design Council forthe Department of Health.
Press release ~ Design Council: Reducing violence and aggression in A&E by design ~ A Safer Place to Work: Protecting NHS Hospital and Ambulance Staff from Violence and Aggression
DfE: Education Secretary, Michael Gove has confirmed that children in England will continue to receive free books at key stages of their childhood to instil a love of stories & reading. The free bookgifting scheme will be delivered by the successful Booktrust charity with Government investment valuing £13.5m over two years – half the cost of the previous scheme.
WAG: Environment Minister, Jane Davidson, has outlined the next steps in plans to transform the way Wales manages & protects its environment, countryside & seas. Following discussions and an open consultation, plans to adopt a new ‘ecosystem approach’ have been published in a progress report on “A Living Wales”, the Welsh Assembly Government’s new framework for managing the living environment.
