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Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust will be the first to implement the full suite of CSC’s next-generation laboratory products to help meet the evolving demands and requirements of a modern pathology service.
Continuing a 20-year partnership, the trust has agreed a five-year extension of its current contract for CSC’s laboratory information system, and to adopting new modules as they become available. The implementation of the new cellular pathology solution is to be followed by an early adopter programme, which will see CSC and Salisbury partner to develop a new generation of blood transfusion, blood sciences, and microbiology solutions.
Dr Brian Moody, laboratory manager at Salisbury, said: -The core functionality and workflow of our current CSC pathology system is very powerful but opting for CSC’s next generation solution allowed us to use our existing products, while modernising the on-screen presentation, making the systems easier-to-use, more accessible.
The CSC’s new laboratory suite offers clinicians a simple, user-friendly interface that is easy to install as either a thin client or web-based solution sitting alongside and augmenting current laboratory systems.
Moody added: -We were attracted by the module-by-module approach as we didn’t have the resource to do a full ‘rip and replace’. The fact the solution was developed from a laboratory perspective meant we gained a lot of trust and respect for the CSC team by working with them, and felt involved at every stage of the process. Now we’ve seen the kind of enhancements available on the first module, we feel that there is nothing in the market that can rival the solution.
In addition the first module offers sophisticated new word processing functionality, allowing full and formatted reporting across all disciplines, supporting pathologist’s requirements to handle more data, more efficiently. The system also integrates with digital imaging solutions to display and capture detailed clinical images.
Caroline Mathews, blood transfusion laboratory manager at the trust said: -Being part of the pathology development group at the trust, allowed me to see the potential evolution of the product suite, particularly for the histopathy module and the benefits that it could bring to the organisation.
For example, the ability to customise our screens to show multiple sets of data means we can access both patient details and haematology results making sure we are working within the correct guidelines and using blood appropriately. Also, the new modern interface will help when training our younger pathologists who expect a system inline with today’s technological advances.
Nick Harte, CSC’s solutions director, said: -We are following a truly agile development approach across all pathology disciplines, allowing us to meet Salisbury’s and the wider market’s current and future needs in a timely and responsive manner. Our commitment to supporting an incremental replacement approach means our customers can access revolutionary new functionality in an evolutionary manner; there is no need for the service to suffer the disruption, cost and stress of a traditional system replacement.
For more information on CSC’s laboratory solutions, visit: www.csc.com/globalhealthcare
Robert Francis QC’s inquiry into the appalling failures in care at the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust follows in the footsteps of some forty previous inquiries into the NHS in the last four decades – a point which he made in his opening address to the Inquiry. He also noted that his inquiry was investigating many of the same areas which the Bristol Royal Infirmary Inquiry considered in detail some ten years earlier. He was clearly conscious of the danger of his inquiry not translating into real change within the healthcare system.
Mr Francis conducted an initial independent inquiry to consider the causes of the failings within the Trust and provide immediate recommendations relating to its management. The reasons which he has identified for the failings at the Trust were not new. Previous inquiries have concluded that breakdowns in NHS care, as were experienced in Stafford, were the product of organisational change, weak leadership, poor culture, and inadequate systems and processes. He was subsequently charged with the more significant challenge of conducting a full public inquiry into the role of the commissioning, regulatory and supervisory bodies within the broader NHS framework in the failings at Stafford to identify why these failings were not identified and remedied sooner. Given the implication that the system was not sufficiently robust to identify similar failings elsewhere in the country, it was clearly appropriate that Mr Francis undertake this second inquiry under the Inquiries Act 2005 providing him with both powers to seek and receive evidence and requiring the examination of the evidence to take place in the full gaze of the public and press.
The inquiry process itself meets one of the inquiry’s primary objectives – to introduce transparency and encourage accountability. The individuals and bodies called to account for their actions are forced to consider the lessons to be learnt from their experience. However, it falls to the Chairman to draw together all the evidence to come up with a coherent set of recommendations. Mr Francis faced particular challenges in this inquiry in that having considered the evidence concerning the events of 2005 – 2009, by the time his report was published in February 2013, the NHS had been subject to major structural reform further to the Health and Social Care Reform Act 2012 and the Government had already introduced various relevant measures ahead of his report. Despite this, he has formulated 290 separate recommendations which the Government has confirmed it will consider over the next month before it issues its formal response.
From this point, the chairman of an inquiry has limited ability to follow up upon his recommendations. The obligations under the Inquiries Act 2005 simply stop at the point that a report is published. The Act imposes no obligations upon the Government to implement the recommendations or even respond to the report. This issue has been addressed by previous inquiry chairman. In particular, following his inquiry into child protection measures following the Soham murders, Lord Bichard committed to undertaking a follow up report six months after his initial report reviewing the extent to which the recommendations had been implemented. However, such an approach requires the further report to be accommodated in order to meet the terms of reference. He also persuaded the Government to report regularly to the House on progress with the recommendations.
Mr Francis has taken a slightly different approach. His first two recommendations relate to accountability for the implementation of the remaining 288 recommendations. He has recommended that each and every relevant healthcare organisation consider the recommendations, decide how to apply them to their work and announce as soon as possible which recommendations it will follow. This is to be followed by these organisations issuing annual reports concerning progress with these actions. He has also challenged the Parliamentary Health Select Committee to take oversight of the decisions and actions announced by those organisations which are accountable to Parliament. It will be a matter for the Committee, rather than Government, whether it will fulfil this function.
Both mechanisms introduce accountability for recommendations relating to the activities of specific bodies. However, there are other recommendations relating to the structure of the NHS, such as the re-shaping of the respective roles of Care Quality Commission (CQC) and Monitor, which can only be implemented by a change in law. Ultimately, therefore, the impact of Mr Francis’ recommendations will depend on political will and public pressure. Given the wide public interest in the NHS providing safe care to patients, it is hoped that Mr Francis’ report will not be shelved and forgotten.
E: ecarter@kingsleynapley.co.uk
www.kingsleynapley.co.uk
T: 020 7814 1255
Fibrelite, the world’s largest manufacturer of lightweight composite access covers has supplied 190 trench covers (FM45) to be installed at a state of the art Shopping Centre; chosen for their health and safety benefits. This contemporary retail development once finished will have a floor space of 1million sq ft and a forecasted footfall of 23 million visitors in its first year.
The consulting engineers specified Fibrelite’s easy to remove and replace trench covers for this project to allow safe and easy access to cable ducts that run across the majority of the site. For this project B125, C250 and D400 load rated panels were all used in lengths of 800, 1000, 1400 and 1600mm.
Benefits include:
– Lightweight covers enabling easy and safe manual handling
– Wide range of sizes and loadings available
– Anti-slip properties equivalent to a high grade road
– Will not corrode
– Zero re-sale value to the scrap market so will never be stolen
David Holmes, Fibrelite’s Technical Director says -Our composite trench access covers are proven to be ergonomically safe for men and women to replace. The design of the covers allows them to be lifted by our FL7 lifting aids. These allow the operator to remove and replace the covers without bending over or trapping fingers, thus maximising the safety of the lifting technique”.
-As well as the safe lifting and replacement design, our trench access covers are designed as a ‘fit and forget’ product. The maintenance free ‘FM45’ is perfect for covering large areas, gullies, trenches and ducts where frequent access may be required. This is why our covers were specified for the shopping centre. The cable ducts [which are covered by the trench covers] need to be easily accessible, something the Fibrelite FM45 allows”.
With a head office in Yorkshire and manufacturing facilities is the UK, US and Malaysia, Fibrelite is recognised internationally as an innovator in composite technology. Fibrelite has been at the forefront of composite technology since 1980 and was the very first company to design and manufacture composite covers.
www.fibrelite.com
Children from Manchester have learnt about the consequences of taking and sharing sexual pictures and video content of themselves, as part of this year’s Safer Internet Day, Tuesday 5th February.
They took part in a series of ‘mock’ courtroom trials, debating the legal and ethical implications of ‘sexting’ in a joint event by, the Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre, Manchester Safeguarding Children Board and Manchester Healthy Schools.
In 2012, the CEOP reported that 1 in 5 of all reports into the law enforcement organisation related to the distribution of ‘self-generated’ indecent images *1. Indeed, with IWF also reporting that 88% of self generated, sexually explicit online images and videos of young people are taken from their original location and uploaded onto other websites *2, sexting is a growing trend which is putting young people at risk online.
With smart phone ownership increasing among 12-15 year olds, with six out of ten (62%) now owning one *3, this now gives children more opportunities to easily communicate with strangers online and share images on the move.
Using the characters from CEOP’s First to a Million education film, which follows a group of teenagers in their battle to reach a million views online through their increasingly outrageous films, young people from Manchester Voicebox run by Manchester Healthy Schools were asked to prepare a number of cases looking at the legal and ethical repercussions of participating in risky online behaviour, with sentences being proposed after the cases have been heard using the current UK legislation available. The outcome of the event will then be shared with schools across Manchester.
The event in Manchester coincides with CEOP’s national call to action asking parents to get more involved in what their children are doing online. It follows the announcement of an alarming new trend identified by the Centre that child sex offenders are increasingly targeting children solely for the purpose of online abuse with fewer reports this year resulting in an offline meeting for abuse.
Additionally, new research highlights a deadly combination of factors leads to some children being particularly at risk from online grooming. Parental or carer involvement in a child’s online life can make the crucial difference between a child being protected, CEOP and University of Birmingham research says. *4 and risk-taking by young people, such as engaging in sexualised chat and sending explicit images – is the key factor in their vulnerability to grooming and potential contact with child sex offenders.
However, children whose internet activities are monitored and who have an open dialogue with their parents/carers about what they do or see online are better protected from grooming and more resilient to the techniques used by offenders.
Jonathan Baggaley, Head of Education at CEOP:
Pictures and videos can now be shared online in an instant and even on the move by young people. It’s very easy to upload something that you’ll regret later without thinking and run into all sorts of problems.
We know that young people in these situations often don’t know where to turn for help when things have gone wrong. It’s important they don’t feel isolated or alone when this happens.
We are delighted to be working with young people across Manchester to explore these issues and hope that the discussions and debates they have will help other young people in thinking twice before they act.
Ian Rush – Independent Chair – Manchester Safeguarding Children’s Board:
Online sex abuse doesn’t yet have the same kind of profile in terms of public awareness as other forms of child abuse. Yet this *5 report shows it is every bit as major a challenge.
We are taking this issue very seriously in Manchester which will hopefully make everyone; parents, teachers and most importantly, children and young people themselves, aware of the very real dangers and need to take every care when using the Internet and providing information about yourself.
*1 Sample of 2,293 reports received from the National Center for Missing and exploited Children in November 2011. CEOP Threat Assessment of Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse, 2012.
*2 IWF research, October 2012
*3 Ofcom, Children and Parents: Media use and attitudes report. October 2012
*4 Whittle, H; Hamilton-Giachritsis, C.; Beech A.; Collings, G. (2013) A Review of Young People’s Vulnerabilities to Online Grooming. Aggression and Violent Behaviour Journal. Vol. 18. Issue 1 www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S135917891200122X
*5 Whittle, H; Hamilton-Giachritsis, C.; Beech A.; Collings, G. (2013) A Review of Young People’s Vulnerabilities to Online Grooming. Aggression and Violent Behaviour Journal. Vol. 18. Issue 1
The government’s G-Cloud procurement framework is reaping rewards for web specialist Ixis, which has recently secured another major contract following their appointment to the second stage of the programme, G-Cloud II.
Ixis, which specialises in Drupal open source content management, has used its position in the G-Cloud framework to good effect by securing a major contract to provide managed hosting and support services to health and care watchdog the Care Quality Commission.
The Warrington-based firm was also selected for the second stage of the government purchasing programme, G-Cloud II which aims to introduce cloud-based services into central government, local authorities and the wider public sector.
Ixis joined the G-Cloud II framework as an accredited supplier in three categories – platform as a service (Paas), software as a service (Saas) and specialist cloud services – and have been added to the CloudStore database, which allows public sector procurement managers to search for relevant suppliers against specific criteria.
Mike Carter, co-founder of Ixis, said: -G-Cloud demonstrates how the UK government is embracing the benefits of the cloud as it attempts to streamline and future-proof its operations. We are uniquely positioned to support government organisations as they improve their digital services in line with the Government Digital Strategy, and prepare for the Cabinet Office ‘Digital by default’ service standard for all digital services, due to be launched in spring 2013.
-Our recent contract with the Care Quality Commission will play a critical role in the delivery of digital services to the health and adult social care sector. Our appointment demonstrates the trust in our ability to provide agile, iterative, digital development methodologies and the security of our robust hosting platforms.
Henry Cook, Programme Director for Business Improvement and Head of Digital Communications at Care Quality Commission, said: -The G Cloud framework is a valuable tool and we’re really pleased to have sourced and procured the web management services we require from it. This project is crucial as we expand our online presence and it will enable us to be much more responsive as we develop customer facing services.
Ixis recently announced a 50 per cent growth in turnover having secured a significant project with the British Council via the G Cloud procurement framework as well as several other high profile clients including TSL Education and VSO.
For further information about Ixis and its services, please visit www.ixis.co.uk
The Government should be much clearer about what it means by choice in public services, according to a new report published recently by the MCA (Management Consultancies Association). And ministers should launch a massive campaign – through new Choice Concordats – to increase the information that is provided to citizens, explain the available choices and improve understanding of their consequences.
The MCA’s report is a contribution to the debate sparked by David Boyle’s review for the Cabinet Office into the barriers to choice in public services. Choice in Public Services: Making Choice Real is based on the insights and ideas of a host of the country’s leading experts from within MCA member firms, and was written by Paul Connolly.
The report highlights two key proposals:
First, it will help policy-makers and the public if everyone is clear about what types of choice are being offered and why. The MCA paper suggests a new typology revolving around concepts such as ‘horizontal’ and ‘vertical’ choices. Horizontal choices are where users can select from different suppliers of a particular service (e.g. choosing a new GP or school) and vertical choices are where people choose from a menu of service options that are available. The paper also discusses the role of personalised budgets, commissioning and the expression of preferences.
Alan Leaman, Chief Executive of the MCA said:
Reform of public services is bedevilled by the fact that the same words are used to convey very different meanings, even within the same government documents. While the language we propose may need to be adapted, these clearer distinctions will help create good policy, dispel muddled thinking and increase public understanding and support for reform.
Second, choice involves reciprocal responsibilities. The public may need to share greater personal information in order to access more personalised services. The MCA proposes a series of Choice Concordats, in which the citizen’s rights and obligations are explained far more clearly.
Naresh Mohindra, Tata Consulting Services, said: -If people want a service that is personalised, they must be upfront about disclosing information about their circumstances and needs.
Alan Leaman added: -At the moment, choices are too often hidden from view, and the comparative data which we need to make sense of them is not available. Information, relentlessly offered, is vital if people are to make effective choices, or even to make choices at all. And it must be explained how citizens can benefit from the choices that are provided.
Phil Dungey, Atos Consulting, added: -Information on government websites often reflects government structures, not the needs of users.
The report also highlights examples of where management consultants have worked with government departments to deliver better choices to the users of public services and often saved money as well for the taxpayer.
Link to the report: REPORT
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During the final quarter of 2012, temporary labour usage among Local Authorities decreased by only 0.1%, when compared to the same period in 2011. The minor decrease shown in Comensura’s Government Index was the lowest quarterly decrease in 2012 and signals a trend for minor increases of up to 2% in temporary labour usage in 2013.
The research, gathered by Comensura, the supply management specialists, revealed increases in the use of temporary labour in the public sector in IT, sales/marketing, legal and professional.* These job categories saw increases in the last quarter of 2012, compared to the same period last year, up 34%, 33%, 31% and 19% respectively. Meanwhile, there have been decreases in the use of temporary workers in roles for call centres (-34%), construction (-23%), transportation (-36%) and hospitality (-40) since the same time last year.
Jamie Horton, Managing Director at Comensura, said of the results, -This is a transition period in an age of austerity. The initial reaction to spending cuts was a blanket cut in the use of temporary labour in Local Authorities. However as time moves on and the cuts move deeper, redundant roles or vacant positions appear to be being filled with temporary workers. We don’t expect this trend to change any time soon as the economic climate makes it difficult for organisations to gain authorisation for new permanent staff.
-The trend reflects the private sector, where a 5.5% increase in turnover from temporary and contract business drove the growth of the recruitment industry in 2012, however the pressure on Local Authorities to keep a hold on temporary worker spend is significant.”
From a regional perspective, London and the South East’s usage of temporary labour was flat. Meanwhile the North West, South West, Wales and West Midlands all increased usage on temporary labour in the last quarter of 2012. Some areas of the country have differing policies on temporary labour usage. While Local Authorities in the East Midlands have reduced temporary labour usage by 27%, Local Authorities in the West Midlands have adopted a different approach, increasing temporary labour usage by 31%. Virtually all the reduction in temporary labour usage in the East Midlands came from two job categories – light industrial and office/admin/clerical whereas the increases in the West Midlands came from volume increases in office/admin/clerical (which more than doubled) and social care.
Mr. Horton continued, -Some Local Authorities have replaced temporary resources with fixed term contracts in an attempt to save money. While this is an encouraging sign that Local Authorities are thinking smarter to meet demand amidst spending cuts, it’s important that effective workforce planning measures are in place to ensure spend is managed in the long-term.”
The Comensura Government Index shows the usage of temporary labour across 79 of Comensura’s clients in England and Wales during 2011 and 2012. The Index is distributed on a quarterly basis and uses a variety of metrics to measure the usage of temporary labour including Full Time Equivalent (FTE), the reasons for hire, job class, age and gender.
*Includes HR, procurement and other managerial roles
ByBox, the UK market leader in field service solutions, has won a contract with the UK’s leading integrator of wireless and conventional network systems, Ensign.
Ensign specialises in providing secure wireless network and mobile computing technology systems, offering a wide range of devices for the purpose of data collection solutions, portable printing, Voice Picking systems and RFID applications. It has a wide customer base, including blue chip manufacturing and retail customers from the top 10 in their field as well as warehousing, pharmaceutical, aerospace and automotive.
The two companies are well-matched as each has unrivalled experience in their respective industries and both focus on providing innovative services tailored to their customers’ needs.
Operating 365 days a year, the ByBox Tech Courier service offers a four hour, eight hour and next business day technical swap out, fix or collection of machines and components, which provides a crucial service to Ensign.
Many of Ensign’s customers operate systems where it is critical there is as little downtime as possible. So it is essential that faulty equipment is replaced or repaired quickly.
With access to field service technicians across the UK, the ByBox Tech Courier Service assists Ensign in meeting tight Service Level Agreements. Moreover, ByBox offers a complete solution thanks to its unique software platform Thinventory which gives total visibility of the supply chain at all times.
As well as mobilising an engineer to carry out a particular job, Thinventory can pinpoint the location of the nearest available part and also manage the return of faulty parts. These are either routed back to the repairer or sent to the ByBox in-house repair centre. Additionally, if parts are under warranty, they can be sent back to the manufacturer for compensation.
Mark Garritt, Managing Director of ByBox, said: -We are delighted to be working with Ensign and look forward to a long and productive relationship.
Like ByBox, Ensign has an unmatched reputation in its field and places great importance on understanding its customers’ exact requirements then providing solutions which are cost-effective and efficient.
Jennie Handley, Customer Services Project Manager at Ensign said: -Ensign aims to deliver the best service possible, and we have found in ByBox a partner that is equally focused on providing services of the highest standards. Over the years that Ensign has been dealing with ByBox, we have always found them cooperative and willing to adapt to the ever changing requirements that our customers are faced with.
ByBox Tech Courier is just one offering from ByBox, the company that has transformed the efficiency of overnight delivery to field service engineers with its unique model of delivering in-night pre 8am to a sophisticated and ever expanding network of lockers, 365 days a year.
With more than 18,000 lockers at 1,500 locations, many at convenient locations such as supermarkets, petrol stations and train stations, ByBox operates by far the largest and most sophisticated locker network in the UK and has an enviable first-time delivery success rate of 99.77%.
Lockers are secure and only accessible by key or code. Once a delivery is made, an email or text alert is sent to the recipient who can then collect the required item. The whole system is underpinned by ByBox’ unique software platform Thinventory that gives complete visibility of the supply chain at all times.
ByBox is already enabling companies to save significant amount of time and money: Thinventory allows them to run extremely lean inventory, freeing up valuable working capital, and there is less need to splash out on multiple urgent same-day deliveries. Orders can be placed with ByBox as late as up to 11pm for delivery the next day.
The ByBox approach is so popular that the company has grown to a £57 million turnover in little more than 12 years and ByBox has now developed a consumer solution that will revolutionise the home delivery marketplace. myByBox allows consumers to collect their internet orders at a locker if they are unable to receive deliveries at home or at work; ensuring they never miss a delivery.
Useful links: www.bybox.com
www.ensign-net.co.uk
Fibrelite, who specialise in the design and manufacture of composite watertight underground containment systems including fully watertight access covers is delighted to announce the following RIBA CPD Providers Network material is now available to book as a CPD seminar:
Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) Composite Manhole and Trench Access Covers: A Safe, Light Alternative to Metal and Concrete and a Solution to the Metal Theft Epidemic
Accredited Fibrelite Seminar Content Overview:
- Introduce glass reinforced plastic (GRP) composite
- Explain the differences between resin transfer moulding (RTM) and other types of GRP composites
- Improve knowledge of the benefits of GRP composite
- Explain where GRP composite can be used
- Highlight the best applications for GRP composite
- Introduce how and why GRP composite is used as an underground access cover
- Explain the benefits of GRP composite for underground access covers
- Show why RTM GRP composite is specified as an alternative to metal and concrete
- Explain what is important when specifying GRP composite as a material for access covers to underground services
For further information and to book your CPD seminar, please contact Scott Dyson on +44 (0)1756 799 773 or by email scott@fibrelite.com
The Big Give – a national scheme to encourage charitable giving at Christmas – will match on-line donations and double the value of contributions to relieve the trauma of armed forces veterans, on December 6, 7, 8 from 10:00am each day. Donations can be made on-line to PTSD Resolution (reg. charity No. 1133188) via the link www.ptsdgive.co.uk
PTSD Resolution has a network of 200 counsellors nationwide to provide support to resolve military trauma, with a success rate of 8 out of 10 cases for veterans who complete the programme (Source: PTSD report 2012).
Symptoms of military trauma include flashbacks, nightmares and depression. Without appropriate help the result can be family breakdown, homelessness, criminality and even suicide.
According to PTSD Resolution chairman Colonel Tony Gauvain (retired): -PTSD Resolution offers fast help, with an average of just five counselling sessions required on an outpatient basis. No referrals are needed. PTSD Resolution is a very lean organisations: there are no salaried staff or premises: funds are used for therapy and to provide support and information on the help available”.
For further information: PTSD Resolution www.ptsdgive.co.uk. Tel 0845 021 7873. e-mail sb@ptsdresolution.org
A man has been threatened with an ASBO by an Oldham Council official who thought he was recording their telephone conversation.
Stuart Littleford who is the editor of GPSJ, said he contacted the Credit Control Section at Oldham Council earlier today, over a long running dispute about an alleged Council Tax debt, which he has always denied he owes.
He said: I called to try and resolve a matter which has been going on since 2005, I was explaining to the gentleman on the phone why I didn’t owe the money when he suddenly asked if I was recording the call. He then referred to an email I had sent the previous day in which I stated I had recorded some calls in the past but only to prove I had not been ignoring the matter as they had threatened legal action.
When I refused to tell him whether or not I was recording this conversation, he said I was ‘breaching his human rights’ and he would have to end the call, I replied that I was making a genuine enquiry and there was no reason for him to do that.
He then told me I was committing a ‘criminal offence’ and that all future correspondence to his department should be kept to letters from now on and not done over the phone. He then stated they could look to seek for an ‘ASBO’ against me.
The gentleman then refused to talk anymore and put the phone down.
I can’t believe I have been threatened with an ASBO for doing nothing more than responding to an official letter sent by Oldham Council and trying to resolve the matter with them. I would be interested to know if they ask everyone who contacts them if they are recording the call and then use this as an excuse to put the phone down or threaten them with an ASBO.
I have never heard of this happening before and I have been left feeling like a criminal. If I had been rude or abusive I would have understood him wanting to end the call, but this was a polite call and all very business like.
This man is paid to take calls from the residents of Oldham, his attitude is not acceptable, there are plenty of people looking for work these days who would jump at the chance of his job in my opinion.
Under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA), it is not illegal for individuals to tape conversations provided the recording is for their own use.
Home secretary Theresa May announced in May 2012 that ASBOs were being abolished and replaced with Criminal Behaviour Orders from 2013.
Oldham is one of the few local authorities still using them.
Legal advisor Cleland Thom commented: ‘It’s incredible that an Oldham Council official in a public role would be stupid enough to think that someone recording a phone conversation warranted an ASBO.
‘To get an ASBO, you have to prove someone has persistently behaved in a way that causes people harassment, alarm or distress.
‘Anyone can record a phone call, provided they make the recording themselves. It strikes me that Oldham Council need to give their staff some basic customer service training!’
A spokesperson for Oldham Council said: -Oldham Council will not comment until any outstanding investigation into a complaint or appeal is completed.
September’s annual TUC Conference in Brighton welcomed for the first time UK based global data capture specialist DRS Data Services Ltd, to showcase their Elections offering including manual and electronic counting and electronic voting.
Whether balloting on the subject of Public Sector Pension Reforms, electing council members or undertaking general membership engagement, Trade Unions are under pressure to deliver time critical, accurate and secure results in the most resourceful way possible.
DRS was able to share with TUC delegates recent successful and cost efficient electronic election service projects for the National Society for Education in Art and Design (NSEAD), demonstrating why the company has become a trusted partner to governments and local authorities worldwide and now UK Trade Unions.
As the leading national authority concerned with art, craft and design across all phases of education in the UK and as a constituted Trade Union, the NSEAD has utilised DRS’ flexible, comprehensive end-to-end service for an industrial action ballot and most recently in their presidential election, incorporating the 2500 strong membership.
With two decades of national and local political election management experience, including in Europe, North America and Africa and with trusted expertise in managing UK elections including the 2012 GLA Mayoral Election, DRS has a dedicated service team with the skills to develop individual timetables to fit with each Trade Union constitution and the knowledge to support and assist with governance requirements.
DRS’ non-government elections specialist Simon Thomson, explains; -DRS has earned a reputation as a trusted election services partner, not only because we can deliver complex, time critical yet flexible projects, but perhaps more crucially for Trade Unions, at a time of austerity we can offer them a choice of supplier that they may not have had previously, that is cost efficient, high quality, reliable and secure.”
DRS has over 40 years experience in delivering data capture projects around the world, specialising in examination and assessment processing and election and census solutions. Systems are implemented using the Company’s extensive expertise in document design, printing, award winning scanning and image capture technologies, software, logistics, project management and consultancy.
Visit www.drs.co.uk for more details.
Work is well underway to increase the generation of renewable energy in Shropshire with a recent project to supply photovoltaic (PV) systems for schools across the county.
As part of its pledge to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, Shropshire Council has signed up to the national Carbon Trust Carbon Management Programme.
The Council’s comprehensive plan of action aims to reduce emissions by 35 per cent by 2014, by undertaking various carbon reduction initiatives and increasing the generation of renewable electricity and heat in Shropshire through its Renewable Energy Delivery Programme.
This includes several projects ranging from the installation of solar photovoltaic panels to biomass wood pellet boilers in schools and other Council buildings throughout the county.
One of the most significant renewable energy projects has been the recent design and installation of bespoke photovoltaic systems for 16 schools over 17 sites across Shropshire by SolarTech Ltd, one the UK’s leading renewable energy specialists.
With 725 kWp* of PV arrays (approximately 3000 solar panels) having been installed, the initiative is expected to generate 580,000 kWh of electricity per year and save the schools an estimated £60,000 per year in energy bills.
This ambitious £1.3 million project was completed in just four weeks to enable Shropshire Council to meet the deadline to receive the government’s higher rate of Feed in Tariff, which was only available up until April 1st 2012. (After that date, the original 32.9p/kWh tariff dropped to a lower rate of to 15.2p/kWh).
SolarTech acted as principal contractor and was responsible for the survey, design, installation, and commissioning of the bespoke PV systems for each of the schools. This included the installation and fitting of solar arrays to both pitched and flat roof schools. The project involved structural and asbestos surveys, liaising with Building Control and planning departments as well as providing all the relevant documentation for the Distribution Network Operator (DNO).
The energy output and consumption of each school is now measured by a web based PV monitoring system, also installed by SolarTech, which will provide the necessary data to obtain payments under the Feed-in-Tariff.
It will also form the basis of a schools web portal, which will enable the schools to bring sustainability to life in the classroom and to teach how greener energy can help the environment.
This has been a highly successful project thanks to the experience and expertise of SolarTech, who were highly responsive and proactive in designing and installing 17 bespoke systems and liaising closely with the various parties involved, in order to keep within what has been an extremely challenging timeframe, said Robert Wagstaffe, Project Manager for Shropshire Council.
Under the higher rate Feed in Tariff, it is anticipated that the Council will recoup the costs of the initial installation within approximately ten years, whilst benefiting from the income over the following 15 years.
Each school will also benefit from lower day-to-day electricity bills through their ability to generate their own free electricity, as well as having a state-of-the-art renewable energy installation, which is future proofed against any energy price increases.
Over all, it is estimated that the combined PV systems could cumulatively save over 300 tonnes of CO2 annually, which will also result in significant savings in the Council’s ‘carbon tax’ liability under the CRC Energy Efficiency scheme.**
SolarTech is highly experienced in providing bespoke solar PV solutions, which are designed to maximise the carbon reduction, energy efficiencies and long term cost savings that both public sector and private sector organisations can make under the Feed in Tariff, said Shaun Taylor, managing director of SolarTech.
Schools are certainly one of the public sector organisations that have much to gain through the nationwide drive towards solar energy.
In addition to the 3,000 solar panels already installed in schools across Shropshire, there are also plans to install solar panels at a further 20 to 30 Council owned properties.
As part of the Council’s programme, wood pellet boilers have also been installed in two schools and a possible further 20 boilers where feasible at other schools, which are reliant on expensive oil heating systems throughout Shropshire, are scheduled for this year.
By using innovative techniques to save energy and improve the way it deliver its services, the Council is making its buildings as energy-efficient as possible to significantly cut carbon emissions over the coming years.
Councillor Cecilia Motley, Cabinet Member at Shropshire Council with responsibilities for Carbon Reduction and Sustainability said: – We recognise our duty to play our part in decreasing our carbon footprint in Shropshire and we have set ourselves a high target to push us to do the best we possibly can.
It’s great to see our schools being the first to receive solar panels and benefit from using solar energy. I am sure many children at our schools will get a lot out of seeing how renewable energy is generated.
Using energy more efficiently and harnessing our viable renewable energy resources will not only help our environment, but in these times of increasing energy costs will reduce consumption and bring financial savings.
The Council will also be looking at greater use of renewable energy to generate electricity through ground source heat pumps, solar hot water panels, small-scale wind generation and the possible installation of a hydro-electric system on the River Severn in Shrewsbury.
For more information contact SolarTech Ltd, Unit 2 Sterling Business Park, Top Angel Road, Buckingham Industrial Estate, MK18 1TH.
Tel: 0845 838 2477. Fax: 0845 838 2439 Email: info@solartech.org.uk Web. www.solartech.org.uk
* It estimated that each of the installations will produce 28,200 to 39,600 kWh of electricity each year
** CRC Energy Efficiency scheme, an initiative aimed at improving energy efficiency and cutting emissions in large public and private sector organisations: www.environment-agency.gov.uk/business/topics/pollution/126698.aspx
Public sector industries are some of the best in Britain when it comes to a healthy work-life balance, according to a new poll of graduates. Confidential career review site TheJobCrowd.com asked 3000 graduates in their first three years of employment to score their company on a range of criteria including responsibility, progression opportunities, colleague interaction, training, work-life balance and benefits. Public sector industries came second overall for work-life balance and also scored particularly highly for colleague interaction, responsibility and role enjoyment. The results paint an upbeat image of public sector work and should tempt more university leavers into exploring careers in this sector in future. Network Rail topped the list for the industry with Tube Lines coming a close second and Transport for London third. Science and Technology Facilities Council, Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory, Civil Service Fast Stream and the Bank of England were also included in the list of the top 100 graduate employers. The vast majority of those polled (79%) said they would definitely choose to do the role again – which reflects extremely positively on their employers. A graduate on the Civil Service Fast Stream commented: -We’re given flexible working hours meaning you can get your work done when you’re at your most productive. There’s a friendly and relaxed atmosphere, my colleagues are great and I’ve already been given lots of training and development opportunities. A graduate from Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory added: -There is a real sense that the work you are doing really matters since you are working to support and inform major decisions that will make a huge impact on the UK.” Firms from 17 different industries were featured in the list which comprised of a mixture of established multinationals and smaller employers. The survey asked graduates about the realities of their day to day roles, rather than to predict how they believed the role would be, differing significantly from other graduate recruitment studies. Keren Mitchell, co-founder of TheJobCrowd.com, says the results show public sector work provides a great option for those keen to enjoy both time at work and an active social life. Mr Mitchell said: -The industry came second overall for work-life balance which shows that whilst the jobs are challenging, graduates are not expected to do excessive hours during the early years of their career. Public sector work also scored particularly highly for responsibility which shows graduates are allowed to really get stuck into their roles, learning new skills and taking on larger tasks as early as possible. We spoke to thousands of graduates and have found that public sector work as a whole featured great colleague relationships, fulfilling roles and real responsibility from day one, which will appeal to ambitious university leavers. Co-founder Natasha Freeman, says she hopes the information will provide greater insight for graduates set to enter the working world for the first time. Natasha said: -What we want to stress is that this is data collected from people actually doing the roles. All of the information was collected anonymously and therefore respondents gave a warts and all assessment of their employer and their role which we think will be invaluable to those planning their first steps in the working world. The full ratings for each transport company in the Top 100 guide can be viewed at: TOP 100 GUIDE
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 was intended to make the process of government more open, accountable and transparent. And it has gone some way in achieving these objectives. However, have there also been unintended consequences? Most notably is the fear that the Act has had a -chilling effect” upon frank and open communication within the range of central and local government bodies and other public authorities subject to the Act, as well as the full and accurate recording of that communication.
In the wake of the furore concerning Michael Gove’s use of private email accounts late last year, a further Whitehall investigation has now commenced concerning the alleged use of personal email accounts by officials to avoid requests under the Act. On the face of it, these examples demonstrate that the Act is adversely impacting on how government conducts its day to day business. However, despite extensive academic, judicial and parliamentary scrutiny, the issue is far from clear cut.
An uncertain safe space for policy making: The views of the Information Tribunal
The Information Tribunal considered this issue earlier in the year in the course of its deliberations concerning the disclosure of two Department of Health risk registers (Department of Health v Information Commissioner, Rt Hon John Healey MP and Nicholas Cecil EA/2011/0286 and 0287). The registers fell within the exemption under section 35 of the Act relating to the formulation or development of government policy which, as a -qualified exemption,” required the Tribunal to balance the public interest for and against disclosure.
The Tribunal accepted that Department of Health civil servants must be allowed a -safe space” to engage in frank and candid debate away from the pressures of media scrutiny and public comment. However, it noted that -there may be a need to, in effect, dip in and out of the safe space during the passage of time.” Accordingly, one of the risk registers was withheld on the basis it was requested at a time when Government was re-evaluating its position and the other was ordered to be disclosed as it was requested at a time when the policy seemed settled, albeit the Secretary of State subsequently exercised his ministerial veto under the Act to prevent disclosure.
Approval of the status quo: The conclusions of the Parliamentary Select Committee
This issue same occupied the time of the Justice Select Committee tasked with -post legislative scrutiny” of the Act since it come into full effect in 2005. It heard evidence from 37 witnesses, received 140 written submissions and delivered its report this summer.
Lord O’Donnell, former cabinet secretary, spoke of the uncertainty amongst policy makers as to whether something written down would be subsequently disclosed. In his words, -How do you avoid this problem arising? You basically find a medium which is not covered by FOI. The cost of mobile phone bills goes up between ministers.” Jack Straw, former Home Secretary, was aware that other Government departments had unminuted meetings for fear of future disclosure. It is no secret that Tony Blair considered it one of his greatest mistakes in office. In his evidence to the Committee, he stated that Act went far beyond what was originally intended, commenting that the -original idea was to make available the facts behind the decisions, not the confidential policy debate around those decisions.” He emphasised that the impact of publication was counter-productive to the aims of frankness and openness.
In contrast, the UCL Constitution Unit, having conducted interviews with a large number of officials across central and local government, concluded that the Act had not negatively impacted upon the quality of advice. Nevertheless, it stated that it was also apparent that written records may sometimes not be as correspondingly full and frank as the advice being received.
Faced with continuing uncertainty with respect to the extent and nature of the feared -chilling effect”, the Committee approved the status quo in its report so that the -safe space” is not guaranteed but rather competing public interest concerns will continue to need to be weighed in each case. Further, it acknowledged that the ministerial veto would need to be used -from time to time to protect that space.”
Conclusion
At the end of its review, the Justice Select Committee confirmed that the Act has been a success and made only limited recommendations for change. It is clear that the Act is here to stay and requests for disclosure under the Act continue to steadily increase.
In light of the decision of the Information Tribunal and the conclusions of the Committee, individuals working within central or local government may be right to feel uncertain about the nature and extent of the -safe space” for policy making and concerned that communications may be disclosed in future. The ministerial veto provides a safety net but no certainty at the time of sensitive communications. Common sense suggests that this will have some impact upon the way in which government operates, albeit there is insufficient evidence to support Mr Blair’s opinion that the operation of the Act is counterproductive to openness and transparency.
E: ecarter@kingsleynapley.co.uk
T: 020 7814 1255
www.kingsleynapley.co.uk/client-services/public-law/information-law
Care homes will play an ever-increasing role in supporting older people in the future yet are being held back by a culture of -negativity and -stigma felt by both care workers and older people.
At the moment too many care homes lack engagement with their local community and lack support from health services and local authorities says the report.
The report -My Home Life: promoting quality of life in care homes is released this week by Joseph Rowntree Foundation at the National Children and Adults Services (NCAS) Conference.
It follows a three year study carried out by the My Home Life programme, funded by Age UK, Joseph Rowntree Foundation, City University and Dementia UK, to explore what makes good practice in care homes and offers key recommendations about how to improve the lives of older people living and dying in care homes.
My Home Life aims to identify what works well in creating a compassionate and caring environment within care homes so needs, aspirations and quality of life of residents, residents and staff are met.
Tom Owen, Co-Director of My Home Life said: -There is a culture within the UK of care homes being something to dread and avoid at all costs which we need to work hard to change. Care homes can provide compassionate care and companionship for many older people who are at a vulnerable stage in their lives.
While we know there is lots of good practice out there, too many care homes experience mistrust from the community and statutory services which only serves to increase their feeling of isolation and reduce their capacity to deliver a positive experience for older people. Quality in care homes has to be the responsibility of the whole community, not just the staff. We want to place care homes at the heart of the local community, helping them to open their doors and encouraging people in to share in the life of the home.
Alongside a move to place residents at the centre of care home life, the report calls for greater leadership within the sector, with on-going professional development encouraged at all levels.
John Kennedy, Director of Care Services at the Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust added:
-The Joseph Rowntree Foundation and Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust are committed to improving older people’s quality of life in existing residential and care home settings. The My Home Life report highlights some really great practice at care homes up and down the country. We need to learn from these examples and make it the culture in all care homes.
-We also need to recognise the challenges care homes and their managers face. As a society, we must be more engaged in the essential work they do and relate to them in a more appreciative way; whether that be how we regulate them; how we resource them; and indeed how we talk about them. We all may need their services one day so we should start improving the relationships now for all our sakes.
The report also calls on the Government and statutory agencies to work on streamlining paper work to reduce the amount of time that care home managers spend on -bureaucracy freeing up more time to make sure that all care is -relationship-centred and residents are given more voice, choice and control over how they are cared for.
Staff working in care homes should be given -protected time in which they are able to get to know residents and their families better.
A culture of negativity around care homes due to cases of abuse regularly featured in the media can, the report suggests, devalue the complex work that care home staff do; leading some of them to feel embarrassed about telling their friends where they work.
The report can be downloaded from www.jrf.org.uk. Also attached.
Azad Zangana, European Economist at Schroders, said:
-The ONS’ preliminary estimate of Q3 GDP showed the economy grew by a huge 1.0%, ending the UK’s longest double-dip recession since the Second World War in sensational style. Year on year growth rose from -0.5% to flat. The results are significantly stronger than the 0.6% consensus estimates, and our own estimate of 0.5%.
-Within the details, the service sector made the biggest positive contribution growing by 1.3% following a decrease of 0.1% in the previous quarter. The production sector also posted an impressive 1.1% gain, although the construction sector continues to be the laggard, declining by 2.5% in the latest quarter.
-It is worth bearing in mind that there are some temporary factors that have artificially boosted the latest quarterly results that will drop out of the numbers. Firstly, the London 2012 Olympic Games will have provided a boost from ticket sales, extra tourism and additional investment coming to fruition. Secondly, the reversal of the extra bank holiday effect to celebrate Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee also fell in this quarter.
-Whether the better than expected numbers continue into the fourth quarter is difficult to judge. More recently, business surveys like the survey of Manufacturers conducted by the Confederation for British Industry (CBI) showed weakening activity heading into the fourth quarter. In addition, rising domestic energy prices and food price inflation is likely to renew the squeeze on household incomes. This is likely to hurt retailers in the run up to the crucial festive shopping period.
In summary
-Overall, when considering the positive contribution from the temporary factors included in the latest number, underlying growth in the economy appears to be running at about +0.3% for the third quarter. That is not strong enough to shield the UK from the external risks that partly contributed to the latest recession. In our view, the UK remains at high risk of a ‘triple-dip’ recession in 2013 as domestic austerity continues and external demand is hampered by the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis. In addition, there is great uncertainty about the implications of the US ‘fiscal cliff’ after the presidential elections in November. Nevertheless, today’s better than expected numbers are welcomed, and will lead us to revise up our forecast for growth for 2012 and 2013.”
The new official website for the forthcoming Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Show 2014 is now live, the organisers have announced.
Visitors and exhibitors can now visit the site (www.acrshow.co.uk) to see the latest news and developments on the event, the only national exhibition dedicated to the air conditioning and refrigeration industry, which takes place at the NEC, 11-13 February 2014.
People can register via the website to receive regular updates on the show, including the latest exhibitors confirming stands, planned technology launches, visitor attractions and the hugely popular technical and business seminar programme.
Building on the success of this year’s launch event, the show has the backing of major industry organisations, including the Institute of Refrigeration (IOR), the British Refrigeration Association (BRA), the Federation of Environmental Trades Associations (FETA) and the Building and Engineering Services Association (B&ES).
Many well-known companies which have committed to the 2014 show include: AFR Refrigeration, AHT Cooling Systems, Business Edge, Blygold, Broughton Electro Air Products, Comptec, CPS Products, Gram, Javac, Jumo, Lordan, Mastercool, Maxkold, Overton Recycling, Oxford Hardware, Primalec, Refco, Teknic Refrigeration, TNC Clips, and TQ Environmental.
Other leading air conditioning and refrigeration companies have reserved stands and are in the process of completing bookings.
The total attendance at the launch event earlier this year was 3,492, including visitors and exhibitor attendees. Jan Thorpe, event director, said: -We are delighted with the excellent support for the show, both by the industry and the trade’s professional organisations.”
She added: -The 2014 event will be even bigger and better, providing unrivalled networking opportunities and enabling visitors to get up to speed with the latest developments across the refrigeration and air conditioning scene.”
Exhibitors at the launch event praised the quality and buying-power of visitors. Research showed that nearly 70 per of people attending had either direct responsibility for purchasing decisions or influenced them.
Many visitors have already made significant equipment purchases as a result of attending the show. -It reflects the overwhelming feedback from exhibitors that the show attracted people with serious buying power,” said Jan Thorpe.
The ACR Show 2014 will be staged in Hall 9, conveniently located for visitors travelling by both car and train.
For more details, visit www.acrshow.co.uk
WORKPLACE equipment supplier Slingsby is again supporting this year’s ‘Ladder Exchange Initiative’, which offers substantial discounts on new ladders that are part exchanged for damaged ones. This comes after recent figures revealed the number of fatal injuries in British workplaces is no longer in decline and that falls from height remain the main cause of these accidents.
Figures from The Health & Safety Executive show 173 workers were killed in 2011/12 which is just two less than the 175 recorded in 2010/11. This is a large increase from the lowest ever figure of 147 deaths in 2009/10. More than half of all fatal accidents are caused by falls from height.
The Ladder Exchange Initiative, which is organised by The Ladder Association, runs until 30th November 2012 and offers customers big savings on Slingsby’s extensive range of ladders and access solutions when they hand over ladders that are unsafe, broken or damaged. The scheme is now in its sixth year and since its launch it has been responsible for removing over 10,000 broken, bent or damaged ladders from UK workplaces.
Lee Wright, Marketing Director of Slingsby, which supplies more than 35,000 workplace products, explains: Although the number of workplace fatalities in the UK has halved in the last 20 years it is worrying that the reductions have ground to a halt in the last couple of years. Hopefully the Ladder Exchange Initiative can help to tackle this problem because there are still far too many accidents and thousands of injuries every year caused by falls from height and this is a risk that workers across all industries can face. Even workers that are simply using step ladders to access high shelves or change light bulbs can end up having accidents.
Lee adds: -Although ladders are a familiar piece of equipment they can be extremely dangerous if they’re not used properly. Plus nowadays there are new products coming out all the time to help prevent these injuries.
Recently we have seen some major developments in equipment such as new anti-slip anchor points, advanced locking systems on ladders, swivel feet that adjust to suit the type of surface you’re using the ladder on and there’s a huge range of access platforms available for all types of tricky areas so there really are no excuses for safety lapses when it comes to ladders.
For further information on Slingsby and the Ladder Exchange Initiative visit www.slingsby.com/t-ladderexchange.aspx
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