Health
Easing COVID pressures in south London
The South London Listens partnership has brought together councils, the NHS, Citizens UK and others to address the pandemic-related pressures residents have told them they face. The process has been demanding but inspiring, says Sir Norman Lamb.
Catching up with lost learning
There is no national strategy to help children recover lost learning and promote emotional health and wellbeing, writes Charlotte Ramsden from the Association of Directors of Children’s Services.
PM plans national insurance rise to fund social care
Ministers are believed to be planning a national insurance rise to fund adult social care.
Vaccinated social care staff no longer required to self-isolate
Health leaders have been left divided by the Government’s announcement that fully vaccinated social care staff and NHS workers who have been told to self-isolate will be allowed to continue working.
Johnson: Bring your devolution plans to me
Prime Minister Boris Johnson called for local leaders to take their devolution plans to him in a keynote speech from the West Midlands this morning.
Getting back in the groove
As the country prepares to open up to gatherings again, Heather Jameson rounds up last week’s major annual virtual conferences – and finds an air of optimism within the sector despite the challenges ahead.
Designing the future of care systems
During the pandemic we have all learned that working online is more than just moving the existing processes online. How we work and even what we do needs to be designed for the medium. We recently supported a design workshop with a number of authorities and the consensus was very clear that design methods have come on leaps and bounds in placing the customer at the centre, some are less effective at determining whether we have built the future we need.
Health Bill could lead to more centralisation, claims commission
The Health and Care Bill could lead to a more centralised system, a cross-party commission has claimed.
Javid vows to reform social care 'quite soon'
New health secretary Sajid Javid has promised to bring forward plans for social care reform ‘quite soon’, but failed to commit to an exact timetable.
Health and care improvement starts locally
Local health and care organisations must seize the initiative to improve people’s lives rather than waiting for the next overhaul by national government.
Local lockdowns not ruled out beyond July 19
Local lockdowns are still a possibility if COVID variants of concern emerge after restrictions ease on July 19.
Unlocking care in prisons
The needs of elderly men in the prison population need to be addressed urgently, says government and public sector expert at PA Consulting Amanda Kelly. 'We should question who we are imprisoning and whether there is an alternative', she adds.
Getting set for a post 9-to-5 culture
Is it a case of the ‘death of Dolly’? Jason Wheatley explains why it’s important organisations re-imagine their places of work to meet the changing requirements of a post-pandemic world.
A forgotten city
Phil Allemendinger says we need to make digital a tool of the city, to support wider objectives including to help address inequalities and sustain local economies.
‘Something’s got to give’
Death rates from COVID-19 in Greater Manchester are 25% higher than in England as a whole, says a new report. But is its framework for ‘Building Back Fairer’ likely to trigger real change? Ann McGauran reports.
Hitting the target but missing the point
A report by the Institute for Government highlights the risks of a target culture - 'prioritising easy wins, ignoring important issues and manipulating data', says Claire Kober.
Whitty warns of tough times ahead
The life-changing effects of COVID-19 will continue to be felt for many months to come, Professor Chris Whitty has said.
Devolution key to tackling health inequalities, report finds
Sir Michael Marmot has said increased funding and far-reaching new powers must be devolved to reduce regional inequalities in England.
Nudging communities to flourish
Kingston Stronger Together has been at the heart of the COVID-19 response. The council is now using nudge theory to widen support further, say Joanne Moulton and Daniel Green.
Protecting our borough’s future
Planning guidance may sound technical and uninspiring, but using it to protect the environment and historic buildings is anything but, says Cllr Johnny Thalassites.
