Public service reform is entering a new era, with tailor-made budgets geared to the needs of individuals and putting users in control. Sophie Moullin reports
It's a tough job& but someone's got to be chief secretary to the Treasury. And who better than a long-standing minister with an economics background? Vivienne Russell meets her
Councils need to focus more on helping older people to remain active citizens rather than concentrating solely on the needs of the infirm minority, the local government watchdog said this week.
The government needs to recruit and nurture a cadre of expert contract managers to combat the lack of commercial skills among public servants, the influential chair of the Commons Public Accounts...
A bid to revitalise local democracy and hand control over assets and spending to local communities were at the heart of the local government white paper published by Communities Secretary Hazel...
If Sir Peter Gershon has left one legacy it is that he has made efficiency a major part of public sector discourse. This, at least, is the view of Chief Secretary to the Treasury Yvette Cooper.
The NHS is not looking bad for 60, and with the government rolling out a new ten-year plan there's plenty of life in the health care system yet. But, as ever, the big issues are all about funding...
How do you persuade people to stop behaving badly, or to do things for their own good? Not by bribing them or banning the activities, says Ann Rossiter, who argues that reinforcing social norms is...
General medical services in Scotland cost £160m more than planned after the new contract for doctors was introduced, according to an Audit Scotland survey.
Increasing local accountability for services and improving the fractious relationship between town halls and Whitehall could create an 'upward curve' in democracy, the Local Government Association's...
The long-term growth in household energy consumption is beginning to reverse, with energy efficiency in the home improving by 19% between 1990 and 2004, according to a National Audit Office report on...
Councils are confused. On the one hand, Hazel Blears promises a new white paper to empower them. On the other, she is busy devolving control away from them to local citizens. But there's no...
Local government commissioning has become a much more complex and strategic exercise, involving a variety of different agencies and systems. John Tizard discusses what's needed to do the job properly
Health inequalities remain 'unacceptably' wide in England, according to ministers, who have urged primary care trusts and local authorities to close the gap.
What does the future hold for public sector finance teams in a globalised environment? More shared services, pared down back-office operations and beefed up finance functions are all possibilities,...
Some politicians are pushing for primary care trusts to be more democratically accountable but NHS managers argue that the current reforms should be given more time before making changes. Richard...
Ministers have promised a review of the vexed question of top-up treatments. But with those seeking the right to buy extra care at loggerheads with those worried about inequity, what should the NHS...
