Ministers have launched a drive to tackle joblessness and social exclusion in the same week that a £100m fund was announced to boost the economies of northern English regions.
One of the biggest criticisms levied at Sir Peter Gershon's Whitehall efficiency review is that any sincere attempt to quantify public sector waste has been lost in the resulting 'machismo' exhibited...
Liberal Democrats have distanced themselves from proposals they fear could lead to a more market-driven approach in the key campaigning areas of health and education.
Scottish Health Minister Malcolm Chisholm has pledged that he will delay any new hospital closures until a national review group produces a health plan next March.
The public thinks more choice in public services is important. But the majority of people are not willing to pay more to get it, and they consider that it is needed in some services more than others.
A proposed new contract between the NHS and high-street pharmacists would save money, increase access to care, improve the management of long-term illnesses and take pressure off other health...
Public service managers were this week challenged to put children's needs at the centre of their planning as the government published its blueprint for child-centred health and social care.
'Gross exaggeration and political criticism' has led the public to believe that only half of NHS staff are directly involved in patient care, while the real figure is 84%, Britain's biggest union has...
As councils prepare for ministerial pronouncements on the implementation of the Gershon agenda, Unison, Britain's biggest union, has expressed fears that the target of £6.5bn of savings by 2008 could...
Public service reform is being undermined by a civil service inherently resistant to change and lacking in specialised skills, according to the Demos think-tank.
The NHS and crime are key areas of concern for older voters, says a report, which warns politicians that they ignore the worries of the over-45s at their peril.
Local authorities must pay higher fees to care homes if they want to staunch the loss of beds, researchers have warned, after almost 10,000 disappeared in 2003/04.
The government must develop a national family strategy to prevent pregnant workers from getting a raw deal, the Equal Opportunities Commission said this week.
Affordable early years education remains out of reach for too many families despite impressive levels of government investment, senior MPs said this week.
Housing leaders are urging the government to stand up to the 'well-funded voice of Nimbyism', which they warn is threatening plans to build more affordable homes.
Vulnerable older people will be able to access benefits and services through a single point of contact under a 'quiet revolution' unveiled by the government this week.
Ofsted has vowed to continue applying strict sanctions to unsuitable childminders and nurseries after publishing details of the more than 6,000 complaints it investigated last year.
Michael Howard's decision to take on the government over law and order earned him the approval of the Right-wing press and applause for daring to speak the unspeakable.
A-level students have again achieved record numbers of passes and top grades, triggering the ritual accusations of falling educational standards and 'dumbed down' examinations from critics.
The poor quality of financial management across local government and police, fire and health services is a cause for concern, the Audit Commission's annual report reveals this week.
