Plans to save the NHS £220m over the next ten years by outsourcing back-office functions rely on a heavy take-up of the scheme, Public Finance has learned.
The vast majority of patients in Scotland are satisfied with the service they receive from the NHS, though they are concerned that the public have little or no influence over the way it is run.
Inspectors at the Health and Safety Executive have delivered an overwhelming vote of no confidence in their management board as it prepares to tighten the criteria for accident investigations.
Northern Ireland's public bodies are facing a growing financial crisis with all of the province's five education and library boards and some health trusts looking at large deficits unless they are...
Housing minister Keith Hill this week responded to private sector calls to boost the lethargic social housing Private Finance Initiative market with a programme to help tenants 'get better homes...
Local authorities and primary care trusts will be in the vanguard of government plans to transform the NHS from a national sickness service to one that promotes health and wellbeing.
The inspection regime for councils and primary care trusts needs to start addressing how well they work with the voluntary sector, Chief Secretary to the Treasury Paul Boateng said this week.
Ministers should undertake a thorough financial analysis of all new responsibilities handed to schools and guarantee funding for indirect costs such as new buildings, the National Union of Teachers...
More than two-thirds of social services departments in England are performing well but a minority are either failing to provide adequate services or lack the ambition to improve, the chief inspector...
Ministers must face down fierce opposition to their pension proposals from public service unions before the general election, including calls for a national strike over plans to raise retirement ages.
The initiative giving GP practices the power to commission care for their patients should not extend to mental health services, a leading charity said this week.
Scottish Finance Minister Tom McCabe has warned health service managers that performance must improve to justify the substantial increases in resources that have led to higher spending per head than...
Peter Morgan, head of accountancy development at the National Audit Office, has called for greater transparency in the presentation of Private Finance Initiative accounts.
The speeches, rallies and debates are over. Months of speculation have come to an end. There were shouts of jubilation and tears of despondency, but the people have spoken: there is to be no elected...
The NHS minimum wage will be set at £5.69 an hour after the largest health union voted in favour of a groundbreaking pay deal for more than a million health service staff.
The forthcoming green paper on adult social care will tackle older people's reluctance to take responsibility for their own provision, senior ministers said this week.
Local authorities and registered social landlords must find housing efficiency savings of £835m per year by 2008 under the government's strict Gershon targets.
Welsh local authorities have been given a one-off minimum funding guarantee of 3.5% for 2005/06. But, despite the disruption of the council tax revaluation and funding formula changes, they have been...
A Scottish health board is facing a funding crisis after the disclosure in a report by auditor general Bob Black that it is heading for a £100m deficit by 2007/08.
The Local Government Association is preparing to slash funding to its central bodies by 4.1% next year in advance of what is expected to be a tight finance settlement in November.
