Scotland's new finance minister, Tom McCabe, has dismissed comparisons with England on efficiency in government, saying the targets set are 'appropriate for Scotland' irrespective of the figures for...
The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust pledged this week to achieve 'financial balance' by 2006, despite warnings from auditors that its £20m deficit could escalate to more than £40m.
Capital spending in Scotland is to rise by 40% over the next three years, providing more than £3bn for infrastructure, Finance and Public Services Minister Andy Kerr announced this week.
The battleground for the next general election was established this week as choice and the personalisation of public services, as the Labour Party began to flesh out its policies to 'empower' the...
Housing associations have been warned to expect even closer scrutiny of their costs as the Housing Corporation embarks on light-touch regulation for some landlords.
The safety of rail travel continues to improve, with no passengers killed in collisions or derailments in 2003/04, according to the annual report from the Health & Safety Executive.
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.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's harmonious relations with Britain's unions disintegrated within hours of his speech to the Trades Union Congress in Brighton, when the leaders of 11 public sector unions...
Scotland's worst secondary schools are to be boosted by funding from both the public and private sectors, First Minister Jack McConnell announced this week.
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.
The NHS could save 450 lives and £140m a year under an initiative aimed at cutting hospital-acquired infections, according to the National Patient Safety Agency.
