The government’s plans to reform the NHS have far-reaching implications for many public and private sector organisations. For joint commissioners of health and social care services, the reforms raise concerns as to how to “future proof” current arrangements and anticipate the effects of a potential fragmentation of the purchasing role.
05/01/2011
Liberating the NHS: how will it impact on joint commissioning of health and social care services?
PLC Public Sector reports:
Make sure that you have not missed a key development in your area of the law by reviewing our latest list of recommended actions.
PLC Public Sector reports:
The Localism Bill has just had its first reading in the House of Commons. As part of the aim of “lifting the burden of bureaucracy”, Article 1 includes the long wished for “general power of competence” enabling a local authority “to do anything that individuals generally may do…even though they are …unlike anything the authority or other public bodies may do”.
PLC Public Sector reports:
Make sure that you have not missed a key development in your area of the law by reviewing our latest list of recommended actions.
As widely trailed before its introduction into Parliament, when it is passed the Localism Bill will revoke:
- The national members’ code of conduct.
- Abolish Standards for England.
- Abolish the requirement for local authorities to have standards committees.
For more information, see Legal update, Abolition of the Standards Board regime.
PLC Public Sector reports:
Make sure that you have not missed a key development in your area of the law by reviewing our latest list of recommended actions.
PLC Public Sector reports:
Attempting to achieve policy goals through public procurement spend is becoming increasingly popular (for example, see OGC guidance on social, equality and green issues and a recent Private Members’ Bill). It is very difficult to argue with the concept, why shouldn’t taxpayers’ money be spent in a way that achieves the maximum possible effect? However, attempts to do so have generally fallen short of the mark, with the onus being placed on procurement officers to interpret very general guidance, rather than setting out simple steps to take or requirements to fulfil.
Two recent examples of action taken in this area suggest that lessons may not have been learnt.
PLC Public Sector reports:
Make sure that you have not missed a key development in your area of the law by reviewing our latest list of recommended actions.
If any local authority is considering disposing of land in order to generate income in today’s economically challenging times, the second public interest report issued by the auditor under section 8 of the Audit Commission Act 1998 into Uttoxeter Town Council’s sale of land, is a salutary lesson on how not to proceed.
PLC Public Sector reports:
Make sure that you have not missed a key development in your area of the law by reviewing our latest list of recommended actions.