IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

Government agencies should make far better use of data about individual benefits claimants to help them find work - and predict what barriers may be in their way, an influential think tank has recommended.

In its report "Joined up welfare: the next steps for personalisation", the free market thinktank Policy Exchange calls for a radical shake up in employment services. It proposes that JobCentre Plus, which "performs well at the administration of benefits, and bringing certain groups closer to the labour market" by supplemented by specialist job-finding services.

Read more: GB: Call for data sharing to fight unemploymentv

A plan has been agreed that could save two district councils more than £500,000 by sharing services.

Members of Huntingdonshire District Council’s and South Cambridgeshire District Council’s cabinets approved a strategic partnership on Thursday that will see them share building control, legal and ICT services.

Cambridge City Council on Monday also considered a report to join the partnership, sharing legal and ICT services.

Read more: GB: Huntingdonshire District Council could be set to make £500,000 saving by sharing services

A year ago, upon taking office as Finance Minister, I outlined my vision that Northern Ireland should aspire to have the most innovative public sector in the world, harnessing the advantages of our size and our experience and leveraging the opportunities of public spending pressure to renew, redesign, rethink, restructure and reform our government. We live in an impatient world. I knew a year ago that some would expect the results of my reform agenda to materialise almost instantly. That was never going to be the case.

Read more: GB: Northern Ireland: We’re in the foothills of reform

Using electronic health records to understand the best available treatment for patients, from a range of possible options, is more efficient and less costly for taxpayers than the existing clinical trial process, new research shows.

The study, which is published in the journal Health Technology Assessment, looked at the use of statins in 300 people with high risk of cardiovascular disease by tracking their electronic records. It also examined the use of antibiotics in participants with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Read more: GB: Better use of e-health records cuts clinical trial costs