Five Britons a week travel to Iraq and Syria to join Isis, says Met chief

Five Britons are travelling to Iraq and Syria to join Islamic State (Isis) every week, the UK’s most senior police officer has revealed, after reports that a third jihadi from Portsmouth has been killed in the conflict.

Speaking at a national security conference in London, he said militants’ activities were “not just the horrors of distant lands” and warned of the terrorist threat posed in the UK by returning fighters.

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The Guardian

Building a better working world for women

EY’s Worldwide Index of Women as Public Sector Leaders, published earlier this year, analyzes gender equality in public sector leadership around the world. What were the key findings?

Who leads the public sector is important. Public sector leaders – politicians, civil servants and board members – are responsible for the general welfare of their citizens and give protection to the most vulnerable members of society. Diversity, too, is crucial, because diverse teams are proven to stimulate innovation and new ways of problem solving.

Only 5% of healthcare professionals think NHS reforms were ‘positive’

Only 5% of healthcare professionals think the recent NHS reforms have had a positive impact, a new study has found.

In July, Dods surveyed 3,628 health staff via an online questionnaire on their experiences of the reforms, the organisations driving change, and their expectations for the next 12 months.

The survey also found that only 2% believe their organisation has sufficient financial resources to support itself.

Public sector lacks IT skills to deliver services effectively

Almost half (45%) of public sector staff feel the workforce does not have the skills needed to continue delivering public services well, with 21% admitting IT is one of the most sought skills in the sector according to a survey by totaljobs.com and Dods Research.

The survey of more than 1,600 public sector workers from central government, local government and the health sector, identified several skills contributing to the IT gap. 

Met Chief Warns Five Britons a Week Joining IS in Syria

SecurityNewsDesk was on hand for the insightful presentation by Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Service, at the National Security Summit, held on Tuesday October 21st.

At the event, he said that at least five Britons a week are heading to Syria to fight for Islamic State terrorists, as well as pointing out that the true figure was likely to be far higher as officers cannot keep watch on all routes to the war zone. He also admitted that the return of militarised jihadis to the streets of the UK posed a threat to security.

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Security News Desk

Increased it skills in government will help improve public services

Technology investment and staff training will enable local authorities to ‘do more with less’ 

Three quarters of local government authorities (75 per cent) have embraced technology to transform their services, according to new research from BT. However, these organisations must now address IT skills gaps in order to increase efficiency and maximise the benefits from these investments.

Vast majority of NHS staff say reform had negative impact.

Only 5% of health professionals in the UK think reforms in the NHS have had a positive impact and many believe that improving patient care comes second to making savings.

That is the outcome of a survey from public services polling company Dods. Its analysis is based on replies to an online questionnaire in July by 3,628 health staff who were asked about their experiences of reforms from the Health and Social Care Act 2012, the organisations driving change, and their expectations for the next 12 months.

 Money is a prime concern with only 2% saying their organisation had sufficient financial resource and 71% disagreeing with the idea that they have enough budgetary support to support their organisation.

Dods Health reform research highlight the strong leadership role of CCGs but also the ongoing challenges we all need to tackle

Dr Amanda Doyle, co-chair of NHS Clinical Commissioners and Chief Clinical Officer for NHS Blackpool CCG said:

“The Dods ‘Health reforms: a check-up’ recognises the important role that clinical commissioners now play in the wider health system, bringing new and innovative approaches to better healthcare for their local populations. We welcome the reports finding that CCGs are offering new local solutions to the system and are also a strong driver for change that engage and interact with key partners right across the health economy. However the report also reflects a number of the challenges our members face. Key amongst those is the financial pressures facing CCGs.”

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NHSCC

The health reforms: a check-up

For many organisations in the NHS, improving patient care comes second to making efficiency savings, a new study by Dods has found.

Dods report shows that only 5% of health professionals think the health reforms have had a positive impact.

In July 2014, 3,628 health staff were surveyed via an online questionnaire on their experiences of the reforms, the organisations driving change, and their expectations for the next 12 months.

Savings not standards are priority, finds survey

Efficiency savings are the top priority of many NHS organizations with improving patient care ranked in second place, finds a survey conducted by Dods, a provider of public sector and political research, surveys and polls. Only 5% of health professionals surveyed said they think the health reforms have had a positive impact.

Using an online questionnaire Dods surveyed 3,628 health staff about their experiences of the reforms, the organisations driving change, and their expectations for the next 12 months. NHS staff reported they are under heavy financial pressure. Only 2% said their organisation had sufficient financial resource to support their organisation.