6989posts
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A Modern Civil Service - a new vision, for all of us
You might have heard about the launch of the renewed vision for the Civil Service, A Modern Civil Service, and the Declaration on Government Reform. But what does this mean for the Civil Service and all of us?
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Virtual clinical skills trainers and quality assurance leads (AAA) regional networking events
Register now for a regional AAA networking event in September.
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Meeting policy intent and user needs at the same time
In this post, aimed at product managers, Isabelle Andrews explains how her team adapted impact mapping to help align user and business needs. This technique kept them focused on what matters most.
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UK market access to Japan for poultry exports
There is positive coverage today of the news that the UK has secured market access to Japan for poultry exports.
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My pride in our big family community
Community has the power to lift spirits, promote tolerance and provide acceptance – and James Wand has found it in abundance since joining HM Land Registry this year.
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What students, teachers, parents and carers think and feel about assessments this year in the wake of the pandemic
Foreword by Paul Newton, Ofqual Research Chair. Ofqual has a statutory duty to promote public confidence in regulated qualifications, which means that we need to listen carefully to what people think and feel about them. Never has this obligation been …
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Minister Pow discusses storm overflows with Professor Hammond
This afternoon's blog looks at a meeting between Environment Minister Rebecca Pow and Professor Hammond, former professor at University College London and visiting scientist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology until December last year.
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Shaping the future of our facilities management
Although 2025 may seem like a long way off, we’ve already started getting DVLA ready to exit one of our most complex contracts when it expires in just under 4 years’ time. It is the agency’s largest contract and on its expiry in 2025 will have run for a period of 20 years. Julia Ashford, FM Futures Programme Lead, tells us more.
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CCC Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk
There’s been extensive coverage of the Climate Change Committee’s Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) report out today, which suggests the nation’s efforts to adapt to climate change is not keeping pace with the impacts of a warming planet and the increased range of climate risks this brings to the UK.
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How Real User Monitoring will improve GOV.UK for everyone
In this blog post we explain how Real User Monitoring (RUM) gives us an understanding of why a page is performing badly and how to fix it.
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Lessons in Leadership
Civil Service award winner Chris Atkinson topped the category for Inspirational Leadership. Below, Chris shares the secrets of his success. When I was asked to write a blog about leadership, I immediately found the spectre of self-doubt raising its ugly …
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Why the CMA is making changes to the funerals sector
The CMA has completed an in-depth market investigation into the funerals sector after concerns were raised that funeral directors were not treating customers fairly. To address these concerns and help consumers during what is often a difficult time, we've issued a legal Order to funeral directors and crematorium operators.
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Negative interest rates: the lowdown
This month we consider why negative interest rates might be chosen and what might happen as a result. In looking at the lowdown, we also examine the impact of negative interest rates and what these mean for consumers and for the banking industry.
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Inequalities consistently addressed in quality assurance visits to local NHS screening services
A national audit of quality assurance visits to local screening services found that SQAS teams consistently address inequalities in visits across all screening programmes.
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Enabling active choices online: Trialling behaviourally informed prototypes
Following publication of our review of online targeting, we began to work with the Behavioural Insights Team (BIT) to explore different ways to empower users to make active choices online about their privacy and personalisation settings. We defined “active choices” …
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Boundaryless leadership through role modelling 2021 - an online event
Join us at our online event on 30 June, where we will be exploring aspects of leadership to support your career progression. Sessions will focus on boundaryless leadership, mentoring and positive role modelling.
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Enhancing knowledge and protection: St Helena and the Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network
St Helena is an oceanic island located in the tropical South Atlantic. Home to a fantastic array of marine biodiversity, it is one of the ten UK Overseas Territories that are part of the new Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network. …
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Tomosynthesis – training requirement update for staff reporting images
The training requirements for staff reporting digital breast tomosynthesis images within the NHS breast screening programme have been revised.
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Secondment opportunities for competition lawyers
We're launching a new round of secondment opportunities for competition lawyers, to start on 1 February 2021. The deadline for applications is Monday 30 November 2020.
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IPA International and the Global Infrastructure Programme: improving infrastructure project preparation worldwide
Tom Hill, IPA International Infrastructure Analyst, reflects on IPA International Team's achievements through the Global Infrastructure Programme (GIP) over the past few years.
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Emily Miles’ stakeholder update - consumer insights, regulatory reform, and World Food Safety Day
FSA Chief Executive Emily Miles discusses World Food Safety Day, gives an update on the FSA’s regulatory reform programme, and reflects on the latest consumer insight.
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Visiting the River Wharfe
The Chair of the Environment Agency, Emma Howard Boyd, visited the River Wharfe in Ilkley, Yorkshire, last week.
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Learn more about Plastic Free July from the Environment Agency
Join a webinar with the Environment Agency on the 6th or 7th of July. Find out more and book your ticket online
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Yes, Minister
Behind every government minister is an indispensable team. Pamela Dow on how a decade old ambition to better support those who support ministers finally came to life. For want of a nail, the shoe was lost. For want of a …
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Asking people about their ethnicity
Richard Laux outlines the 3 main reasons for collecting data about people’s ethnicity and identifies 6 principles for collecting these to meet all users’ needs.
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Celebrating World Blood Donor Day with my 100th blood donation
To mark World Blood Donor Day, Digital Technology Standards Manager Charlie Beckett explains his motivations for giving blood on the occasion of what will be his 100th donation.
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Learning JavaScript with Code First Girls
Last month, DWP Digital hosted an online introduction to JavaScript course in partnership with Code First Girls.
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What the updated approach for shellfish harvesting areas means for industry and consumers
Rebecca Sudworth, Director of Policy, reflects on the work we’ve been doing to help shellfish businesses adjust to the new relationship with the EU. She explains some changes that have been made to our approach for classifying shellfish harvesting areas and what this means for businesses and consumers.
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Transforming building maintenance and repair services for our Armed Forces customers
One of DIO’s main responsibilities is management of the Defence estate and a substantial part of this responsibility involves ensuring that our buildings, accommodation and training estate are working as well as they can be. We work together with our …
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New guidance on improving access to NHS screening programmes for people with learning disabilities
New national guidance for health professionals to support people with learning disabilities to understand and access the NHS screening programmes.
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Secretary of State Talks To...London Ambulance Service
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care visited London Ambulance Service NHS Trust to meet with paramedics, 999 call handlers and colleagues from across the Trust.
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Incident report: GOV.UK outage on 8 June 2021
On 8 June 2021 GOV.UK had an outage. Here’s what happened and how we responded.
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UK and EU conclude agreement on catch levels for 2021
In today’s blog, we look at reaching an agreement on catch levels for 2021 with the EU.
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Border Force health measures factsheet
To protect the public and the UK's vaccine rollout, as international travel resumes the Government will maintain its enhanced borders regime, which include 100% checks and traffic light system for international travel. Travel will continue to be different and passengers face …
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What we’re doing to make the Service Manual community-led
In this blog post, the team behind the Service Manual gives an update on their work and how they collaborate with cross-government communities.
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Join us for a celebration of the Civil Service on Public Services Day
Find out how to sign up for our Public Services Day event and broaden your knowledge of the Civil Service.
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Think Before You Link - To The Civil Service And Beyond!
From The Insider Research Threat Centre at the Centre for the Protection Of National Infrastructure (CNPI). The ‘Think Before You Link’ (TBYL) campaign was launched in April across the Civil Service by Dominic Fortescue, the Chief Security Officer. The campaign …
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Engineering Better Policy : Royal Academy of Engineering Policy Fellowships
The Royal Academy of Engineering (RAEng) has recently announced the September Engineering Policy Fellowship cohort is open for applications, until the 5th of July 2021. The policy fellowships represent a key opportunity for Senior Civil Servants (SCS) and Public Servants …
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MMO Harbour Orders and the G7 World Leaders Summit
The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) have been involved in the preparation for the 47th G7 Summit, which is being held between 11 – 13 June at the Carbis Bay Hotel, near St Ives, Cornwall. The G7 is made up of …
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New toolkit offers a fresh look at infection prevention
Developed by the NHS and then adapted for use in social care, a new infection prevention control toolkit has been launched to help all social care colleagues protect themselves and those they care for. It can be used to start a conversation and help you find the answer to the question: ‘What can I do better?’