Tuesday 29th March 2016

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 6:34 pm

@yahyah

Hello!

Rebecca · Post by **Rebecca** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 6:35 pm

yahyah wrote:Using community pharmacists to help reduce the strain on GPs has some merits, but as ever it depends on the motive behind any changes. The consultation is calling for the community pharmacists to be better integrated into primary care...again that doesn't seem a bad thing.

One of the other things in the consultation is about including the price of medication, and how the cost is met, on the prescription label.
Having worked in my previous life to shave nearly 20% off my work place's prescribing budget I know that there is a lot of wastage in the system. It may help for people to realise the true cost of their medication when it is an expensive drug.

There's always the risk though that it may make some people feel guilty at what their ailment is costing, and of course some people in England who pay prescription charges may get grumpy at paying over the odds for a cheap drug.

Hi yahyah,glad that you were not given bad news today.
I agree with your thoughts on showing the cost of prescriptions,e.g a weeks course of amoxicillin costs £1.57,so I imagine people might feel annoyed when they are paying nearly £9 for it,compared with 6 Sumatriptan 100mg tablets which would cost £51.47.

NonOxCol · Post by **NonOxCol** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 6:36 pm

Shot of needle. "Gary is coming off heroin." "Addiction is a way of life." Close-ups of bleak, raddled faces.

Pure BrassEye. In a serious early evening news segment.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 6:36 pm

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... sultations

I get it now.
"If a consultation is published, it's all good, regardless what anyone else says," says Tory government.

Scroll past this riveting publication -
"Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) on Merchant and Fishing Vessels"
- to find the innocuously labelled consultation called,
"Company distributions"
I call it,
"How to avoid paying for the physical and social infrastructure your corporation depends upon"

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 6:41 pm

NonOxCol wrote:Anyone just see that BBC News piece on homelessness? They're all on booze and drugs, dontcha know? 30% increase (50% in Manchester) is nothing to do with the government, guv.

It's just brazen, isn't it?
I'm insulted I'm expected to believe their garbage.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 6:50 pm

1. Yahyah - Thank goodness you're sort of OK - I guess the hunt continues for the right stuff to deal with the pain etc. Good GP you've got there.

2. Pharmacies - this is trying to get docs on the cheap. Yes, pharmacists are under-used in some situations; but they are not trained to be diagnosticians. They are excellent at what they do - they prevent doctors from prescribing stuff that is contra-indicated with other meds, their knowledge is encyclopaedic, and they are brilliant at keeping us safe through accurate dispensing. But - I can see no earthly reason why they should be going into peoples' homes; if a patient needs a medicines reveiw that's what doctors and community nurses are for. As we are going to lose doctors if this crapola with *unt carries on, and we're not training enough nurses, it's obvious what this is really about.

3. BBC News - libraries. 300-plus gone, with the loss of 8,000 jobs. Many of those left are being run by volunteers. In England only, mind.

4. BBC News - homeless report. I agree with NonOxCol on this - it was a very biased report. No mention of the real reasons why homelessness has rocketed under this and the last government. No mention of the cuts to the NTA, the cuts to mental health care, the loss of nearly 70% of NHS based treatment and support services for drug/alcohol misuse. Again, as with libraries, this is happening in England only.

5. I haven't been patronised today. (Yet)

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 6:54 pm

Total Politics ‏@TotalPolitics 6m6 minutes ago
Boundary Review rules reveal timetable for constituency change - http://www.totalpolitics.com/blog/46335 ... ange.thtml" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

Apparently they're going to allow 'ward splitting' this time. Might make our situation here even worse if they do that. Sigh. I'd just like a few bits of bloody good news and events. All Mr Riots and I have had for months now is bad stuff and then even worse stuff.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:12 pm

Though there are arguments for ward splitting, too. It would rarely if ever be necessary if there were more sensible (ie less rigid) rules, though.

What is *really* depressing is that all this malarkey started in order to "correct" something (ie that fabled MASSIVE PRO-LABOUR BIAS) that basically doesn't really exist

Willow904 · Post by **Willow904** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:18 pm

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/s ... _hp_ref=uk" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some schools are charging parents a daily fee to allow children to eat packed lunches they have brought in from home.

The fees, which have been charged by both primary and secondary schools, have been found to be up to £1.80 a day to cover “cleaning and supervision costs”.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) revealed the issue during their Annual Conference.

Has anyone seen anything more on this story? I'm having trouble believing it. It's a bit early for April Fool's, but it can't possibly be right, surely?

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:27 pm

Weaselopolis ‏@NickyHunnam 6m6 minutes ago
Rob to Helen, "darling, I'm not a monster." Everyone listening, "YES YOU ARE!" #TheArchers

Yup. We shouted out exactly that.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:28 pm

Willow904 wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/s ... _hp_ref=uk
Some schools are charging parents a daily fee to allow children to eat packed lunches they have brought in from home.

The fees, which have been charged by both primary and secondary schools, have been found to be up to £1.80 a day to cover “cleaning and supervision costs”.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) revealed the issue during their Annual Conference.
Has anyone seen anything more on this story? I'm having trouble believing it. It's a bit early for April Fool's, but it can't possibly be right, surely?

I've seen a few tweets from Labour MPs who appear to believe it.

seeingclearly · Post by **seeingclearly** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:29 pm

citizenJA wrote:
seeingclearly wrote:IDS and co have tried to kid us anyone who can press a button can contribute, but I see no button pressing jobs that don't require other skills and abilities. And at that point the arguments begin, depending on where you view things from. What I find utterly bizarre is that all of this and the ideologically driven cuts come alongside a known and very real loss of work due to automation of nearly everything, and o great that we have millions of people who are fit, educated, more than capable of work with a little job specific training in yet another kind of scrapheap. It is as though governments are blind to this such is the way it is only ever discussed in terms of competing for jobs, but there are no plans at all for the next stages, nor anything at all about the work that cannot be automated that needs doing and gets left undone because it isn't possible to make a profit out of it.
(cJA edit)

Yes - this

The pharmacy consultation I've posted up the thread is related to this.
Government changes will mean pharmacies will close - most of them.
All the pharmaceutical staff no longer have jobs either.
Unless, of course, government are thinking about pharmacies and pharmaceutical staff taking the place of the NHS.
I've just frightened myself some more.

I just read it, JA, and draw the same conclusions. But there is more because one of the first jarring notes for me was something about pharmacists spending more time with patients, so how this squares with hub and spoke delivery of prescriptions I don't know. Are they going to repurpose Pharmacists like they did OTs. Other things that really irk for me are around compliance, fulfilling prescriptions and the truly awful "paid by" statement to go on labels. But back to compliance many with fluctuating conditions manage their own meds routine, it is not a mechanistic thing. Prescription fulfilment means generic substitutions sometimes from multiple sources, as a person with Parkinsons this one fills me with apprehension and not just for myself, but for the 120,000 who take Parkinsons meds, generics are allowed to have a +/- latitude that can vary as much as 20%, in conditions where people have very specific dose tolerances this can lead to some very unwelcome effects and side effects. This is without different absorbtion rates due to manufacturing differences. If meds are simply stuck in an envelope and delivered to you there is no chance of having human contact to avert issues, in the meantime while you try and sort it out even your doctor is unable to help, and you are left to deal with it alone. We had experience of this some years ago when there was a shortage, campaigning was needed to address the problems.

Tbh I think some of these processes are already underway, I have had little success in the last year in getting my two main medications at the same time, they are so out of synch now that I haven't a clue when they are due, it is costing me and them to sort it out, in phone calls and letters. This in spite of me having to chase it all up fifteen months ago and making sure they are on the same script and that the dosages numbers tally. So it already looks very glitchy. My Pharmacist is lovely, I can talk to her about any problems, but she can only do her bit, I will miss her if her large well known chain also decides that there are savings in it for them and the branch disappears.

Returning to generics: Last month this is what I received, the oval tablets superficially appear the same, colour and shape are consistent with the originals, but they are more than twice as big and in fact are a genuine choking hazard. Not something perhaps that would be picked up in an online ordering system. They also do not do what the originals do, but things like that will no doubt get put down to patient subjectivity. Will they use Amazon style fulfilment? This worries me a lot, because these are not material objects they are things we ingest.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:33 pm

Willow904 wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/s ... _hp_ref=uk
Some schools are charging parents a daily fee to allow children to eat packed lunches they have brought in from home.

The fees, which have been charged by both primary and secondary schools, have been found to be up to £1.80 a day to cover “cleaning and supervision costs”.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) revealed the issue during their Annual Conference.
Has anyone seen anything more on this story? I'm having trouble believing it. It's a bit early for April Fool's, but it can't possibly be right, surely?

The NASUWT have been asked to go public with the names of the schools. Haven't seen anything so far.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:35 pm

Oh dear, Natalie in the news again:

The Glasgow East MP Natalie McGarry will provide financial documents to the SNP this week following claims that thousands of pounds have been unaccounted for from a party bank account.
Ms McGarry’s solicitor said the MP had contacted the SNP’s Glasgow Regional Association (GRA) after it was reported she was under investigation because £4,127.62 of GRA spending could not be explained.

http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/n ... -1-4085396

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:42 pm

Eric_WLothian wrote:Oh dear, Natalie in the news again:

The Glasgow East MP Natalie McGarry will provide financial documents to the SNP this week following claims that thousands of pounds have been unaccounted for from a party bank account.
Ms McGarry’s solicitor said the MP had contacted the SNP’s Glasgow Regional Association (GRA) after it was reported she was under investigation because £4,127.62 of GRA spending could not be explained.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/n ... -1-4085396

Fabulous username someone is sporting BTL - 'the teacake of oppression'.

On a more serious note. I hadn't realised until reading that report that this is another separate investigation into McGarry's financial management ... what's happened to the previous one involving the Women for Independence funds?

seeingclearly · Post by **seeingclearly** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:53 pm

yahyah wrote:Using community pharmacists to help reduce the strain on GPs has some merits, but as ever it depends on the motive behind any changes. The consultation is calling for the community pharmacists to be better integrated into primary care...again that doesn't seem a bad thing.

One of the other things in the consultation is about including the price of medication, and how the cost is met, on the prescription label.
Having worked in my previous life to shave nearly 20% off my work place's prescribing budget I know that there is a lot of wastage in the system. It may help for people to realise the true cost of their medication when it is an expensive drug.

There's always the risk though that it may make some people feel guilty at what their ailment is costing, and of course some people in England who pay prescription charges may get grumpy at paying over the odds for a cheap drug.

Have to agree that theres a lot of wastage, but not neccessarily due to patients themselves, the prescription mixups and the slips between digital fingers so to speak. It took me nearly nine months to get one medication removed from my repeat prescription which goes direct to the pharmacy. I had to really stick my nevk out on it because both parties said it was the others fault, actually it simply was never entered by my GP. In the meantime everytime is was dispensed and sent out to me there was no process to return it. My friend from New Zealand was appalled, it is an expensive drug that is hard to obtain there, in fact there are many drugs they simply don't have, and they pay the doctor to write the script and pay separately for their meds. That is in addition to paying to see the doctor anyway.

Eric_WLothian · Post by **Eric_WLothian** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:55 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Eric_WLothian wrote:Oh dear, Natalie in the news again:

The Glasgow East MP Natalie McGarry will provide financial documents to the SNP this week following claims that thousands of pounds have been unaccounted for from a party bank account.
Ms McGarry’s solicitor said the MP had contacted the SNP’s Glasgow Regional Association (GRA) after it was reported she was under investigation because £4,127.62 of GRA spending could not be explained.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/n ... -1-4085396
Fabulous username someone is sporting BTL - 'the teacake of oppression'.

On a more serious note. I hadn't realised until reading that report that this is another separate investigation into McGarry's financial management ... what's happened to the previous one involving the Women for Independence funds?

Still outstanding, I think. As someone btl mentioned, £6000 paid back to WFI, £4000 unaccounted for in the SNP account.
The other SNP MP (whose name escapes me) with the allegedly dodgy housing deals seems to be taking a while to investigate as well - especially as the Law Society had gathered enough evidence to kick out her solicitor.

The cynical might think cases are being held back until after May...

Post by **refitman** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 7:57 pm

It will come as a shock to almost no-one on here, that as well as being an awful historian, Niall Ferguson is also a terrible writer and researcher: https://theintercept.com/2016/03/29/i-d ... -ferguson/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

seeingclearly · Post by **seeingclearly** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:01 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
Willow904 wrote:http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/s ... _hp_ref=uk
Some schools are charging parents a daily fee to allow children to eat packed lunches they have brought in from home.

The fees, which have been charged by both primary and secondary schools, have been found to be up to £1.80 a day to cover “cleaning and supervision costs”.

The National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT) revealed the issue during their Annual Conference.
Has anyone seen anything more on this story? I'm having trouble believing it. It's a bit early for April Fool's, but it can't possibly be right, surely?
The NASUWT have been asked to go public with the names of the schools. Haven't seen anything so far.

It is not a new story, saw it first a month or two ago. I remember seeing far eastern children, even young ones clean up after themselves and tidy their classrooms too. But more of an issue is that is enough to provide a decent meal, I am sure NHS meals are costed at a fraction of that. Which is, if this is happening and not just a daft proposal, disgraceful when kids are going to school hungry.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:07 pm

Amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012: ‘Hub and spoke’ dispensing, prices of medicines
...regulations are UK-wide...

Dispensing covers a number of different processes such as the receipt of a prescription, clinical and accuracy checks and
sourcing,preparation, assembly and supply of medicines. Traditionally, all these different processes are done in a single
pharmacy.

In a 'hub and spoke' model, however, parts of these processes are undertaken in another pharmacy. This dispensing model,
which is currently only allowed between pharmacies in the same retail business, is gaining popularity due to its potential to
make the dispensing process more efficient, lower operating costs and free up pharmacists to spend more time with patients.

The model allows for cost advantages to be exploited by expanding the scale of assembly and preparation which makes
automation more viable. Automation in dispensing, implemented alongside a robust quality assurance system, is linked
to safer dispensing with fewer dispensing errors. Large scale 'hub' pharmacies have the capability to increase efficiency
and lower operating costs significantly."

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 2016_A.pdf

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:09 pm

I stepped away from here researching and I need to catch up on everyone's posts from the last forty-five minutes or so.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:13 pm

citizenJA wrote:
Amendments to the Human Medicines Regulations 2012: ‘Hub and spoke’ dispensing, prices of medicines
...regulations are UK-wide...

Dispensing covers a number of different processes such as the receipt of a prescription, clinical and accuracy checks and
sourcing,preparation, assembly and supply of medicines. Traditionally, all these different processes are done in a single
pharmacy.

In a 'hub and spoke' model, however, parts of these processes are undertaken in another pharmacy. This dispensing model,
which is currently only allowed between pharmacies in the same retail business, is gaining popularity due to its potential to
make the dispensing process more efficient, lower operating costs and free up pharmacists to spend more time with patients.

The model allows for cost advantages to be exploited by expanding the scale of assembly and preparation which makes
automation more viable. Automation in dispensing, implemented alongside a robust quality assurance system, is linked
to safer dispensing with fewer dispensing errors. Large scale 'hub' pharmacies have the capability to increase efficiency
and lower operating costs significantly."

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... 2016_A.pdf

Sounds like a recipe for less accountability when something goes wrong ...? Also possibly awful news for independent pharmacies who end up as 'spokes' with likely less income for merely passing on the scrip rather than making it up. Sad as these pharmacies are probably the ones who have most connection with their customers and would spot when something might need checking / challenging etc.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:23 pm

yahyah wrote:Using community pharmacists to help reduce the strain on GPs has some merits, but as ever it depends on the motive behind any changes. The consultation is calling for the community pharmacists to be better integrated into primary care...again that doesn't seem a bad thing.

One of the other things in the consultation is about including the price of medication, and how the cost is met, on the prescription label.
Having worked in my previous life to shave nearly 20% off my work place's prescribing budget I know that there is a lot of wastage in the system. It may help for people to realise the true cost of their medication when it is an expensive drug.

There's always the risk though that it may make some people feel guilty at what their ailment is costing, and of course some people in England who pay prescription charges may get grumpy at paying over the odds for a cheap drug.

Mr Ohso and I use our pharmacy for BP checks and had our flu jabs there. It's far quicker than trying to see the nurse at the doctors.
The hospital doctor assumed that Mr Ohso's GP was checking on him. We said no. And we have a lot of consulting by phone now.
We've noticed that once upon a time whatever you saw the doc for whatever reason, he/she would automatically check your BP. They don't any more.
Even with heart attacks, a by-pass, and some horrific stress in the past, my reading was always perfect right up until seven months ago. Now I have mild hypertension. I've been to the surgery three times since then, and they've not bothered to take it. So I keep an eye on it via the lovely girl at the chemist.

Although I disapprove strongly, I am grateful the pharmacy is there.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:30 pm

The Atlantic ‏@TheAtlantic 13m13 minutes ago
Susan Sarandon says she might prefer Trump to Clinton. How many Bernie backers agree? http://theatln.tc/21RQw6U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Good grief. No matter how much you might not warm to Clinton, she's surely got to be the choice over Trump every time?

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:54 pm

Apologies if this has been posted previously

http://www.thecanary.co/2016/03/29/cons ... -election/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

seeingclearly · Post by **seeingclearly** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 8:59 pm

Pharmacists are the experts in the substances they dispense. My GP isn't knowledgable in the same way. This expertise will be lost. A bit like librarians.

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:04 pm

A question perhaps for the education boffins...if you take a child out of school to home school part way through the school year, when does the funding cease? Is the funding for the whole year, or would it cease as soon as the LEA was informed?

seeingclearly · Post by **seeingclearly** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:07 pm

Yahyah, I am glad for you that nasty is ticked off the list.

btw, I am not against a cost being given on medication, just the paid for by statement, is this softening us up for insurance based prescriptions or is it just to guilt trip people or signal to them and carers etc. that this is a welfare patient.

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:11 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
The Atlantic ‏@TheAtlantic 13m13 minutes ago
Susan Sarandon says she might prefer Trump to Clinton. How many Bernie backers agree? http://theatln.tc/21RQw6U" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Good grief. No matter how much you might not warm to Clinton, she's surely got to be the choice over Trump every time?

Hilary has got a lot of baggage as well as an FBI investigation on her arse. She could be indicted before she gets to the convention - although Im sure she will wriggle out of that. Another problem for her is the Donald knows exactly where the Clinton dirt is buried, and he will almost certainly use it.

I sort of think the US electorate have decided the establishment is the problem - on left and right - and Trump and Bernie are anti establishment figures. Clinton is establishment continuity. Almost every poll shows her winning by less than Sanders against Trump, but once we are into a campaign anything can happen. Its a bit like the last days of the Weimar Republic really. Now that's a frightening thought.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:12 pm

ohsocynical wrote:
yahyah wrote:Using community pharmacists to help reduce the strain on GPs has some merits, but as ever it depends on the motive behind any changes. The consultation is calling for the community pharmacists to be better integrated into primary care...again that doesn't seem a bad thing.

One of the other things in the consultation is about including the price of medication, and how the cost is met, on the prescription label.
Having worked in my previous life to shave nearly 20% off my work place's prescribing budget I know that there is a lot of wastage in the system. It may help for people to realise the true cost of their medication when it is an expensive drug.

There's always the risk though that it may make some people feel guilty at what their ailment is costing, and of course some people in England who pay prescription charges may get grumpy at paying over the odds for a cheap drug.
Mr Ohso and I use our pharmacy for BP checks and had our flu jabs there. It's far quicker than trying to see the nurse at the doctors.
The hospital doctor assumed that Mr Ohso's GP was checking on him. We said no. And we have a lot of consulting by phone now.
We've noticed that once upon a time whatever you saw the doc for whatever reason, he/she would automatically check your BP. They don't any more.
Even with heart attacks, a by-pass, and some horrific stress in the past, my reading was always perfect right up until seven months ago. Now I have mild hypertension. I've been to the surgery three times since then, and they've not bothered to take it. So I keep an eye on it via the lovely girl at the chemist.

Although I disapprove strongly, I am grateful the pharmacy is there.

The very things you're describing, Ohso, the attentions you receive from your pharmacist and assistants sound familiar. I've very much the same relationship and that's why I'm concerned. My pharmacist has a delicacy, fine sense of timing - he knows what is appropriate. He's trusted. He can be trusted because he doesn't go beyond boundaries. I'm particularly fond of the team because the medication I pick up from them isn't typical. And it's a good thing my doctor and my pharmacist know me. They trust me and I trust them. I'd be horrified to learn someone in a van will drop it off (or not) at my home without my pharmacist okaying that prescription. It's too dangerous. Too much could go wrong.

Government must stop their abuse of the NHS. They're wrong.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:17 pm

Hobiejoe wrote:A question perhaps for the education boffins...if you take a child out of school to home school part way through the school year, when does the funding cease? Is the funding for the whole year, or would it cease as soon as the LEA was informed?

It's nowhere near as sophisticated as that. Funding is based on a census taken on one day in the year (January I think from memory) so the office people rush round like a mad thing getting bums on seats for that day so they can get the maximum income for the following year.

IIRC nursery numbers are taken at three points but rest of school...one day.

Hobiejoe · Post by **Hobiejoe** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:24 pm

RogerOThornhill wrote:
Hobiejoe wrote:A question perhaps for the education boffins...if you take a child out of school to home school part way through the school year, when does the funding cease? Is the funding for the whole year, or would it cease as soon as the LEA was informed?
It's nowhere near as sophisticated as that. Funding is based on a census taken on one day in the year (January I think from memory) so the office people rush round like a mad thing getting bums on seats for that day so they can get the maximum income for the following year.

IIRC nursery numbers are taken at three points but rest of school...one day.

Ah, thanks for that. I was just about to don my tin-foil hat! We took C out at the October half-term, and received a letter from them confirming that they (a freshly-minted member of a MAT) had informed the LEA, yet the LEA home schooling people had no record of him leaving as of a few weeks ago, so was wondering whether it was cock-up or conspiracy.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:26 pm

Hobiejoe wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
Hobiejoe wrote:A question perhaps for the education boffins...if you take a child out of school to home school part way through the school year, when does the funding cease? Is the funding for the whole year, or would it cease as soon as the LEA was informed?
It's nowhere near as sophisticated as that. Funding is based on a census taken on one day in the year (January I think from memory) so the office people rush round like a mad thing getting bums on seats for that day so they can get the maximum income for the following year.

IIRC nursery numbers are taken at three points but rest of school...one day.
Ah, thanks for that. I was just about to don my tin-foil hat! We took C out at the October half-term, and received a letter from them confirming that they (a freshly-minted member of a MAT) had informed the LEA, yet the LEA home schooling people had no record of him leaving as of a few weeks ago, so was wondering whether it was cock-up or conspiracy.

As with most things educational, think cock-up...

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:37 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35922046" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Steel giant Tata expected to announce sale of entire UK business

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... ort-talbot" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:39 pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-35915830" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

NS&I cuts savings rates and number of Premium Bond prizes

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:42 pm

seeingclearly wrote:Pharmacists are the experts in the substances they dispense. My GP isn't knowledgable in the same way. This expertise will be lost. A bit like librarians.

You've a beautiful talent for writing what I try to communicate.
I'm completely fine acknowledging your superior writing ability.

ohsocynical · Post by **ohsocynical** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 9:52 pm

Simon Vessey Retweeted
Tiger ‏@ImaTigerrr 10m10 minutes ago
Tiger Retweeted Sarah Sanderson

@chunkymark Confirmed via BBC all #Tata UK steel to shut down all sites to be sold

danesclose · Post by **danesclose** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:05 pm

ohsocynical wrote:Simon Vessey Retweeted
Tiger ‏@ImaTigerrr 10m10 minutes ago
Tiger Retweeted Sarah Sanderson

@chunkymark Confirmed via BBC all #Tata UK steel to shut down all sites to be sold

Government really doing its best for British manufacturing, again

Temulkar · Post by **Temulkar** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:17 pm

According to News at 10 on ITV the tory govt is going to nationalise the plant? Surely to god that cant be true?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:26 pm

Land Registry: moving operations to the private sector
The case for change

"Where there is no compelling case for keeping an asset in public ownership and there are clear advantages to considering
alternatives it is right to explore a change. There are benefits to moving Land Registry into the private sector in return for
receipts that can be used to reduce public debt or fund other public spending. The key test is therefore whether or not
there is a strong case for continued public ownership. In Land Registry’s case, the Government believes that, with the
right protections in place, there is no need for the core functions of the Land Registry to be delivered by civil servants.
Subject to a value for money assessment, the balance lies in favour of a sale, releasing resource that can be used
elsewhere for the public benefit. This is the primary driver for change."

Land Registry consultation
Department for Business, Innovation & Skills and The Shareholder Executive
First published: 24 March 2016

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... sector.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultat ... ate-sector

(my emphasis)

That first sentence tells us all we have to know about current Tory government.
Turn the thing around - trade 'public ownership' for 'private ownership'.
I'm uncomfortable with that statement too.
Apologies if I'm re-hashing something already posted.

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:27 pm

If it's not broken, why insist it must be?

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:28 pm

How's Universal Credit doing?

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:28 pm

Temulkar wrote:According to News at 10 on ITV the tory govt is going to nationalise the plant? Surely to god that cant be true?

Apart from being very sensible given strategic importance and massive start up costs ("once it's gone it's gone"), it would be utterly hilarious given some people's likely reaction to the news.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:30 pm

Glad to see there's been no time wasted placing the blame on Labour.

" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:31 pm

Torcuil Crichton ‏@Torcuil 12m12 minutes ago
Scores on the doors from the STV election debate. New post on Whitehall1212:
http://bit.ly/1PE7te6" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:36 pm

Beth Rigby ‏@BethRigby 22m22 minutes ago
15k steel jobs on line after #Tata decides to sell its' UK operations. Beyond grim

Tom Blenkinsop ‏@TomBlenkinsop 15m15 minutes ago
If Govt are actively looking into temp/nationalisation, details sooner rather than later would be excellent #saveoursteel @CommunityUnion

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 10:39 pm

Chris ShipVerified account
‏@chrisshipitv
Government source: we will do all we can for UK steel but at the end of it all "we may be unsuccessful"

Tom Blenkinsop ‏@TomBlenkinsop 3m3 minutes ago
Tom Blenkinsop Retweeted Chris Ship
Government need to be pressed on what "we will do all we can" means #saveoursteel @communityunion

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 11:13 pm

National Audit Office (NAO)
Local Enterprise Partnerships

"The role and remit of Local Enterprise Partnerships has grown significantly and rapidly since 2010, but as things stand,
the approach taken by the Department of Communities and Local Government to overseeing Growth Deals risks future
value for money, according to the National Audit Office."

"The government encouraged the establishment of Local Enterprise Partnerships as private sector-led strategic partnerships
which would determine and influence local growth priorities. With the advent of the Local Growth Fund, the amount of central government funding received by
Local Enterprise Partnerships is projected to rise to £12 billion between 2015-16 and 2020-21 via locally negotiated Growth Deals.
The Department, however, has not set specific quantifiable objectives for what it hopes to achieve through Growth Deals,
meaning that it will be difficult to assess how they have contributed to economic growth.

Today’s report found that Local Enterprise Partnerships themselves have serious reservations about their capacity to deliver and the increasing complexity of the local landscape.
To oversee and deliver Growth Deal projects effectively, Local Enterprise Partnerships need access to staff with expertise in
complex areas such as forecasting, economic modelling and monitoring and evaluation. Only 5% of Local Enterprise Partnerships considered that the resources available to them
were sufficient to meet the expectations placed on them by government. In addition, 69% of Local Enterprise Partnerships reported that they did
not have sufficient staff and 28% did not think that their staff were sufficiently skilled.

" The NAO found that Local Enterprise Partnerships rely on their local authority partners for staff and expertise,
and that private sector contributions have not yet materialised to the extent expected."

“Local Enterprise Partnerships’ role has expanded rapidly and significantly but
they are not as transparent to the public as we would expect, especially given they
are now responsible for significant amounts of taxpayers’ money. While the Department
has adopted a ‘light touch’ approach to overseeing Growth Deals, it is important that this
doesn’t become ‘no touch’. The Department needs to do more to assure itself that the
mechanisms it is relying on ensure value for money are, in fact, effective.”

- Amyas Morse
National Audit Office
23 March 2016

https://www.nao.org.uk/press-releases/l ... tnerships/

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 11:20 pm

Land Registry: moving operations to the private sector
The case for change

"There are benefits to moving Land Registry into the private sector in return
for receipts that can be used to" get even richer off taxpayer property.

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultat ... ate-sector

citizenJA · Post by **citizenJA** » Tue 29 Mar, 2016 11:23 pm

How secure does Tory government keep the UK?
Tory government are not good enough.