News & views

We collate and provide links to news and views from around the world to help share ideas and thinking for policy makers, procurers, providers, and any other organisations working in the public sector sphere to deliver better public services.

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News: Care robots could revolutionise UK care system and provide staff extra support
The UK moves one step closer to developing robots capable of providing support for Britons and making caring responsibilities easier, thanks to £34 million government investment announced today. (source: gov.uk)
18th November 2019
New Thinking: Exploring the link between social policy and public trust
Historically, there has been a strong link between robust social policy and higher levels of public trust. Source: themandarin.com.au
10th October 2019
NESTA: Radical Views of Future Government
This is written from a British context, but combinations of these issues have a resonance in governments around the world. We wanted a serious rethink about what government is, what it should do, and how it should work. source: media.nesta.org.uk
26th September 2019
Institute for Government: Government outsourcing - what has worked and what needs reform?
"Labour’s policy of bringing public services back into government hands by default would be a mistake. But senior politicians have consistently overstated how much money is saved by outsourcing services". (instituteforgovernment.org.uk)
16th September 2019
View: Forget AI in healthcare, augmented intelligence and distributed ledger technology will transform healthcare
“Healthcare is not like banking,” says Dr. Anushka Patchava, Expert Adviser to the United Nations. “Rather it’s a more emotional business. Artificial intelligence in healthcare implies the use of…non-human systems, like computers, performing tasks such as decision-making, without a human touch".(informationage.com)
13th September 2019
New Thinking: Giving the charitable sector the tools it needs to survive
A new report from Canada recommends a national volunteerism strategy and a regulatory approach that updates the definition of a charity.
6th September 2019
Autonomous passenger ferries: Congestion-buster or hype on the high seas?
The world’s first autonomous passenger ferry demonstration took place off the coast of Finland ealier this year. Are we set to see such services scale up?
6th September 2019
News: UK installs next-generation digital signage on its roads
Construction and engineering technology company, Costain, and traffic technology group, Swarco, have partnered to develop and install the next generation of digital road message signs across England (Source:https://www.smartcitiesworld.net/news/news/uk-installs-next-generation-digital-signage-on-its-roads-4499)
23rd August 2019
New thinking: NEWS How can AI-powered cameras measure customers’ happiness?
AI-enabled cameras are helping the RTA to analyse the facial expressions of passengers which then allows decision-makers to take actions to rectify the situation. (Source: https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/86522/ai-powered-cameras-measure-happiness/)
23rd August 2019
Report: Violence cut at seven of 10 'challenging' prisons
Levels of violence and drug taking have fallen since last year at some of England's "most challenging" prisons, the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has said. The rate of assaults fell by 16%, while failed drug tests also dropped across the 10 prisons that were given £10m extra security funding in 2018. (Source:https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-49431495)
23rd August 2019
New thinking: AI screens populations, subgroups for clinical depression
Machine learning algorithms can comb population-level patient databases to find individuals who might benefit by treatment for depression, a study running in the Journal of Medical Internet Research has shown. (Source:https://www.aiin.healthcare/topics/diagnostics/ai-screens-populations-subgroups-clinical-depression)
22nd August 2019
New thinking: In Clink prison restaurants, there is fellowship in food
The Ministry of Justice produced a report last week, showing that the Clink Charity had had a “statistically significant” impact on reoffending rates among prisoners. (Source:https://www.theguardian.com/food/2019/aug/08/in-clink-prison-restaurants-there-is-fellowship-in-food)
22nd August 2019
Views: Is London Smart City Initiative as smart as it could be?
It’s been a year since the launch of the Mayor of London’s smart city roadmap, designed to transform the capital into the smartest city in the world. But twelve months later, is the city any smarter? (Source:https://workplaceinsight.net/is-london-smart-city-initiative-as-smart-as-it-could-be/)
21st August 2019
News: Inmate Rewards For Respectful Guards Can Help Curb Prison Violence
Prisons can be made safer by granting inmates the opportunity to reward staff for being “respectful, helpful and professional”, according to a new report. (Source:https://rightsinfo.org/inmates-should-reward-respectful-prison-staff/)
21st August 2019
News: Ontario prison farms making a comeback
Prison farms in Canada had been operating for more than a century. Over the years, the system shifted from forced labour to a rehabilitation program run by CORCAN, a Correctional Service of Canada program that provides inmates with employment experience and skills. (Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/prison-farm-program-readying-for-relaunch-in-ontario-1.5247129)
20th August 2019
New thinking: Could smart ticketing technology signal the end of station barriers?
The end of ticket barriers could be nigh, with new technology being developed and trialled by Hitachi Rail. The prototype technology would use sensors on trains to detect an app on passengers’ smartphones as they board. (Source: https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-news/85899/smart-ticketing-end-station-barriers/)
20th August 2019
News: Smart mobility drives smart cities
Modern urban logistics and transport networks are under pressure from many sources. According to PwC, people will continue to migrate from rural areas to cities and by 2050 the urban population will have increased by 75%. (Source: https://www.propertyweek.com/insight/smart-mobility-drives-smart-cities/5103935.article)
19th August 2019
Views: Prison reform group calls for end to ‘long-term’ solitary confinement
Two-dozen prison reform activists recently rallied at Department of Corrections headquarters in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland County, pushing for changes to solitary confinement and calling for an inquiry into alleged “abuses” at one corrections facility. (Source: https://papost.org/2019/08/05/prison-reform-group-calls-for-end-to-long-term-solitary-confinement/)
19th August 2019
View: What smart cities idea needs to get off ground
Smart cities may be the future trend in the next few years. A smart city is one that takes advantage of technology to collect data and use it to manage resources for public good. (Source: https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/lifestyle/pfinance/What-smart-cities-idea-needs-to-get-off-ground/4258410-5240274-7bx12sz/index.html)
19th August 2019
Innovation: How Scotland is moving to sustainable public transport
In light of the global climate emergency, it is confirmed that the Scottish Government, including Transport Scotland, would look across a whole range of responsibilities to make sure that we continue with the policies that are underway to reduce emissions and, where necessary, take additional actions. (Source: https://www.intelligenttransport.com/transport-articles/85955/scotland-moving-sustainable-public-transport/)
16th August 2019

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