4393posts
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Patients given more choice to help cut NHS waiting times - what you need to know
We have announced plans to offer patients more choice over where they receive their NHS treatment after they are referred by their GP. Further information is available here. What are the new measures? Patients will now have greater control over …
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From lumberjack to lumberjill: Why forestry isn't just for men.
Kate Hawley Area Operations Manager for Yorkshire and the North East reflects on her experience of being a women in forestry and the significance of the new exhibition that has opened in Grizedale.
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Natural England chair Tony Juniper responds to criticism of nutrient neutrality
Natural England chair Tony Juniper responds to criticism of nutrient neutrality
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New Hospital Programme – media fact sheet
This fact sheet sets out the latest on the government’s New Hospital Programme, following the announcement that five hospitals constructed mostly using reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) will be rebuilt by 2030 as part of the New Hospital Programme - …
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Coverage on government support for tenant farmers in response to the Rock Review
Yesterday (24 May), the government published a range of measures to support tenant farmers and help provide long-term sustainability for the tenant farming sector in its response to the independent Rock Review.
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How can digital technologies support care?
Most of us now use digital technology in some way in our day to day lives. It’s no different in the adult social care sector and often the same technologies and gadgets we use at home can be used to support how we care for people. But when this everyday tech is packaged up as “care technology” it can feel a bit technical...
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Coverage on the marine and coastal wildlife code
Today there has been coverage on BBC Breakfast on the launch of England’s first ever national Marine and Coastal Wildlife Code.
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AI brings potentially huge benefits to the public sector but we need clear standards and greater transparency
Chair of the Committee, Lord Evans, reflects on the Committee's AI report and the potential benefits to the public sector.
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A beginners’ guide to using frameworks for school buying
Emily Wignall, Digital Engagement and Information Manager in the DfE’s Schools Commercial Team explains what a framework is and how using one can help your school navigate a legally compliant buying process, whilst saving time and money.
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My learning journey in the Defra Cloud Academy
Associate Cloud Engineer Darcie Ingram reflects on her experiences being part of the first cohort of ‘cadets’ to join our new Cloud Academy.
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Nutrient neutrality coverage continued
Today there has been coverage in the Times newspaper inaccurately claiming that Natural England’s rules have prevented developers from building thousands of homes.
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Our early years curriculum roadshows on the education inspection framework (EIF)
We’re on the final stretch of our journey around the country delivering our early years curriculum roadshows on the education inspection framework (EIF). Now seems a good time to look at how far we’ve come and where we’re going to …
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5 things you need to know about being a prison officer
Starting out as a prison officer 35 years ago, Dawn progressed up the ranks to governor, a role she’s held in several prisons. She shares her thoughts and reflections on working as a prison officer, how it’s changed over the …
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Delegated healthcare activities: the principles of great care
What’s your definition of high quality care and support? Safe? Consistent? Person-centred? It is all those things. Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse fort Adult Social Care, celebrates the publication of ‘Delegated healthcare activities: guiding principles for health and social care in England’, giving social care colleagues enhanced tools to deliver the very best care.
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Supporting tenant farmers: our response to the Rock Review
The Tenancy Working Group was set up to review how government could better support the tenanted sector. Chaired by Baroness Rock, the group published its findings in the Rock Review. Today, we published our response on GOV.UK.
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Providing a safe, nurturing environment through foster care
Maria and Robert have been foster carers since 2010 and have fostered over 50 children and young people to date. In this blog, Maria shares their journey to becoming foster carers and how they support children and young people.
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ACE Research Network: Growing further together
ACE brought together government customers, academics and businesses from across the northwest at the first of a series of events designed to extend the regional reach of our research network.
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Trade economics at the TRA – a quick tour behind the scenes
You may be wondering what an Economist does when it comes to trade remedies and whether this role is for you. Here’s an insight into what it is like working as an Economist at the TRA. Economic analysis and trade …
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Prior Obligations General Licence
OFSI has received unprecedented numbers of licence applications to permit prohibited transactions or activities owing to more sweeping and far-reaching sanctions imposed relating to Russia and Belarus. Many of these applications involve UK persons who are owed money by Russian …
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Demand for wireless connectivity: addressing a complex and uncertain future
“Wireless connectivity has become increasingly critical for different aspects of our lives, from keeping in touch, to getting around, to accessing a range of important services.” - Sir Patrick Vallance, former Government Chief Scientific Adviser. The Department for Science, Innovation …
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Be brave, be you: how I learned to set boundaries as a school leader
Andrea William-Jones is an assistant headteacher at Winterbourne Academy, South Gloucestershire, part of the Olympus Trust. She tells us how coaching and setting positive boundaries for herself has improved her wellbeing. Wellbeing is about having the courage to do what …
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Part III: One Year On, Where To Next?
When we set out our digital strategy a year ago we, somewhat unusually, started from the bottom and summed up the impact of a lot of in-flight work and over 40 individual strategies. This isn’t the way that you might …
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Ensuring sustainable decommissioning of nuclear sites
James Heavingham from our Nuclear Regulation team writes about the growth in the Environment Agency’s role regulating decommissioning and clean up, as old nuclear facilities are shut down and sites cleaned up to a point where regulation is no longer …
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Help us to review productivity and slurry grant items
The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund supports the purchase of equipment, technology, and infrastructure designed to improve agricultural, horticultural and forestry productivity in a sustainable way. Grants are offered towards the cost of specific items of equipment on a list. We promised to review the list of productivity and slurry items and we'd like your help.
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The NLW and protected characteristics: Living wages and ethnic pay gaps
We have long been concerned with understanding the minimum wage’s impact on different groups of workers. Since 2021, the Government has formally specified this requirement in our remit, asking us "to gather particular evidence on groups of low paid workers …
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Building a better future for our teams
For Learning at Work Week, Defra digital, data, and technology Academy Lead Hermionie Blake explains how our Skills Academy Programmes are enabling talent to shine.
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Improving accessibility at the Royal Courts of Justice
Find out how colleagues at the Royal Courts of Justice Group have been working to improve access to justice for users with accessibility needs.
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Children with complex needs in children’s homes
In the autumn, we will publish a research project on children with complex needs who live in children’s homes. This is a 2-stage project. The first stage, which we completed earlier this year, involved running a survey of all local …
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Coverage on Nutrient Neutrality
There has been coverage in The Times today which covers comments from the Home Builders Federation, who claim that Natural England has blocked the building of over 160,000 homes due to nutrient neutrality rules, causing development levels to fall to …
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Coverage of Ivory Act extension to five new species
Five new species set to be protected under Ivory Act extension
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How I implemented tutoring in my school
Simrat Mavi, deputy headteacher of St Giles Church of England Primary School shares her experience of how she implemented tutoring and tips for other schools. Background of school: St Giles Church of England Primary School is a voluntary controlled mixed …
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How to learn from Learning at Work Week
Joya Snowden, Digital Data and Technology Services Capability Development Lead, reflects on how we can all benefit from this annual celebration of learning, even discovering or acquiring new talents and curiosities.
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Staying well when travelling abroad this summer
This blog looks at some of the ways you can prepare for travel and stay safe and well while you are abroad.
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Respect the Range: How to safely access MOD land this summer
A team from DIO recently attended the South Downs National Park Authority’s ‘Secrets of the Heath’ festival in Hampshire, to speak to festival-goers and promote safe public access to the Defence Training Estate (DTE). The event took place at Hogmoor …
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Oak Processionary Moth: ID and action
Find out more about the tree pest Oak Processionary Moth. This visual guide explains how to spot it, and the actions you can take.
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What can you expect during a food business inspection? An Environmental Health Officer explains
We spoke to Luke, an Environmental Health Officer from Gwynedd Council in Wales, who talked to us about how he helps food businesses be safe and successful.
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Building back better and mainstreaming property flood resilience
Julie Foley, Director of Flood Risk Strategy & National Adaptation Around 1 in 6 people are at risk of flooding in England. Our changing climate means that more homes will be at risk in the future. We have traditionally focussed …
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Managing Deputyships with DigiDeps: A Collaborative Digital Solution
My name is Alexander Pulley and I am a team leader within the Office of the Public Guardian (OPG). Some of you might have heard of the OPG and some of you may even be our customers. At OPG, we …
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How we are preparing for the introduction of the new biodiversity net gain digital service
On International Day for Biological Diversity Service Designer Chris Brooker shares some insight into the work that has gone into designing a service for a unique new government policy which goes live later this year.
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The Qs of Quality Research
When looking for or commissioning research it is important to understand the research question, what it is you want to know. A suggested way to do this is to break your research question into basic what, how and why questions. …