2937posts
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Partnering with local authorities to design family hubs
Claire Folan talks about the value of teaming up with subject matter experts from local authorities to design an important service for families. Differences in working culture were soon overcome and a rich multidisciplinary team was formed.
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National Highways is helping veterans build a new future
A life-changing initiative is giving armed forces veterans a foot on the ladder to a new career. “You’ve protected our country, now help us to keep it connected.” That’s the message from the dedicated team within National Highways to military …
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Passion, perseverance and the will to succeed
If you want to know why we present Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care Awards throughout the year, you could do no worse than read this lovely blog from Peer Quality Manager, Mark Bird. He is just one of many colleagues making the care sector a great place to work, supporting and inspiring others, each and every day.
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What does revaluation mean for businesses?
Alan Colston is our Chief Valuer and Head of Surveying Profession. In this blog he explains what a revaluation is and what it means for businesses. The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) creates and maintains lists of the ‘rateable value’ of …
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Tackling tree pests and diseases at our borders
Discover the important work our Plant Health Forestry team carries out at the borders to prevent tree pests and diseases from entering the country.
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Recognising the power of literacy when designing services
In support of International Literacy Day Lucy Hartley explores why literacy is so vital to her team’s work – content design - in particular the need to follow best practice when producing content and using plain English.
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“I absolutely love my job. Seeing the difference I can make is so special.”
"I can’t make people change, but I can help plant the seed and support them to do so." Community Payback (CP) supervisor Jane gives us an insight into her work, the skills she brings to the role, and what she …
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Commercial operators urged to carry out regular maintenance
Commercial operators are being reminded by of the importance of carrying out regular maintenance all year round to avoid dangerous incidents as data reveals vehicles are issued 10 times more prohibitions 3 months after their annual test (MOT). This indicates that some vehicles are not being adequately maintained following their test.
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Areas of Research Interest - The Food Standard Agency’s research priorities
We have updated our Areas of Research Interest (ARI) to include a focus on food that is healthier and more sustainable.
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Taking double precautions ahead of winter
You don’t have to be a fan of Game of Thrones to know ‘winter is coming’. And while we might wish we had a few fire breathing dragons around to help with the heating, the issues we face as a health and care system require some real world resolve and practical solutions to match.
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Saving the red squirrel: an update from the field
The presence of the non-native grey squirrel carries a significant economic and environmental impact in the UK. In this blog we hear from APHA ecologist Sarah Beatham, as she updates on the progress made in her work developing the delivery of contraceptives to grey squirrels.
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Celebrating a decade of the Project Delivery Profession
Above, (from left to right) Nick Borwell, Fiona Spencer, Tim Banfield, and Karina Singh. The Project Delivery Profession has been in existence for a decade now. It’s one of the youngest professions in government, and as you would expect it …
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Introducing You To...
Hi, I’m Taran, and I’m an intern with the RPA, based in Bristol. I’m here as part of the Summer Diversity Internship Programme, (SDIP) which is an eight-week internship with the Civil Service, designed to get university students from …
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Back to school: pupil designer wins award
Lily Macaskill, Year 12 pupil at Alexandra Park School, in conversation with her teacher Laura Gray, on winning a national prize for design
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22 confirmed Asian hornet sightings in Great Britain since 2016 … and counting
BREAKING NEWS: APHA are currently monitoring an Asian hornet sighting near Chelmsford, Essex. Please look out for this highly effective predator and report any suspected sightings in your area via the Hornet Watch App or reporting form. Learn more about Asian hornets and a recent training program in this blog.
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Ofsted webinars for schools – responses to questions and new webinars
First of all, I’d like to thank everyone who attended or viewed our schools webinar series earlier this year. The recordings of these sessions are available on YouTube and the slides have been published on our SlideShare. These sessions looked at: …
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No Mow May at RAF St Mawgan: the best excuse for not mowing the lawn!
I’m Samuel Ibbotson, an Estate Facility Manager for DIO. My role is an interesting and varied one, and this summer at RAF St Mawgan in Cornwall has been no exception, following a station-wide “No Mow May” initiative. First launched in …
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The night sky in September
Some of the most beautiful sights in our night skies are visible through September, and if you can get away from the bright lights of towns and cities there are some real treats in store.
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Data Workspace meets Number 10
How Data Workspace supplied the data to drive forward net zero policy.
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Thousands of year 7s struggle with reading
Amanda Spielman, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector, writes about the importance of reading – and the need to help struggling readers as they start secondary school. The new school year has begun in England, and so have the usual calls to …
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£110m fund to level up rural communities announced
Today we look at coverage of our announcement of the Rural England Prosperity Fund and the second annual rural proofing report.
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Construction Playbook: Why the relaunch will improve re-use of ground investigation data
Construction Playbook refresh to improve the re-use and accessibility of ground investigation data. This refresh now makes it a requirement that ground investigation data collected must be shared as soon as reasonably possible with the British Geological Survey as a condition of the contract.
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Guidance For Your Innovation Application
Does your company have a flair for innovation? The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise’s Innovation category recognises businesses who demonstrate strong commercially successful innovative products or services. Eligibility To apply for the Innovation award, you must: have an innovation that …
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Environment Agency: giving a helping hand to keep rivers flowing
The Environment Agency owns and operates 8 groundwater schemes and 5 surface water transfer schemes that supplement the flows in several key rivers during the driest months. Just as we do when managing flood risk, our staff work all year …
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Annual call has opened: suggest a new screening programme or changes to a current programme
The 2022 annual call has opened for submission of proposals for potential new screening programmes or new technologies that have not previously been reviewed by the UK National Screening Committee.
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Being LGBT in government project delivery: “delivering for a diverse country requires a diverse civil service”
This blog is part of the Infrastructure and Project Authority’s Role Models Campaign, which aims to increase diversity at all grades in the Project Delivery Profession. Karl Briggs is a Grade 6 Senior Project Manager in the Home Office. He …
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Back to school week – Everything you need to know about school attendance
Face-to-face education is important in helping pupils to fulfil their potential. During school time we believe pupils should be in class with their teachers and peers and enjoying all the benefits that brings. Parents or carers of a child have …
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Back to school week – school uniform, what you need to know?
We believe uniforms provide a sense of belonging for students. They are helpful in fostering a good learning environment and can promote the ethos of a school. They can also reduce peer pressure at school for the latest clothes and …
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DEFRA- Programme Manager- Grade 6
The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is an executive agency of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and also works on behalf of the Scottish Government and Welsh Governments. APHA is responsible for animal and plant health …
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Podcast – Think digital, act human: the interview panel’s perspective
Ever been to an interview and wanted to know what the panel was thinking? In this episode, Nettie Williams, Head of Community and Communications gives the unique perspective of a panel member and what they're looking for. If you have an interview coming up, this episode's for you.
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Marketing T level consultation - have your say
The Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) is running a public consultation on the Outline Content for an upcoming Marketing Technical Qualification. We welcome views from providers, employers, and industries bodies. The Outline Content aims to provide learners with …
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Positive interventions and how to make them - Part One
I was delighted when the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence began work on guidelines for social work with adults experiencing complex needs. I am pleased to host blogs from two members of the guideline committee, Ellie and Chloe, who reflect on their involvement and the guidelines' importance.
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Positive interventions and how to make them - Part Two
NICE (the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence) have guidelines for social work with adults experiencing complex needs. This is the second of two blogs from members of the guideline committee, Ellie and Chloe, who reflect on their involvement and the importance of the guidelines.
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Track our progress: Trade Remedies Authority case milestones – Sept 2022
Here’s the latest update on our interactive case tracker, which shows the progress of each of our cases as they go through the investigation lifecycle. This month’s tracker shows progress on our cases during August and the data is correct …
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New guide on mitigating impact of avian influenza in wild birds published
In today’s blog we look at the publication of a new guide to support landowners and charities with the threat of avian influenza
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Sustainable Farming Incentive: more farmers can apply without being invited
From 1 September, if you have land in a Countryside Stewardship or Environmental Stewardship agreement, but not on common land, you can now apply online directly by signing into the Rural Payments service.
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Top Tips For a Successful Queen's Awards Application
UK businesses have less than one week left to apply for The Queen’s Awards for Enterprise. Now more than ever, is a vital time for great UK businesses to be celebrated and recognised, so The Queen’s Awards Office have …
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UN-GGIM: The UK view on a successful 12th Session
Caitlin Ballard, International Policy Advisor at the Geospatial Commission, summarises the UK delegation’s reflections on the 12th Session of the UN Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN-GGIM) in New York. In early August, after a three-year hiatus …
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Supported accommodation – we need strong oversight to make sure young people are safe, secure and doing well
Yvette Stanley, our National Director Regulation and Social Care, discusses the progress we have made in our plans for regulating supported accommodation, as we seek to recruit inspectors. In December 2021, Amanda Spielman agreed to the government’s request that …
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A day in the life of a Case Administrator
Working as a Case Administrator Are you looking for a rewarding role where you can make a difference and where your personal qualities are just as important as experience or qualifications? We spoke to Case Administrator, Emily, about her role …