3660posts
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APHA Weybridge team wins Nobel House Prize for avian influenza outbreak response
Our APHA Weybridge science team that provided rapid science evidence informing disease control policy for 2021/22 avian influenza outbreak, which is continuing, has been made joint winner of the Nobel House Prize.
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When are teacher strikes happening and which schools will close?
The NEU has announced it has met the threshold required in a ballot of its teacher members to strike in schools across England. Here we set out when the strikes will take place.
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Defra’s Trees and Forestry team – looking back at a busy year
Bella Murfin and Naomi Matthiessen, job share Directors for the Nature for Climate Fund Tree Programme in Defra, reflect on the last 6 months delivering the Government’s commitment to treble tree planting in England by the end of 2025.
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DLUHC Housing and Planning Minister visits Buckinghamshire Council to see new Digital Planning software in action
DLUHC’s Housing and Planning Minister, Lucy Frazer, visited Buckinghamshire Council on the 26 January to learn more about Buckinghamshire’s experience of being part of the Open Digital Planning (ODP) project, demo new user-centred Digital Planning services and hear more about the council’s wider ideas for streamlining the planning system as part of the department’s Digital Planning Programme.
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Changes to the way we report on COVID-19 deaths
We are changing the way we present COVID-19 death statistics on the GOV.UK COVID-19 Dashboard. “Deaths with COVID-19 on the death registration” will replace “deaths within 28 days of a positive test” as the primary reported COVID-19 death statistic.
This blog explains why we are making changes to how we present data on COVID-19 deaths. -
Remote education – when can school children learn from home and how should they do it?
We know children learn best when they are at school, surrounded by their friends and teachers. Attendance is essential for pupils to get the most out of their school experience. There may, however, be times when a pupil is unable …
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How we ensure young people continue to be taught about the Holocaust and the lessons it teaches us today
Every January we stop to reflect on Holocaust Memorial Day. Education has a vital role in eradicating antisemitism and making sure young people are aware of the atrocities of the Holocaust.
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To catch a thief
We know there are people out there who see the waste industry as a route to make a fast buck. But we are on a mission to stop them to protect the environment, support the legitimate waste management industry and …
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New look for Roll of Honour service
The Armed Forces Memorial Roll of Honour service has been modernised. It is a searchable, electronic record, which contains the names of all UK Armed Forces personnel who have died during their service, since 1948, regardless of the cause of …
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Applications for the Royal Society Pairing Scheme are now open
Do you want to have the opportunity to: Expand networks Improve your knowledge of research in government Discover how the research community can support you in your day-to-day work. Then the Royal Society Pairing Scheme is for you! This annual …
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Introducing You To...
Hi, I’m Carrie Smith and I’m an External Affairs Manager with RPA, based at the York office. I’ve worked for RPA since 2014 when the work area I was part of at the time (Rural Development) moved into RPA from …
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Helping businesses comply with the Funerals Order
To ensure funeral directors and crematorium operators comply with the Funerals Order, we’ve published new guidance. We’re also now starting to take enforcement action to resolve compliance issues we’ve identified. The Funerals Order Anybody who has had to arrange a …
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NHSBSA Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) patients alpha assessment
Read the alpha report for the Prescription Prepayment Certificate (PPC) for Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) patients from NHSBSA
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Dragons’ Den, Episode 4, Series 20
In this week’s episode we got to see a disco in the Den, business models of the future, partnerships popping up and firm rejections.
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Managing infections - don’t forget about the indoor air in your care home
As winter takes hold, it is tempting to try and keep residents warm and fuel costs lower by hunkering down until the weather gets warmer. But keeping all the windows and doors shut may not be the best idea: homes need ventilation and care homes are no different. Professor Cath Noakes and fellow experts give the reasons a good airing...
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Coverage of details on support for farmers who deliver food production and environmental action
Today, there has been widespread coverage on the front page of the Guardian, as well as in the Financial Times, BBC Online, the Independent, the Evening Standard, the Daily Telegraph the Daily Star, and trade coverage in Farmers Weekly, Horticulture …
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Low Pay Commission regional visits 2023 – Your chance to be heard
Low Pay Commissioners will be meeting workers and businesses across the UK, on six regional visits. This is your chance to let us know how you are affected by the minimum wage. If you want to participate, get in touch …
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Environmental land management schemes: details of actions and payments
Today we published further information on the growth and rollout of our environmental land management schemes. It includes the full range of actions, payment rates and when they’ll be available. The document is available to read on GOV.UK. In this post, I’ll share a scheme-by-scheme summary.
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Thinking of a career change? Switch to be a Digital, Data and Technology (DDaT) professional
Four professionals reflect on how and why they changed career path and share top tips for making the switch
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Evaluation: the icing on the cake?
Why evaluation is an inseparable ingredient of great policy making. You may sometimes hear evaluation described as the ‘icing on the cake’. Some might say it is a ‘nice to have.’ In other words, once we’ve announced the shiny new …
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The MMO ramps up plans to further protect English marine sites
We’ve launched the next stage in our ambitious project to manage all fishing activities and protect valuable marine habitats in England’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) by 2024. On 17 January 2023, we launched our Stage 2 formal consultation, to seek …
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The principles of delegated healthcare
The further embedding of delegated healthcare interventions in the care workforce represents the ongoing initiative to marry social care experience with clinical excellence to deliver enhanced, high quality and consistent care. Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, and Oonagh Smyth, CEO Skills for Care give an update.
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'What do I need to do to prepare for my early years inspection?'
We want practitioners to have the confidence and freedom to do what they do every day. Our inspectors are tasked with finding out what it is like for children to attend their setting not just on the day of the inspection but every day. Therefore, we ask providers not to do anything differently just for the inspection.
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How we ran a discovery for GOV.UK publishing permissions
We’re always looking to improve GOV.UK for users, including government publishers. Here is how we identified some of the next improvements to the publishing experience.
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British Sign Language Act: Improving how government communicates with the Deaf community
The British Sign Language Act 2022 requires the Government to report how departments in scope are using BSL when communicating with the public about policy and changes to the law.
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Apply now for the Forestry Apprenticeship 2023
Applications have opened for joining our Forestry Apprenticeship this September. Programme Manager Gareth offers advice for anyone considering applying and looks at how the current apprentices are getting on.
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Windrush Schemes Factsheet – December 2022
We are determined to put right the terrible injustices faced by some people from the Windrush generation and the wider Commonwealth, which happened under successive governments.
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Improving drought situation - but the work doesn't stop here
With above average rainfall in the last few months, and precautionary activity by water companies and abstractors, water levels are returning to normal across most of the country. Water storage reservoirs are rapidly refilling, and most river and groundwater levels …
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A blueprint for a better future: new Green Infrastructure advice
My connection with nature started when I was a small boy, aged 9, sat by a small pond no more than 10 feet across, watching sticklebacks swimming around in the weeds. As I sat there a kingfisher arrived and started …
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Shauna's journey
Working in the Probation Service can open up a lot of interesting opportunities. We talk to Shauna who joined us as a case administrator and now works in one of our key probation services officer roles. She specialises in working …
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Edwina Dunn: Reflections from the CDEI Advisory Board
I have long believed in the power of data to make a meaningful difference to people's lives. Working in the field for over 30 years, I have seen the ways in which data can be used as a powerful force …
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Supporting working families to achieve their own work-life balance
Co-chair Leane Whelan explains how important the creation of our Working Families Network was to her during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how it continues to support colleagues.
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Watch: Getting the balance right between farming and nature
This is the third in a series of films exploring how environmental improvements and farming go hand in hand in the Lake District. Local farm facilitator Danny Teasdale talks with auctioneer and Managing Director of The Farmer Network, Adam Day, about the importance of building environmental solutions that fit with farmers’ businesses.
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Join a new training pilot to help you manage your contracts and maximise your budget
Charlene Pink is an Innovation Lead at the Department for Education and is currently working on a project which aims to give those who buy for their school the knowledge, skills and confidence to do so as effectively as they can. In this blog post, Charlene highlights a new training pilot which launches in February 2023.
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Digital accounts for vehicle testing customers – taking a user centred approach
Listening to what our users say is a key part of making the service successful. User researcher for the Commercial Vehicle Services project, Arriyana Chundavadra, shares what user research is and what we've learnt.
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Lifesaving defibrillator deliveries begin for all schools that need one
Oliver King died aged just 12 years old when he suffered a cardiac arrest while taking part in a swimming race in 2012. There is clear evidence showing that defibrillators drastically increase the chance of survival from a cardiac arrest …
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My journey as an international working at HMRC
About me Hi, I’m Prerna - I would like to share my experiences as an international working for HMRC. I moved to the UK from India in 2017 with my husband. In India, I worked as an Interior Designer for …
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Coverage of plans to introduce a Deposit Return Scheme
Today we are looking at coverage of our announcement of the next steps for our Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers.
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Slurry Infrastructure grant: time to apply
At the end of this month, the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure grant will close for applications. So, if you haven’t yet applied, now is the time to. In this post, I’ll give you a recap of the grant and the process to apply before the 31 January.
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How we let GOV.UK Notify users set their own branding
Find out how the Notify team made it quicker and easier for services to add the right logo to their emails and letters.