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Tag: Press Release

  • PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary welcomes Finland to NATO [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Foreign Secretary welcomes Finland to NATO [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 April 2023.

    The Foreign Secretary is in Brussels today for a two-day meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers coinciding with Finland’s historic accession to the Alliance.

    • UK welcomes Finland’s accession to NATO as the 31st member and calls for Turkey and Hungary to swiftly ratify Sweden’s bid.
    • Foreign Secretary is attending an historic meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in Brussels on Tuesday, in which Finland will attend as a fully-fledged member – 74 years after the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty.
    • UK has pledged £10 million to NATO’s fund for non-lethal aid, supplying items such as medical equipment, rations and counter-drone equipment to Ukraine, and £2 million for countries affected by malign Russian activity.

    The Foreign Secretary is in Brussels today (Tuesday 4 April) to attend a two-day meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers, marking 74 years to the day since the North Atlantic Treaty was signed to promote peace in the aftermath of the Second World War.

    Following Finland’s formal accession to NATO today, the meeting will see the raising of Finland’s flag at NATO Headquarters, and Finnish Foreign Minister, Pekka Haavisto, take his seat at the table between Estonia and France.

    13 months ago, Finnish membership was not on the horizon. Russia thought its aggression in Ukraine would divide members of NATO. Instead the Alliance is safer and more secure with another Ally in its ranks, promoting the principles of freedom and the rule of law.

    The UK was one of the first NATO Allies to ratify Finland’s and Sweden’s bids to the Alliance and played a significant role in securing agreement from all NATO allies for Finland’s accession. We continue to urge Türkiye and Hungary to provide a clear path for Sweden’s accession to the Alliance as swiftly as possible. Alongside the Foreign Ministers’ meeting, the Foreign Secretary will meet his Turkish and Hungarian counterparts, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Péter Szijjártó, and impress this urgency.

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said:

    This is an historic day for Finland and for NATO. Their accession has made our Alliance stronger and every one of us safer.

    All NATO members now need to take the steps necessary to admit Sweden too, so we can stand together as one Alliance to defend freedom in Europe and across the world.

    Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said:

    Today will go into the history books for NATO as a defensive Alliance. 31 countries strong, we welcome Finland to the table.

    Russia thought its aggression would divide us. Instead, we are bound tighter together, resolute in our defence of the principles of freedom and the rule of law.

    Let us be clear that our door remains open. We will welcome further Allies with open arms and we continue to push for Sweden’s swift accession.

    Finland and Sweden share the Alliance’s unwavering commitment to international security – a commitment the UK also shares, last year signing mutual security declarations with both countries. Finland and Sweden have years of experience in training and operating with Allies and have made significant contributions to NATO-led operations and missions and the UK-led Joint Expeditionary Force. The UK values their role in the region and applauds their support for Ukraine.

    Ukraine continues to be at the top of the Allies’ agenda, with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba also invited to attend the meeting. A just and lasting peace for Ukraine, on Ukraine’s terms, is in the interest of all NATO Allies.

    Allies will discuss ongoing efforts to accelerate support to Ukraine to ensure it wins against Russia’s illegal and unprovoked invasion.

    We will do this in three ways: by being more proactive with our military support; by ensuring Ukraine is never left so vulnerable to attack again; and by helping to build a strong Ukraine to secure a prosperous peace.

    The UK is announcing £10 million for NATO’s Comprehensive Assistance Package for Ukraine, which provides urgent non-lethal aid such as medical equipment, rations, fuel and counter-drone equipment as it continues to fight against continued Russian aggression. Additionally, £2 million will go to NATO’s Tailored Support Packages to help Georgia, Moldova and Bosnia & Herzegovina defend themselves against malign Russian activity.

    The UK has committed over £6.5 billion in military, humanitarian and economic support to Ukraine since the start of the invasion. Last week Ukrainian tank crews completed training on Challenger 2 tanks in the UK, following the Prime Minister’s announcement in January that the UK would donate 14 of these tanks and accompanying munition to Ukraine.

    NATO’s four Asia Pacific Partners, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Republic of Korea, will also attend a session at the meeting to discuss tackling the challenges posed by China.

    The Foreign Secretary will hold talks with Pekka Haavisto to personally congratulate Finland on its accession to the Alliance, as well as with Swedish Foreign Minister Tobias Billström, and Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba.

  • PRESS RELEASE : More funding for farmers as new blueprint for water announced [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : More funding for farmers as new blueprint for water announced [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 4 April 2023.

    £34 million will be made available to farmers through the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant.

    Farmers will benefit from significant additional funding to better manage slurry storage and to store and use water more efficiently, as a key part of a new Plan for Water published by the government today.

    Better management of slurry from farming means less pollution washing off into our rivers when it rains. More investment into water supply will mean farmers are more prepared for climate change impacts – from reservoirs to better irrigation.

    Nearly £34 million will be made available through the first round of the Slurry Infrastructure Grant – more than two-and-a-half times the original budget.

    The government will also publish the guidance for the second round of the Water Management Grant, which will open for applications later in April and provide £10 million in funding to help farmers manage their water use through better irrigation and more on-farm reservoirs.

    The government’s new Plan for Water has been published today, covering both the quality of the water environment – how clean it is – and water resources – how much of it we have. It will transform the whole water system – tackling every source of pollution, including from storm overflows, agriculture, plastics, road run-off, chemicals and pesticides, as well as the pressures on our water supply as a result of hotter, drier summers and population growth.

    The announcements by the government today go even further to support farmers on water, from doubling funding to £15 million to give free advice to farmers across the country through the Catchment Sensitive Farming scheme, to accelerating the rollout of the Sustainable Farming Incentive which will help farmers to use their land in a way that keeps valuable nutrients and soil on the farm and stops them running off into our rivers, lakes and streams. .

    The funding is being provided through the government’s £2.4 billion annual investment in the farming sector for the rest of this Parliament.

    Farming Minister Mark Spencer said:

    Communities across the country want to see clean and plentiful water in our rivers and streams, and farmers have a huge role in helping to deliver this.

    We know that farmers want to do the right thing, which is why – as part of today’s Plan for Water – we’re providing even more funding for farmers both to reduce their water pollution from slurry and better manage the water on their farms.

    Funding boost for slurry storage

    Investing in good slurry management is an important step that farmers can take to protect the environment. With around half of slurry stores in England not being fit-for-purpose, the grant will provide farmers with between £25,000-£250,000 to build, replace or expand storage and can contribute towards a range of solutions like lagoons, steel and concrete ring tanks and large slurry bags.

    More than 1,200 applications were received for the first round of the grant. Defra wants to help as many farms as possible to upgrade their slurry storage, but needs to balance the high demand for grants with the capacity of slurry store suppliers to increase production.

    374 projects have been invited to submit a full application for a share of £33.9 million in funding – up from £13.2 million when the grant was first announced last year. This is based on an assessment of what the market could handle following conversations with suppliers and installers and considering the types of store farmers have applied for.

    Second round for water management grant

    The second round of the Water Management Grant will see £10 million in funding made available for farmers to improve farm productivity through more efficient use of water for irrigation, and to secure water supplies for crop irrigation by constructing on-farm reservoirs and adopting best practice irrigation application equipment.

    Grants will be available for between £35,000 and £500,000, which will ensure that funding supports farms of all sizes while committing to supporting higher value projects which align with the fund’s objectives.

    The grant will be open later in April with an online checker available to help farmers determine their eligibility and likelihood of success.

    Further information:

    • Enlarging and covering slurry stores is a key step in Defra’s Environmental Improvement Plan to meet new targets for water and air quality, by reduce the 60% of nitrate pollution, 25% of phosphate pollution and 87% of ammonia emissions that come from agriculture. It will also help farmers to cut costs on artificial fertilisers, delivering long-term productivity benefits through improved nutrient management and soil health.
  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – UK General Comment on the situation in Myanmar [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – UK General Comment on the situation in Myanmar [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 April 2023.

    UK General Comment on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, as delivered by Simon Manley, UK Ambassador to the WTO and UN in Geneva.

    Thank you, Mr President,

    Let me start by thanking our European colleagues for presenting this draft resolution and for leading such constructive negotiations.

    This initiative comes at a crucial moment for the people of Myanmar. The text before us today rightly details the dramatic deterioration in the human rights situation since the Myanmar military coup. The junta has consistently shown it holds no respect for international rule of law, human rights or democracy. Across the country, we see arbitrary arrests, targeting of civilians, including the Rohingya and other minorities and civilian infrastructure, torture, mass gender and sexual-based violence, and other restrictions and assaults on rights and freedoms.

    Indeed just last week, the junta decided to dissolve forty political parties, including the National League for Democracy, underscoring their assault on the rights of the Myanmar people.

    We are appalled by the ongoing and egregious actions of the junta. The people of Myanmar have shown immense courage in the face of this, and we continue to stand with them.

    Mr President,

    Accountability is the only way to end the military’s culture of impunity. Thus we are strongly supportive of new elements in this text to strengthen accountability efforts including by urging all UN bodies to collaborate fully with the Independent Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar.

    And as this Council recently heard from the Special Rapporteur, and as his report details, weapons used to kill civilians should no longer be transferred to Myanmar. No Member State should sell arms to Myanmar, a trade which is enabling the crimes he has set out. The UK has a longstanding arms embargo on Myanmar and let me once again encourage other Member States to do the same.

    We reiterate our support for the people of Myanmar and their aspirations for a peaceful, democratic and inclusive future. The UK has co-sponsored this resolution and we urge our fellow members of this Council to support it.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – General Comment – L.19 Situation of human rights in DPRK [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UN HRC52 – General Comment – L.19 Situation of human rights in DPRK [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 April 2023.

    UN HRC52: General Comment – L.19 The situation of human rights in the DPRK, as delivered by UK Ambassador to the WTO & the UN in Geneva, Simon Manley.

    Thank you Mr President.

    Let me begin by thanking the main sponsors of this initiative for their constructive efforts on a critical resolution detailing the dire human rights situation in the DPRK.

    The UK continues to support the vital mandate of the Special Rapporteur in continuing to shine a spotlight on the systematic and widespread human rights violations by the DPRK.

    As the latest OHCHR report has painfully detailed, and in the words of the High Commissioner himself: forced repatriations, State-sponsored abductions and enforced disappearances demand action. Widespread and systematic sexual and gender-based violence must end. Which is why we support this text as presented to the Council today.

    The DPRK must cease diverting resources to its illegal weapons programme, and instead prioritise its peoples’ basic economic needs which are so desperately required. We urge the DPRK to engage constructively with the international community to address its human rights record, and to work to bring about permanent change and improvements for the people of North Korea.

    We remind the DPRK that restrictive COVID-19 measures should not be used as a tool to further constrain the freedom of its citizens, or to restrict the ability of the international community to engage with authorities in Pyongyang.

    Mr President,

    The UK has co-sponsored this text and we call upon all other delegations to do so.

    Thank you.

  • PRESS RELEASE : UK charges up ties with Western Australia in new critical minerals pledge [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : UK charges up ties with Western Australia in new critical minerals pledge [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 4 April 2023.

    Anne-Marie Trevelyan travels to Western Australia to sign critical minerals pledge and inaugurate new Consulate-General in Perth.

    • UK Minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP travels to Western Australia to sign joint UK-Australia pledge to secure future supplies of critical minerals and inaugurate new Consulate-General in Perth
    • Indo-Pacific Minister to meet Resources Minister Madeleine King in Perth on Tuesday (4 April) to sign letter of intent and discuss how to secure supplies of minerals that will power a net zero future
    • Part of UK strategy to diversify global supply chains of critical minerals, amidst growing geopolitical competition for resources

    The UK’s Indo-Pacific Minister, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, begins a visit to Western Australia today (2 April), focussed on working with Australia to futureproof supplies of minerals that will be central to delivering the world’s net zero pledges.

    The Minister will meet Federal Government Minister for Resources, Madeleine King, on Tuesday (4 April) to sign a joint pledge to boost the global supply of critical minerals such as the lithium used in electric vehicle batteries.

    Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne-Marie Trevelyan said:

    Critical minerals will be a driving force in the world’s journey to net zero, and the UK and Australia are digging deep to futureproof supplies of the materials that power our phones, our cars, and uncountable other aspects of modern life.

    Australia’s unmatched production capacity, combined with the UK’s mineral trading and finance expertise, will boost global supplies, help protect supply chains from future shocks, and support thousands of skilled, high-paying jobs.

    The International Energy Agency expects that as the need for electronics and battery technology comes to permeate every aspect of the modern economy, the global demand for critical minerals will grow four-fold by 2040. Australia is the world’s top producer of lithium, with the Greenbushes Mine, 210 kilometres (131 miles) due south of Perth, producing 40% of Australia’s lithium alone in 2021.

    Meanwhile, the London Metals Exchange remains the world’s centre of minerals trading and finance, and the UK is a leading expert in processing as well as a top international deal-broker.

    The two countries will also work together to promote the highest environmental, social and governance standards in critical minerals markets.

    The Minister will visit Rio Tinto’s operations centre in Perth, see the world’s largest bulk export port at Port Hedland, and meet with the Chairman of Alkemy, Paul Atherley, whose firm will supply lithium to a planned refining facility in Teesside, in the North-East of England.

    She will also officially inaugurate the new British Consulate General in Perth, which, combined with Tuesday’s pledge, underlines the UK’s commitment to build diplomatic and economic ties across the whole continent of Australia.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Government sets out next steps to support social care [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Government sets out next steps to support social care [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 April 2023.

    Building on the People at the Heart of Care white paper, the government has set out plans to further digitise the social care sector and bolster the workforce.

    • Building on the People at the Heart of Care white paper, the government has set out plans to further digitise the social care sector and bolster the workforce
    • Alongside the plan, the Better Care Fund framework, published today, will ensure at least £16.8 billion is spent to make sure people receive the right care in the right place at the right time.
    • Plans will support Prime Minister’s ambition to cut waiting lists by reducing pressure on urgent and emergency care and freeing up beds for those who need them

    People who receive care, staff and providers will benefit from a refreshed plan to bolster the adult social care workforce, speed up discharge from hospital and accelerate the use of technology in the sector over the next two years.

    The update builds on commitments outlined in the People at the Heart of Care white paper – published in December 2021 – to support career progression in the sector and make sure those who receive care get it in the right place at the right time.

    Today’s allocations of over £2 billion previously announced funding include:

    • Launching a call for evidence in partnership with Skills for Care on a new care workforce pathway and funding for hundreds of thousands of training places, including a new Care Certificate qualification – aiming to increase opportunities for career progression and development, backed by £250 million
    • £100 million to accelerate digitisation in the sector, including investment in digital social care records so staff have the latest information at their fingertips to best meet the needs of those receiving care
    • A new innovation and improvement unit to explore creative solutions for improving care, such as supporting local authorities to reduce care assessment waiting times and using best practice from those areas where waiting times have already been cut by a third – backed by up to £35 million
    • A £1.4 billion Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund which local authorities can use flexibly including to increase the rates paid to social care providers or reduce waiting times
    • £102 million over two years to help make small but significant adaptations people need to remain at home, stay independent and avoid hospital – including grab rails and ramps, small repairs and safety and security checks
    • £50 million to improve social care insight, data and quality assurance – including person-level data collections and new Care Quality Commission assessments of local authorities to improve poor performance on social care and identify where further support is needed

    Alongside these reform commitments, the Better Care Fund, which brings together health, social care and housing to help older people and those with complex needs live at home for longer, will increase from £7.7 billion last year to £8.1 billion in 2023 and £8.7 billion in 2024. The total fund includes £1.6 billion to improve hospital discharge arrangements – £600 million next year and £1 billion the year following.

    This is part of the government’s wider commitments to support adult social care services, backed by up to £7.5 billion over the next two years to help local authorities address waiting lists and workforce pressures in the sector, as announced in the Autumn Statement.

    The government remains fully dedicated to the 10-year vision for adult social care set out in the People at the Heart of Care white paper, and since then, has boosted workforce capacity with 55,000 visas issued for people to take up care worker roles, increased uptake of Digital Social Care Records by 10 percentage points, and have launched new and improved data collections.

    Health Minister Helen Whately said:

    Care depends completely on the people who do the caring – that’s over a million care staff working in care homes and agencies, and countless relatives, friends and volunteers, acting out of the kindness of their hearts.

    That’s why this package of reforms focuses on recognising care with the status it deserves, while also focusing on the better use of technology, the power of data and digital care records, and extra funding for councils – aiming to make a care system we can be proud of.

    Chief Nurse for Adult Social Care, Deborah Sturdy, said:

    Working in social care is such a varied, exciting and rewarding career, and I’m pleased that these reforms recognise the enormous potential in investing in the professional development of our highly skilled workforce.

    Along with technological advancements that will make the lives of care workers easier, this plan is an exciting continuation of the government’s commitment to reform social care.

    Since launching the People at the Heart of Care white paper the government has already invested hundreds of millions of pounds on reform including digital transformation, hospital discharge and staffing support but the government plans to go further and faster during the next two years of the 10-year plan.

    Advances in technology mean there are many aids and devices which could improve care such as smart speakers to remind people to take medication or sensors which can detect falls and alert people to provide support quickly.

    By utilising these developments and digitising records, backed by a further £100 million, the aim is for 80% of registered providers to have a digital care record by March 2024, ensuring all information that staff need to support a person’s care can be available digitally – which speeds up shift handovers and can save 20 minutes of admin time per care worker per shift.

    The government is also asking for expressions of interest from integrated care systems to fund care technologies which focus on the quality of care and help reduce avoidable hospital admissions, or which will support for people to live independently.

    From April 2023 the Care Quality Commission will begin to assess local authorities to identify where further support is needed and help identify good practice. This will ensure a continued focus on delivering quality care and improving services.

    New national data collection will also begin, to provide better information on care journeys and outcomes, bringing social care data more in line with NHS collections.

    Further reforms include the use of Home Improvement Agencies to help make the small but significant adaptations people need to remain at home, stay independent and avoid or reduce the need to stay in hospital. These could include modifications such as grab rails and ramps, small repairs and safety and security checks.

    In partnership with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities, we are launching a new, independently chaired Older People’s Housing Taskforce to decide how best to provide a greater range of suitable housing depending on the support people need.

    As well as reducing the need for people to go to hospital the government is committed to reducing the time people stay in hospital with £1.6 billion being allocated over the next two years to improve hospital discharge, following the £700 million provided in 2022/23.

    These reforms will support social care as well as the wider health sector, contributing to wider efforts to tackle backlogs and cut waiting lists.

    Skills for Care CEO Oonagh Smyth said:

    Skills for Care is working in partnership with the DHSC to develop the Care Workforce Pathway that will create a clear shared understanding of the knowledge, skills, values and behaviours needed to work effectively in adult social care. People who draw on care and support, the workforce, managers and employers will know what to expect and can make informed choices that are right for them.

    The pathway must build on what works, so I would encourage anyone involved in delivering, or accessing, social care to make sure your voices are heard as part of the call for evidence to influence the training and career progression pathways of tomorrow.

    Background

  • PRESS RELEASE : HMS Birmingham steel cut milestone supports thousands of UK jobs [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : HMS Birmingham steel cut milestone supports thousands of UK jobs [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Ministry of Defence on 4 April 2023.

    Steel has been cut on the first of the second batch of Type 26 warships, following a £4.2 billion contract awarded to BAE Systems in November 2022.

    • Steel has been cut for HMS Birmingham, formally marking the start of the build of the second batch of Type 26 frigates.
    • Following a £4.2 billion contract for Batch 2 awarded to BAE Systems in November last year.
    • 1,700 jobs sustained in Scotland and a further 2,300 across the UK supply chain.

    The Minister for Defence Procurement, Alex Chalk KC, marked the occasion at the steel cutting ceremony, with HMS Birmingham becoming the fourth of eight anti-submarine warships being constructed for the Royal Navy at BAE Systems’ shipyard in Govan, Glasgow.

    Building on ambitions laid out in the National Shipbuilding Strategy Refresh, this represents another significant milestone for the Type 26 programme, the Royal Navy and UK Defence, reinforcing Defence’s commitment to shipbuilding in Scotland.

    With all eight frigates to be built in Govan, and the work sustaining some 1,700 jobs in Scotland with a further 2,300 jobs across the wider UK supply chain, delivering on the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy, creating better-paid jobs and opportunity right across the UK.

    Minister for Defence Procurement, Alex Chalk KC, said:

    This is yet another significant milestone for the Type 26 programme, supporting thousands of jobs in Scotland and across the wider UK supply chain.

    Working closely with our industry partners, we are bringing in a cutting-edge class of warships for the Royal Navy, bolstering our maritime capabilities into the coming decades.

    The frigates will replace the bulk of the retiring Type 23 fleet with its primary role of anti-submarine warfare, protecting the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Deterrent and Maritime Strike Group. The first of the second batch of Type 26 ships, HMS Birmingham will be preceded by HMS Glasgow, HMS Cardiff and HMS Belfast.

    At just under 150 metres long, almost the length of 3 Olympic swimming pools, and with a top speed of more than 26 knots and a range of more than 7,000 nautical miles, the vessels will also be capable of countering piracy and delivering humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

    The Type 26 vessels will be armed with the Sea Ceptor missile defence system, able to destroy airborne and sea surface targets. They will also carry a five-inch medium calibre gun, a helicopter, Artisan 997 radar and sonar for navigation and tracking adversaries.

    DE&S Director General Ships, Vice Admiral Paul Marshall, said:

    The steel cut for HMS Birmingham is a significant moment for everyone who has worked, and is working, on the Type 26 programme to deliver the best possible warships to serve the Royal Navy for decades to come. I look forward to seeing the second batch of frigates taking shape.

    Celebrating the next HMS Birmingham, with four ships having previously taken the name, the Lord Mayor of Birmingham was also present at the steel-cut.

    Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Maureen Cornish JP, said:

    I am delighted to have attended today’s sheet cutting ceremony, which will see work begin on building a new HMS Birmingham, further strengthening the city’s ties with the Royal Navy.

    It will be fantastic to see this new Type 26 anti-submarine frigate serve HMS Birmingham’s current and future crews well as part of the new fleet being built in Govan, Scotland.

    BAE Systems continues to invest in the programme and has submitted a planning application for a new 175 metre long, 85 metre wide, shipbuilding hall at Govan, which will allow two frigates to be built simultaneously under cover. This investment will be a major factor in the final five ships costing less and being delivered in quicker time than the first three.

    Simon Lister, Managing Director of BAE Systems’ Naval Ships business, said:

    This is another proud moment for our talented teams across the UK who have played a part in the design and construction of these important vessels. HMS Birmingham will benefit from a range of investments that will transform our digital and physical infrastructure and consolidate a centre of excellence for shipbuilding skills here in the UK. Alongside my teams I’d like to thank our customers and suppliers for their expertise and commitment as we take this programme forward and deliver the next generation City Class frigates for the Royal Navy.

    The Type 26 design has also been successfully exported to UK allies, with programmes for nine Australian Hunter Class and 15 Canadian Surface Combatants underway. This will provide a long-term opportunity for all three nations to work together to exploit supply chain efficiencies and interoperability on operations.

    Construction of all of the city-class frigates is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s, with HMS Glasgow, the first in class, entering service by the end of 2028. Designed for a service life of at least 25 years, the Type 26 frigates will serve in the future Royal Navy surface fleet into the 2060s.

  • PRESS RELEASE : Life chances of vulnerable adults improved as government extends £73 million ‘Changing Futures’ programme [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Life chances of vulnerable adults improved as government extends £73 million ‘Changing Futures’ programme [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on 4 April 2023.

    A £73 million scheme to improve peoples’ life chances has been extended as Government increases support for vulnerable people.

    • Changing Futures Programme extended until 2025 to support England’s most vulnerable adults
    • £7 million additional funding for local areas to provide world class support services designed to meet each person’s unique needs
    • Part of government’s commitment to improve life chances of people facing disadvantage

    A £73 million scheme to improve peoples’ life chances has been extended as Government increases support for vulnerable people.

    Local areas participating in the Changing Future programme will now have an extra year to deliver pioneering support services to people facing multiple issues including mental ill health, homelessness, drug and alcohol misuse and domestic abuse.

    The extension to the programme, which launched in 2021, is backed by £9.5 million from the government’s Shared Outcomes Fund.

    The programme is designed to overcome challenges adults face in receiving support from the NHS and local support services. It focuses on bringing together the work of local councils, charities and support services into easily accessible teams that can better cater for a person’s range of issues, rather than them having to seek separate support for each area of their life.

    New research from the government, published today, shows that Changing Futures is reaching those most in need, with nearly 7 in 10 people on the programme having experience of more than one mental or physical health issue.

    Minister for Housing and Homelessness, Felicity Buchan said:

    “The Changing Futures programme is making a difference to thousands of lives up and down the country – helping us reach some of the most vulnerable people and giving them the specialist support they need to improve their lives.

    “The extension and funding we are announcing today will help support even more people and I look forward to seeing what other long lasting changes local areas can deliver for these individuals.”

    Changing Futures is co-funded and run in conjunction with the National Lottery Community Fund.

    David Knott, Chief Executive of The National Lottery Community Fund, said:

    “The Changing Futures programme is showing that – when equipped with the right tools and support – vulnerable people facing multiple disadvantage can make significant changes to improve their lives and have a positive impact on the communities they are part of.

    “As joint funder, we have seen first-hand the difference this programme has made since 2021. I welcome the Government’s plans to extend it and am excited to see what comes next.”

    Examples of local initiatives funded by the programme include:

    • A new service in Surrey which uses the latest developments in trauma support  for women dealing with domestic abuse
    • A specialist mental health and wellbeing team in Essex for individuals who have struggled to access mainstream health services.
    • Specialist workers in Nottingham to help people get the support they need with links to specific GP, mental health and housing support

    Anna Smith – Bristol Changing Futures Programme Director, said:

    “I am proud to be leading the Changing Futures programme in Bristol. It is wonderful to see agencies from across the city working in partnership to trial different approaches to working with people facing Multiple Disadvantage.

    “By taking a My Team Around Me approach with our clients, we aim to end the revolving door which sees them lose trust in the system and disengage from services and support them to independence.

    “We welcome today’s announcement and look forward to hearing more about what it means for Bristol.”

    Areas receiving support include Essex, Westminster, Sussex, Surrey, Bristol, Plymouth, Nottingham, Stoke-on-Trent, Hull, Sheffield, Leicester, Northumbria (Northumberland, Newcastle, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, and Sunderland), South Tees (Middlesbrough, and Redcar and Cleveland), Lancashire (Blackpool, Lancashire, and Blackburn with Darwen) and Greater Manchester.

    Case study from the Changing Futures programme:

    • Jane was referred into the Changing Futures partnership in Essex as she had been making daily use of emergency services.
    • She had entrenched complex needs, including mental ill-health and alcohol misuse, and her traumatic past experiences meant she had difficulty trusting professionals.
    • Regular multi-disciplinary meetings, including with her GP, Essex Alcohol Recovery Community, the Mental Health & Wellbeing Team and a local homeless charity, meant the teams could identify the best ways to support Jane.
    • Jane was successful in reducing her alcohol use, which has had a positive impact on her mental and physical health.
  • PRESS RELEASE : Findings of independent review of ICSs published [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : Findings of independent review of ICSs published [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department of Health and Social Care on 4 April 2023.

    An independent review of integrated care systems (ICSs) has today published its final report.

    • An independent review of integrated care systems (ICSs) has today published its final report
    • ICSs were introduced across England in 2022, bringing together the NHS, local government, and other partners together to improve the health and care of the people who live and work in their area
    • Chaired by former Health Secretary, Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt, the review considered how the oversight and governance of ICSs can best enable them to succeed

    An independent review into integrated care systems today published its final report.

    Integrated Care Systems bring together NHS, local government, social care providers, charities and other partners to deliver on four goals:

    • Improving outcomes in population health and healthcare
    • Tackling inequalities in outcomes, experience and access
    • Enhancing productivity and value for money
    • Helping the NHS support broader social and economic development

    ICBs include representatives from local authorities, primary care and NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts.

    The Health and Social Care Secretary commissioned Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt to lead the independent review in November 2022, asking her to consider how the oversight and governance of these systems can best enable them to succeed.

    The review covered ICSs in England and the NHS targets and priorities for which ICBs are accountable, including those set out in the government’s mandate to NHS England.

    Drawing on the insights of leaders from across the NHS, local government, social care providers, the charitable and the voluntary and social enterprise sector the review looked at how best to empower local leaders to focus on improving outcomes for their populations.

    Organisations representing patients as well as experts in academia and think tanks also fed into the call for evidence which received more than 400 responses.

    A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said:

    Integrated care systems are an important part of the government’s plan to deliver more joined up and effective health and care services and to cut waiting times for patients, one of the Prime Minister’s key priorities for 2023.

    Ministers will review recommendations of this report in due course.

    Chair of the independent review of integrated care systems, Rt. Hon. Patricia Hewitt, said:

    It was an enormous privilege to undertake this review, published today.

    Integrated Care Systems represent the best opportunity in a generation for the urgently needed transformation that we need in our health and care system. Everyone wants them to succeed.

    To fulfil their potential, however, we need not only to back our new structures, but also to change our culture. Everyone needs to change, and everyone needs to play their part.

    My recommendations are intended to help the health and care system make those changes – and I hope that ministers, NHS England and others will feel able to take them forward.

    Amanda Pritchard, NHS chief executive, said:

    Integrated care systems have the power to change the way the NHS provides care for people while working alongside local government to ensure people live healthier lives.

    We know health systems across the country are already taking significant action to do this and we are grateful to Patricia Hewitt for this important report – we will look in detail at the recommendations as we continue to support local areas to improve outcomes for patients.

    Background

    • The full report can be found here: The Hewitt Review: an independent review of integrated care systems – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
    • Each ICS has an integrated care board (ICB), a statutory organisation responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of the population, managing the NHS budget and arranging for the provision of health services in the ICS area. ICBs include representatives from local authorities, primary care and NHS Trusts and Foundation Trusts.
    • Each ICS also has an integrated care partnership (ICP) that brings together a broad alliance of partners concerned with improving the care, health and wellbeing of the population. The ICP is responsible for producing an integrated care strategy on how to meet the health and wellbeing needs of the population in the ICS area.
  • PRESS RELEASE : DVSA sets out vision to keep Britain moving safely and sustainably [April 2023]

    PRESS RELEASE : DVSA sets out vision to keep Britain moving safely and sustainably [April 2023]

    The press release issued by the Department for Transport on 4 April 2023.

    The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has launched its vision to 2030, setting out what needs to be done to keep Britain moving safely and sustainably.

    By the end of this decade, DVSA will have made progress against 5 important challenges and opportunities. These are to:

    • make roads safer
    • improve services for its customers
    • make road transport greener and healthier
    • harness the potential of technology and data
    • grow and level up the economy

    Enabling a transport revolution

    DVSA is launching its ambitious vision at a time when the country is on the cusp of a transport revolution.

    By 2030

    There will be rapid change between now and the end of the decade. By 2030:

    • the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars will have been banned
    • 10 million battery electric vehicles are expected on the roads
    • 1 in 8 new cars sold could have self-driving features
    • half of all journeys in towns and cities will be made by walking or cycling

    What DVSA will do

    DVSA already plays a leading role in:

    • setting driver and vehicle standards, and assessing that drivers and vehicles are safe
    • licensing, accrediting, regulating and enforcing in industries including driver training, MOT testing and commercial vehicle operators

    Under its new vision, DVSA will significantly increase its work to inform, educate and advise the public and businesses.

    Overall, these activities will help to make sure that:

    • driving standards and driving tests are suitable for self-driving vehicles
    • taking theory tests and driving tests becomes more convenient
    • existing drivers are able to use self-driving vehicles safely
    • the vehicle approval process promotes innovation in automation and net-zero emissions
    • MOT testing and in-service vehicle safety keep up with the latest vehicle technology, such as artificial intelligence, radar and lidar (light detection and ranging)
    • vehicle data is accessible and easy to use
    • commercial vehicle operators have clear standards to follow that reflect the latest technology
    • more commercial driver and vehicle non-compliance is detected remotely through better data and technology
    • commercial vehicle operators have access to tailored guidance to help them

    Making a difference to society

    The vision focuses on outcomes that help make a real and lasting difference to everyone living in Great Britain.

    It will guide work to:

    • reduce the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on our roads, which in turn reduces pressure on the NHS
    • help people to use new connected and autonomous mobility technology safely, giving people more independence
    • improve public transport services, enabling more and better access to work and education
    • help the road haulage industry become more efficient and keep supply chains resilient, helping everyone with the cost of living
    • help to create 38,000 jobs in the self-driving vehicle industry
    • help to end the UK’s contribution to climate change by becoming net zero
    • help reduce air pollution from road transport, as human-made air pollution causes between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths every year

    Read the DVSA vision to 2030.

    Loveday Ryder, DVSA Chief Executive, said:

    Whatever your stake in DVSA, we want to set out what the DVSA plans to achieve of behalf our customers and stakeholders. That’s whether you work for us or in partnership with us, or you are responsible for holding us to account.

    Our strategic plan to 2025 and vision to 2030 set out our ambitions and the challenges we set ourselves to achieve our vision to 2030 of keeping Britain moving, safely and sustainably.

    The transformative plans in these documents demonstrate our drive for more efficient services. We will always keep looking for ways to build on this to support the government’s ambitions.

    Strategic plan to 2025 sets out immediate priorities

    DVSA’s vision to 2030 is supported by a strategic plan to 2025. This sets out the most immediate priorities to:

    • help you through a lifetime of safe and sustainable journeys
    • help you keep your vehicle safe to drive
    • protect you from unsafe drivers and vehicles

    Read the DVSA strategic plan to 2025.

    DVSA’s business plan for 2023 to 2024 will be published later in spring. It will set out the priorities and targets for the coming year.