Growth in lower life expectancy in England’s deprived areas
Health inequalities between the rich and poor in England are increasing, as discussed in ‘Tackling Inequalities in Life Expectancy in Areas with the Worst Health and Deprivation: Department of Health’ (HC 186).
The Department of Health has made a serious attempt to improve life expectancy in poorer areas of the country but will fail to reach targets set out in 2000 by 10% if current trends continue for 2010.
Hospitals are well-maintained by privately funded hospital contracts
The design, construction and management of privately funded National Health Service (NHS) hospitals is satisfactory or better, according to the National Audit Office.
Private Finance Initiative (PFI) hospital contracts, awarded and managed by local Trusts, ensure the upkeep of services including cleaning and catering and require buildings to be maintained in a specified condition. Currently there are 76 operational PFI contracts in England supported by the Department of Health.
Number and cost of coal health compensation claims 'greatly exceeded' initial forecasts
In January 1998, the Department of Trade and Industry (now the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills) took responsibility for the accumulated personal injury liabilities of the British Coal Corporation.
This report from the Committee of Public Accounts, 'Coal Health Compensation Schemes'
(HC 350), examines the Department's handling of the two compensation schemes that it introduced.
Children in care suffer ill health and educational
underachievement
Examining the question ‘What is the best way to care for
children unable to grow up with their birth parents?’, this Report also
reviews children’s services reforms carried out under the
Every
Child Matters programme, and puts forward numerous proposals including
creating a Centre of Excellence for Children’s and Families' Services.
211 construction industry deaths investigated
In the three year period 2005-2008, 211 men died in the construction industry. This "unacceptable level of fatalities" led to the commissioning of this inquiry, 'One Death is too Many: Inquiry into the Underlying Causes of Construction Fatal Accidents - Rita Donaghy's Report to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (Cm. 7657)'.