Productivity was a central concern of the summer Budget. The big rise in minimum wage – to be renamed the national living wage – assumes employers will invest in skills,.. read more

Despite five years of austerity pain, the United Kingdom is only halfway towards achieving the goal of eliminating the fiscal deficit. This is despite unemployment falling and growth reaching 2.6%.. read more

Reform must be embraced, not resisted, ACCA members were told at its 2nd Local Government Summit in London. Former Westminster City Council chief executive Sir Peter Rogers gave the opening.. read more

Does a postcode lottery exist in healthcare delivered by the NHS?  The British Medical Association is in no doubt that it does.  Its spokeswoman says: “The BMA believes that every.. read more

The financial squeeze on the NHS has become unbearable and the solution has to be selective charging for health services, or else higher rates of tax, according to a group.. read more

The ancient Chinese curse wishes enemies to live in “interesting times”.  Richard Harbord FCCA – chair of ACCA’s Public Sector Network Panel and interim CEO of Boston District Council –.. read more

Everyone agrees that integrating health and social care is a good idea – it would improve patient outcomes and reduce inefficiencies, such as bed blocking.  But whether the Government’s new.. read more

The UK has embarked upon the most radical reconfiguration of welfare benefits since the modern system was established after the Second World War.  “Some of the reforms are just cuts,.. read more

The Mid Staffordshire Foundation Trust crisis has led to more questions than answers.  One of the inescapable anxieties is whether Mid Staffordshire was simply too small to be a viable.. read more

The 2012/12 financial year has been a tough one for the ‘shadow’ clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) as they got ready to replace primary care trusts (PCTs).  But their job will.. read more

UK Worldspreads sues E&Y [lead] Ernst & Young is being sued over its audits of Worldspreads, which is being administered by two KPMG partners.  Jane Moriarty, special administrator of Worldspreads.. read more

UK KPMG hit by auditor’s leak [lead] KPMG has resigned as auditor of both Herbalife and Skechers after it emerged that a partner had supplied confidential market sensitive information to.. read more