17.11.10
NHS staff put in charge of £900 million
The Department of Health has announced that NHS staff are to be put in charge of social enterprises which have a total value of around £900 million.
This is now the third wave of proposals for social enterprises – the government also pledged an additional £4.4 million to help support the Right to Request scheme, which aids people in setting up social enterpirses.
Secretary of State for Health Andrew Lansley said: “I am encouraged by the enthusiasm with which NHS frontline staff have embraced the ‘Right to Request’ scheme. This represents a major milestone in the delivery of the White Paper commitment to create the largest and most vibrant social enterprise sector in the world.
“We want to empower millions of public sector workers to become their own boss and help them to deliver better services. This is about a fundamental power shift, taking power from Whitehall and placing it in the hands of frontline staff who know best the needs of their communities. This is what the Big Society is all about.”
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