Independent Reviews

Independent review into the governance and financial management of Birmingham City Council following serious concerns raised by external auditors. Made 15 recommendations for structural and cultural change.

Fifth and final annual independent review of the Work Capability Assessment. Examined progress on previous recommendations and made further recommendations to improve the assessment process and claimant experience.

Independent report reviewing progress on Winterbourne View commitments and recommending a fundamental transformation of care for people with learning disabilities and autism away from institutional settings and towards community-based support.

Independent review of pre-pack administration in insolvency proceedings, examining transparency and accountability concerns among unsecured creditors and connected party purchasers, making six recommendations for voluntary industry reform.

Independent review of police disciplinary arrangements examining efficiency, fairness and public confidence. Made 23 recommendations for reforming how misconduct hearings are run.

Fourth annual independent review of the Work Capability Assessment, examining the assessment used to determine eligibility for Employment and Support Allowance. Conducted by Dr Paul Litchfield following the three Harrington reviews.

Review of engineering skills examining the gap between supply and demand for engineers in the UK economy and recommending action to increase the number of engineering graduates, improve careers advice and strengthen engineering education.

Independent review of postgraduate medical education and training in the UK examining the balance between specialist and generalist medical training. Made 19 recommendations to reshape training to better meet patient and workforce needs.

Independent review into patient safety in England following the Francis Report into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, making recommendations for a fundamental transformation of culture, systems and leadership.

Independent review of the role of healthcare assistants and support workers in the NHS and social care, commissioned by the Secretary of State for Health following the Francis Inquiry. Published July 2013 with 18 recommendations.

Second Caldicott review examining whether NHS information governance was hampering appropriate data sharing for patient care. Added a seventh Caldicott principle: the duty to share can be as important as the duty to protect.

Independent review of the regulation of cosmetic interventions commissioned following the PIP breast implant scandal. Examined the safety and regulation of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

Third and final annual review by Professor Malcolm Harrington of the Work Capability Assessment. Found significant improvements following Years 1 and 2 and made 3 remaining recommendations on further system refinements.

Independent commission examining whether the graduate nurse programme was delivering compassionate care and what changes were needed to nursing education. Made 30 recommendations calling for urgent action to equip the profession.

Independent review of economic growth commissioned by the Government, led by Lord Heseltine. Published October 2012 with 89 recommendations on local enterprise partnerships, devolution of funding, and a national growth strategy.

Independent review into the LIBOR rate-setting process following manipulation scandals, producing a 10-point plan for comprehensive reform of LIBOR including stronger criminal sanctions and transition to alternative benchmarks.

Second part of an independent review of police officer and staff pay and conditions, commissioned by the Home Secretary. Published July 2012 with 121 recommendations on pay scales, progression, direct entry and fitness requirements.

Independent review of UK equity markets and long-term decision making, examining whether short-term pressures are damaging the long-term performance of UK businesses and recommending reforms to reorient markets towards long-term investment.

Statutory post-legislative review of the Charities Act 2006 examining whether the legislation had achieved its intended purposes. Made 113 recommendations covering charity law, governance and regulation.

Review identifying areas of employment law that could be simplified to help businesses, commissioned by the Department for Business. Proposed 16 reforms including a no-fault dismissal mechanism.

Independent review examining how government can ensure every child has access to high-quality cultural experiences, resulting in the National Plan for Cultural Education and £15 million government investment across arts, music, film and heritage education.

Independent review of health and safety legislation, examining whether current regulations are fit for purpose and recommending ways to reduce unnecessary burdens on businesses while maintaining protections for workers.

Second statutory annual review of the Work Capability Assessment, focusing on implementation of Year 1 recommendations, reforms to descriptors for mental and cognitive conditions, and improvements to claimant communications.

Independent Commission on Banking final report recommending reforms to the structure and regulation of UK banks, including ring-fencing of retail banking operations from investment banking.

Commission on Funding of Care and Support examining the fairness and sustainability of social care funding, recommending a lifetime cap on individual care costs and a higher means-tested threshold for state support.