|
|
Kodak Alaris Information Management and long-standing partner Insight, have successfully tendered to provide University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), one of 16 Global Digital Exemplar (GDE) acute trusts, with a fast and efficient scanning solution embedded within the Trust’s existing line of business application.
As part of its goal to exploit the potential of digital technologies to better engage with patients and enhance care quality, UHB selected Kodak Alaris to assist them in driving internal efficiencies by improving the quality and accessibility of patient health records to clinicians.
Kodak Alaris evaluated the Trust’s existing processes for scanning patient referrals into its content management platform, and proposed a solution that would enable front-line medical staff to capture and file relevant content at their desktop.
Kodak Alaris recommended integrating the capture function within line of business systems to remove complexity. With the new solution, instead of passing hard copy documents onto a third-party for scanning and filing in the correct place, a process which typically has a 24-48 hour lead time, the clinician can now capture and file in real-time.
The solution is powered by an Info Input scan button app within the UHB’s existing IBM Coach Web portal that is connected to the Trust’s current mixed vendor fleet of scanners that includes Kodak i2400 and i40 mid-volume production models. Alaris Info Input Solution is a web-based and mobile capture application that is easy for workers to implement and use.
 Using the embedded scan button and a connected scanner, staff have the ability to digitise paper documents and upload the digital records into its legacy EMC Documentum content management system right at the beginning of the patient’s journey. The Info Input software determines the document type for correct processing after scanning and converts all scanned digital uploads to a bi-tonal searchable PDF file format. Furthermore, document images and subsequent metadata input via the Trust’s IBM Coach application is stored in the relevant patient folder located in the UHB’s 7.1 EMC Documentum system.
Steve Clarke, Healthcare Solutions Manager at Kodak Alaris Information Management said: “Clinicians faced with a myriad of hard copy documents from referral letters, medical history, test results to medical charts, are in many instances reliant on the back-office scanning function to capture the information and file it in the correct place, a process which inevitably takes time and can potentially be error-prone. Embedding capture technology within UHB’s line of business application will improve efficiency around patient onboarding and registration, assisting the Trust in their journey to digitise healthcare records and improve patient care, by making information available faster.”
Kodak Alaris will project manage the roll-out, ensure end-user interfaces meet requirements in terms of usability and accessibility, as well as provide technical support and training to The Trust’s technical staff that will include managing the scan applet within the existing IT infrastructure and configuring the scanners, ensuring the smooth operation of the solution across the contract term.
For more information please visit: www.kodakalaris.co.uk/go/IMnews
 Rita Ellis Reporter: Stuart Littleford
19-year-old Rita Ellis was murdered at RAF Halton in Buckinghamshire on Saturday 11 November 1967.
At 10.30am on Sunday 12 November Rita’s body was found on the camp by a dog walker near a disused railway at the old coal yard about 250 yards from the main road from Wendover to Tring.
The body had been covered by leaves and foliage.
Rita, who was stationed at the camp, had been sexually assaulted and strangled by a ligature made out of her underwear.
At the time of the murder Thames Valley Police did not exist, the local police force was Buckinghamshire Constabulary, however it was New Scotland Yard that led the investigation.
On 28 April 1967 Rita joined the RAF, initially training at Spittlegate RAF in Grantham, Lincolnshire, and was then drafted to RAF Halton on 21 June of the same year.
She was a trade assistant and was obtaining extra qualifications as part of her training with the RAF.
Rita was the eldest of four siblings. Rita’s sister, Tina, was 10-years-old at the time of the murder. Rita’s two younger brothers were 17 and 13-years-old at the time.
Rita’s parents, who have since died, lived in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.
On the 50th anniversary of the murder, Rita’s sister, Tina, now aged 60 and working as a nurse in Sussex, made this emotional appeal: “Rita was wonderful. She was so kind, so caring, and so supportive but she seemed to be frightened of certain situations and used to scare quite easily. She was painful shy so going into the RAF was great for Rita because it broadened her horizons and gave her the confidence which she didn’t have.
“After Rita died I used to read the newspaper cuttings and it used to give me nightmares. I tried to understand it but I just kept thinking about whether she suffered – those things went through my head even as a ten-year-old.
“Rita’s murder has had a huge impact on me and my family. My mother and Rita were incredibly close, they were like sisters. My mother was never the same after Rita died, my mother had a number of illnesses and incidentally she died on the same day as Rita on 11th November in 1994.
“It’s been a long time coming but we want justice for Rita. Someone, somewhere must have some information. I urge them to please come forward to the police and give us closure and allow Rita to be at peace.”
 Head of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Review Team, Peter Beirne Head of the Thames Valley Police Major Crime Review Team, Peter Beirne said: “I am making a new appeal on the 50th anniversary of the brutal murder of Rita Ellis. Rita’s family has waited too long for justice and I now hope the public can help us find her killer.
“Thanks to re-examination of evidence found at the scene we have now obtained a full DNA profile of the offender and almost 200 potential suspects have been ruled out.
“I believe the offender would have been a young man, possibly aged in his teens to mid-twenties at the time, so it is likely he will now be aged in his sixties to eighties.
“A number of arrests were made during the initial investigation but no-one has ever been charged with Rita’s murder.
“It was arranged by the RAF that Rita would babysit for a Wing Commander and his wife on the evening of Saturday 11 November 1967 and she was to be collected from her living quarters at about 7.30pm, however according to the initial police investigation there was some confusion regarding the agreed collection time.
“The Wing Commander arrived at Rita’s accommodation at about 7.40pm and waited for Rita for about 15 minutes before leaving. About 10 minutes later the Wing Commander returned to the accommodation with his wife because she would have been allowed to enter the servicewomen’s accommodation, however Rita was not there.
“We know Rita had been working at the camp’s kitchens from 11am to 7pm on the day she was murdered. The last time she was seen alive was in her accommodation at about 8pm.
“On the night Rita was murdered there were two events being held at the camp, bingo and a disco, therefore there would have been hundreds of people in the vicinity of where Rita was waiting for her lift.
“It was common that entertainment was provided at the camp for civilians as well as servicemen and servicewomen. This included discos held at the Naafi, a Junior Ranks Club, The Tavern Bar, the Astra Cinema and a bar called Portakabin.
“On the night she was murdered Rita was wearing a coat, cardigan, skirt, underwear and shoes. She was also carrying two handbags. All of these items were recovered at the scene.
“The person responsible for Rita’s murder will have had this horrific act on their conscience for 50 years, and there has to be a possibility that they have confided in someone during this time. If you have any information, even if you think the information is insignificant, please come forward.
“In the time that has passed allegiances may have changed or perhaps you couldn’t come forward at the time for whatever reason but now you can.
“Please do the right thing and contact us either by calling 101, visiting your nearest police station or emailing helprita@thamesvalley.pnn.police.uk and quoting reference 604 (7/11).
“If you do not want to speak directly to the police you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.”
 Isle of Man – Zeta Solar Shelter – rural shelter Reporter: Stuart Littleford
15 bus stops along the main service route from Douglas to Ramsey have been fitted with Zeta Specialist Lighting’s Solar Shelter Lighting Kit. The rollout is part of a three-year plan that will see a total of 50 bus stops across the island benefiting from solar-powered illumination, an initiative designed to enhance passenger comfort and safety.
With a low population density and few built-up areas, the Isle of Man has very low levels of light pollution. This island is a centre for star gazing and has the largest concentration of Dark Skies sites in the British Isles. Some areas don’t have street lighting and in many locations where bus stops are sited, there is no mains connection, all of which pointed to a non-light polluting solar-powered system as the best solution.
Enhance passenger comfort and safety
The Department of Infrastructure’s public transport division was looking for a solution to provide illumination to enhance passenger comfort and safety, and as bus stops across the island are response stops, they also wanted to minimise the risk that bus drivers would miss waiting passengers in an unlit shelter during the hours of darkness.
Phase one was for 15 bus stops along the main service route from Douglas to Ramsey, phase two will see the rollout along the high commuter Douglas to Castletown route, and the final phase will see shelters from Peel to Ramsey, being fitted with Zeta’s solar solution.
Solar Shelter Lighting Kits
Zeta’s Solar Shelter Lighting Kits had been fitted on shelters in the bus station in Douglas two years previously and had proven to be an effective, maintenance free solution, which made the decision to utilise the same system across the island an easy one.
This bespoke solar-powered lighting solution for bus shelters features specially manufactured, vandal resistant, solar panels which are attached to the roof of the shelter to harness the sun’s energy throughout the day. The solar energy charges the in-built long-life maintenance free batteries and powers the high luminance Zeta LEDs to illuminate the shelter from dusk till dawn. To ensure reliable, year-round performance, Zeta’s innovative and unique Energy Management System (EMS) optimises the energy collection; maximising power to the batteries during the day, and regulating the amount of power consumed by the LEDs at night.
The 15 shelters have been programmed to turn on/off according to operational timings, however for the next phases, the Solar Shelter Lighting Kits will include Passive Infra-Red technology (PIR) sensors. The shelters will maintain a constant low level of illumination until a passenger enters and activates the sensor, the light levels will gently increase and remain fully activated until the passenger leaves the immediate area.
 Isle of Man – Zeta Solar Shelter Kits installed in Douglas 2015 This cost-effective and ultra-reliable solar-powered system was quick and easy to install, providing the ability to illuminate shelters in largely remote areas where mains electricity was not available and where laying cabling was cost and time prohibitive.
Safer environment
Creating a safer environment was a high priority, passenger safety and comfort has been enhanced now the shelters are illuminated, and disabled access improved as kerbs etc. are visible at night. In addition, drivers can clearly identify which stops have waiting passengers, removing the risk of driving by without picking them up.
Other benefits include the fact that ongoing running costs are zero, the solution is maintenance free and there are no additional energy bills to pay. Plus, the overall environmental impact of a solar-powered system is much lower than one which utilises electricity.
Commenting on Zeta’s solar-powered solution, Ian Bates, Head of Operations, Public Transport Division, Department of Infrastructure, Isle of Man said: “We are delighted with Zeta’s easy to install, maintenance free solution. We are working closely with the island’s parish councils getting them involved in initiatives to safely illuminate their areas and look forward to the wider roll out of this solar-powered system across the island.”
www.zetaled.co.uk
 A month after Germany took to the polls on September 24th, initial coalition talks to form a new government began last week. Although Angela Merkel and her conservative CDU/CSU group won the elections, they entered Parliament a weakened force after suffering severe losses. Although sure to be re-elected as Chancellor, Merkel is left with only one feasible power option: a ‘Jamaica’ coalition of CDU/CSU, which would house major differences on several issues.
Bernd Buschhausen, Policy Expert and Partner at Instinctif Partners in Berlin, comments on the election result and its meaning for the UK and Brexit negotiations.
1) Where is Germany heading, and will it still be outward looking?
Bernd: Germany is and will remain an export driven nation, outward looking by nature. However, those who have high hopes of German leadership in European and global policy making are likely to be disappointed. With fading political appeal, Merkel emerges from the elections weaker than anticipated. Not only is she under criticism within her own party but externally she will have to appease many different party positions. These circumstances stretch and ultimately limit her ability to push through important initiatives both at EU and national level.
2) What does Merkel’s weakened stance mean for Brexit negotiations?
Bernd: Many Brexit hardliners followed the German election with interest. A weakened chancellor Merkel, they reasoned, might be more inclined to make compromises during Brexit negotiations. Yet, while Merkel’s post-election position today is indeed weaker, Brexiteers may be disappointed. Brexit did not play a role during the German election campaign, and Merkel’s weakened stance will not fundamentally change the German position on Brexit. There will not be negotiations on a future trade deal unless the issues of the divorce bill, EU citizens’ rights and the border question between Ireland and Northern Ireland are settled.
What Merkel’s weakened position does mean however is that domestic issues will drive her agenda in the coming months. Merkel’s heavy losses in Parliament mean there is no longer a clear one-party-mandate and make the direction of the next government unclear. The next four years of government will not be about visions along party-values but about managing change.
3) What are the positions of the Jamaica coalition parties in terms of Brexit?
 Bernd Buschhausen is an award-winning policy expert at Instinctif Partners Bernd: All parties in the ‘Jamaica’ coalition question are convinced pro-Europeans. Where they differ is in policy areas on which the EU should focus. The CDU emphasizes that a strong EU is a precondition for a strong Germany. Regarding Brexit, Merkel supports fair and swift negotiations that guarantee a good EU-UK relation in the future.
The CSU often criticises a rampant bureaucracy and too much centralisation of the EU. As a regional party from Bavaria, given the region’s close economic ties to the UK, the CSU seeks to limit negative impacts of Brexit by reaching a new trade agreement as soon as possible.
While considering themselves pro-European, the Liberals (FDP) criticise the EU as distanced from the citizens, especially in terms of bureaucracy and centralisation. When it comes to Brexit, the FDP is pragmatic – while against a “Brexit à la carte”, the UK should not be ‘punished’ for Brexit and should stay a key ally and an important trading partner.
Of the potential allies, the Greens are perhaps the most EU-friendly and embrace Macron’s broad visions for the Union, advocating a deeper monetary union and the creation of a “European Future Fund”. On Brexit, the Greens support a rather tough stance towards the UK. Leading Green politicians often mention that the interests of EU citizens must precede a new free trade agreement between the EU and the UK.
4) What implications would a Jamaica coalition have on Brexit negotiations?
Bernd: For Germany, the EU is more than a common market. It is an integral part of our national identity. We even have an article on a united Europe in our constitution, the Fundamental Law. In line with this tradition, all parties about to form the Jamaica-coalition want to ensure that the EU remains a success. It is in Germany’s core interest to revitalize the European project – especially in the aftermath of the Brexit vote. The new German government will therefore concentrate on common ground among the remaining EU partners to move forward, aiming to make EU-decision-making faster, more transparent, more effective and more people-oriented.
While the UK is and will be an important partner for the EU in general and Germany in particular, the priority for European leaders will be on shaping the future of the EU and not on divorcing the UK. It is unlikely – if not out of the question – that the new German government will jeopardise the pan-European project in exchange for a good trade will with the UK. There will be no cherry-picking, where the UK benefits from a privileged access to the European market without adhering to the obligations. The four freedoms of the EU are set in stone.
Interestingly, German businesses are backing German politicians in this regard. The German Business Association BDI has repeatedly stated support for the EU’s Brexit negotiation strategy. Its president publicly called upon policy-makers in Brussels and Berlin to make sure the EU stands together and is strengthened. Although German industry favours clear new rules between the EU and the UK, safeguarding the single market and galvanising the EU is the priority.
 Oldham officers are presented with their GPSJ Above & Beyond Awards certificates by Bryn Hughes, father of PC Nichola Hughes (who was killed on duty) and Chief Superintendent Neil Davies. Pictured left to right: PCSO 66103 Lee Lockwood, PCSO 62643 Wayne Turley, PC 15574 Donna Youngjohns, PC 1315 Jordan Heaton, Sgt 2282 Toby Knight, Bryn Hughes and Chief Superintendent Neil Davies. Officers from Greater Manchester Police have been presented with awards for their actions whilst on duty during a night of severe flooding in 2016.
The officers, from the forces Oldham District, were unanimously voted winners of the Government & Public Sector Journal’s ‘Above & Beyond Award’ by an independent awards panel for their actions that night.
The flooding, in Saddleworth near Oldham, caused extensive damage to many homes and businesses in the area as well as major disruption transport and local services.
The GMP officers worked throughout the night helping residents with a major clean-up operation, sometimes using their bare hands as well as brushes and shovels to remove huge amounts of debris. The officers also assisted homeowners by moving their furniture and other personal items to safety.
The certificates were presented by Bryn Hughes, father of PC Nicola Hughes who was killed on duty in Manchester and Chief Superintendent Neil Evans.
The award winners were Sgt 2282 Toby Knight, PC 15570 Liam Rasch (no longer with GMP), PC 15361 Blair Patterson, PC 1315 Jordan Heaton, PC 15355 Julian Maynard, PC 15574 Donna Youngjohns, PC 15677 Mark Foster, PCSO 66103 Lee Lockwood and PCSO 62643 Wayne Turley.
Speaking after the awards ceremony in Oldham on Wednesday 8 November, Chief Superintendent Neil Evans said: “Sometimes police officers come in for criticism for various reasons, but as seen here with the GPSJ awards today the work they do for the community is truly amazing.
“In this case the police officers and PCSOs have shown just how much they care and have definitely surpassed what was required of them on the night.
 Bryn Hughes presents the GPSJ Above & And Beyond Award trophy to Chief Superintendent Neil Evans. “It’s also good to see these types of awards that recognise these actions that are above and beyond duty, I congratulate all those involved.”
Bryn Hughes said: “I am proud to be giving these awards out today and I know Nicola would also be the first to commend these officers actions, such a well-deserved award.”
The GPSJ awards are judged on merit by an independent panel of journalists, broadcasters and politicians, the panel members are; Andy Carter, Cleland Thom – principle of the College of Media and Publishing, Debbie Abrahams MP, Donal MacIntyre, John Stapleton, Nigel Pivaro and Steve Nolan.
The presentation was made at the Odeon Cinema in The Old Town Hall, Parliament Square, Oldham.
Fleet Hero Awards reveals 10 winners in its 12th year
Award recognises efforts of companies to reduce fleet carbon footprint, tackle air pollution and improve fleet sustainability
 Fleet Leeds City Council Andrew Hickford Terry Pycroft An innovative partnership tackling air quality issues in central London and a utility company who has set up a training programme for young drivers are among those to be named UK’s Fleet Heroes 2017.
At an awards ceremony held in the Museum of London Docklands last night and sponsored by the Department for Transport, BMW, Enterprise-Rent-a-Car, Highways England and Volkswagen, the Energy Saving Trust’s 12th annual Fleet Hero Awards named the organisations that are showing the UK the way in reducing emissions from road transport.
Among the winners were Leeds City Council for its work on introducing an ultra low-emissions fleet, Heathrow Airport for installing a sizeable network of EV chargers, the University of Birmingham for its fleet and Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust for implementing a series of measures to move staff into more sustainable methods of transport.
Presented by Red Dwarf star, Scrapheap challenge host and motoring journalist, Robert Llewellyn, this shortlist featured 28 entries from across the whole of the UK.
And such was the quality of entries, that the Unsung Hero award was shared between two for the first time in the awards’ history, with Matt Dale of Bristol’s ALD Automotive and David Hosking of Watford company Tusker jointly holding the accolade.
Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of the Energy Saving Trust, said:
“The entries were very competitive and it is very encouraging to see such a swell of new entrants this year.
 Winner Ultra-low Emission Infrastructure Heathrow Dianne Armstrong Iqbal Gill Darren Smith “Such was the standard of entries that our judges had an extremely difficult time in picking our winners – indeed the competition in the Unsung Fleet Hero category was so strong that two winners were recognised. The judges were keen to highlight the important role of inspired and determined individuals in driving change.”
This year the conference and awards focused on the twin challenges of tackling the UK’s well-documented air quality issues while ensuring progress against national carbon emissions targets.
This year’s awards have taken place against a backdrop of a quickening uptake of plug-in vehicles driven by governments and manufacturers, pushes to increase the accessibility of charging infrastructure and a sense of urgency to tackle air quality issues.
Fleets and businesses from across the country are repositioning themselves to meet these challenges and opportunities head on. Judges are seeing a higher standard of entries than ever before, particularly in the Ultra-low Emission Fleet, Innovation and Unsung Fleet Hero categories
 Best Public Sector University of Birmingham Monica Guise Peter Edwards The winners were:
Best Public Sector Fleet:
University of Birmingham
Best Business Sector Fleet:
Z-Tech Control Systems
Smarter Travel:
Norfolk Community Health & Care NHS Trust
Efficient Driving:
British Gas
Clean Air:
Cross River Partnership
Innovation:
ALD Automotive
Ultra Low Emission Fleet:
Leeds City Council
Ultra-low mission Infrastructure
Heathrow Airport
MR Sellwood added: “These pro-active and informed organisations and individuals aren’t just setting an example for their own staff to follow, they are raising the bar for their partners and, indeed, their competitors to aspire to.
We’re looking forward to even more competition for next year’s Fleet Hero Awards.”
For more information on how your organisation can cut transport costs and emissions visit www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/fleet or email transportadvice@est.org.uk
Andrew Pavord of Apply4 Technology will be explaining at the Public Sector Show in Manchester on November 21st.
 Andrew Pavord, CEO Apply4 Technology While public sector bodies up and down the country are managing cuts, tax incentives (known as UK film tax relief) and local talent have led to a huge increase in filming on our local streets.
The industry has grown by 78% since 2014 and is now worth £1.6 billion a year. At the higher end, these productions are spending up to £100,000 a day in accommodation, catering, transport, and buying out businesses and homes for filming. All that spend is going directly into local pockets. When big productions choose locations in your area, it’s a huge cash injection to the local economy.
Good technology enables local councils to access their share of the spend. This will be discussed at the Public Sector Show in Manchester on November 21st. (www.psshowmcr.co.uk). Andrew Pavord, founder and CEO of Apply4 will explain how developing practical, affordable technology has helped dozens of local councils participate in the film industry.
He will be speaking in the morning at the show. Here are the details: www.psshowmcr.co.uk/programme/#digital-technology
Filming Hollywood blockbusters is becoming the norm in London streets. In just the last couple of months we’ve seen the premiere of Wonder Woman, American Assassin, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The Hitman’s Bodyguard, Transformers: The Last Knight, War Machine, The Mummy, the list goes on. Paddington 2 is another brilliant example, opening in November. All these productions used Apply4 Technology software and all engaged with local residents and businesses.
Why is good technology essential for local councils to service the film industry’s need? Because the industry is flexible and mobile. If there’s a chance that permits might not be processed on time, the production will simply relocate the shoot to a borough that can turn permits around to deadline.
A production might change its mind many times before finalising a shoot – so only good technology can handle the complex detail required, along with frequent changes.
And it’s worth it. The spend we are referring to on local streets is all below the line – budget spent directly on the day at the location. It’s not including above the line spend on talent, writing or marketing. That’s a far higher number – often three quarters of total spend is above the line.
That’s also not factoring in the “feel-good” factor – the economic impact of increased tourism, and attracting more businesses to your area because of its enhanced reputation. “Brand London” is very much experiencing a renaissance thanks to its increased presence in the global imagination through big budget films and TV shows.
In addition to its production spend, most filmmakers are also generously donating to local charities to thank residents when they have filmed in their streets.
One resident group alone in Bromley bought bicycles for their local policemen, improved a children’s play area, the cricket green and pavilion. They’ve built two benches beside the cricket green and repaired another bench by the bus stop.
 “Lady in the Van” filming in Primrose Hill They bought Christmas lights for Orpington High Street, and supported the air ambulance.
Donations in other areas go toward street parties to bring the community together, planting in local squares and communal gardens, free concert, supporting community centres, libraries and activities.
Even more importantly, productions are offering local young people a leg up in the business, providing work experience and entry-level job opportunities. This has become the norm and we’ve seen it with productions from James Bond: Spectre, American Assassin, Criminal, Our Loved Boy, The Durrells and Guerrilla, just to name a few.
So, it’s a great opportunity for residents.
The fact is though that many councils aren’t proactively engaging in this opportunity and even less are aware of the required codes of practice. This was my experience when I first took on the Film Officer role at Southwark Council in 2004.
Apply4 Tech’s flagship product FilmApp was designed specifically in response to this, to help local councils ensure they are attracting their share of the film business into their areas, managing its rapid growth in a transparent fashion, ensuring that it benefits residents as much as possible and remains sustainable.
And it’s not just available to councils. Anybody wishing to offer its location space to the film industry benefits from FilmApp. Southbank Centre, Canal and River Trust, Peabody Estates, Potters Field Park, Butlers Wharf, are on our client list.
Because it was developed in collaboration with many different London local authorities, the first product not only worked, it provided seamless permitting across an important swathe of the capital to film makers. Until then, Hollywood-style productions found the rules and requirements changed sometimes from street to street. This was far more ideal.
In addition, the product could be sold directly to those officers who would be using it, with their budget holders’ approval. The first product’s cost fell below the procurement guidelines’ threshold and could be installed and updated without the help of the councils’ IT department.
Another point to make is that digital transformation does not mean providing the same old forms as pdfs. It’s an opportunity to change the permitting process altogether to make it more efficient.
Filmmakers working with next-level CGI expect more than incomprehensible paper forms that need to be posted back. They need to work in modern online systems that can handle secure digital payments.
And removing the drudgery of complex processes for officers means they spend more time on efficient activities such as marketing, for example.
www.apply4.com
 Lambert Smith Hampton, the professional services organisation, has praised EssentialSkillz for its easy-to-use software which has given them automated compliance on its business-critical policies.
Lambert Smith Hampton employs 1,300 people across 34 offices. It required a new policy and training software. The system had to provide an audit trail and verify if employees had read and agreed to policies. The software needed to cut cost.
The company had used the O-LAS Learning Management System from EssentialSkillz for several years. It extended its use to WorkWize, the compliance software which automates the roll-out of policies, procedures and risk assessments to employees. Initially it was planned to be used for its IT policy only. But having been so impressed with the functionality, the organisation now plans to use WorkWize for all its policies. These include Health & Safety and policies addressing broader issues such as Anti-Corruption, Anti-Bribery and Money Laundering.
WorkWize provides digital audit trails, so it’s easy to manage compliance across the business and quickly address gaps in understanding and acceptance. Certificates are sent to everyone and archived online. A record of which version of the policy has been signed off and when is kept.
Christine Robertson, Associate Director at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: “WorkWize is really easy to use and I love that I can quickly edit and create content, which is something some other systems weren’t able to do when we were comparing providers.
“It’s all very well having policies, but you need verification to be compliant. Policies were previously on the intranet and employees were advised to read them, but there was no way to be certain they did. If someone doesn’t comply, we may be required to take disciplinary action and we can’t move forward without an audit trail.”
O-LAS is a powerful learning management system that handles training, provides extensive reporting functionality and automated training reminders for new and existing staff. Training reminders can be sent on an individual basis or by grouping employees based on their job role or office. eLearning courses from the extensive EssentialSkillz library can be edited using O-LAS, so every business can shape the training to suit them.
Christine continues: “As WorkWize and O-LAS can be accessed anywhere on any device, it’s perfect for our busy staff, who can complete policy acceptance or training at any time, which is a huge benefit for us, as the more employees can be engaged, the better understanding they’ll have. We’re also able to keep track of CPD, which saves us so much time and resource.
“EssentialSkillz has the appetite to keep improving and updating content, which is great for us and offers everything we want. We are very happy with how it has slotted into our systems and processes and the customer support we’ve received has been brilliant.”
Find out more about EssentialSkillz: www.EssentialSkillz.com
 Loughborough University has upgraded its CCTV security network to increase the level of protection for the 17,975 students and 3,787 members of staff that study, work, live in or visit the campus. The project has been completed by OpenView Security Solutions (OSS), one of the UK’s leading independent providers of security and IT infrastructure solutions, which was awarded the contract through the ESPO tender portal.
After completing a series of enhancements to the CCTV system, the last of which took place in 2012 when it was chosen as the official preparation camp headquarters for Team GB prior to the London Olympic Games, the university wanted to upgrade the existing security control room equipment which had reached end of life. This would include the consolidation of two separate workstation systems, enabling them both to monitor any part of the campus, enhancing service delivery and delivering cost savings.
OSS installed an IndigoVision Control Centre, a fully integrated system that allows video, access control and alarms to be easily managed. With a unique Distributed Network Architecture (DNA), it delivers greater resilience and supports continuous system growth for future-proofing. The company also installed two Indigo Vision Enterprise NVR-AS network video recorders in a server farm on the university’s IT network along with an additional failover unit for added resilience. Each NVR has a data throughput of 2 Gbps and up to 112TB usable storage.
Over 300 cameras have been connected to the IndigoVision platform using the latest high speed IP technology over the existing IT infrastructure. The university also took the opportunity to install 30 new IndigoVision PTZ cameras to provide enhanced monitoring at key locations across its 440 acre campus. OSS also installed encoders and an IndigoVision Camera Gateway to enable older analogue cameras to stream images via IP over the network.
 Clyde Williams Building “OpenView Security Solutions worked closely in partnership with our IT team to ensure there was no loss of service throughout the upgrade process,” commented Andrew Burgess, Director of Infrastructure & Commercial Services at Loughborough University. “The new system has delivered immediate operational benefits by being easier to use and manage. It enhances the level of security provided across the campus which is helping to reduce the incidence of reported crime and ensure the safety and welfare of students, staff and visitors.”
The new system also allows images from the bodycams used by security patrols that help maintain an effective Campus Watch Scheme to be uploaded to the system via docking stations. All footage is stored centrally helping to maintain crime recording procedures and make informed decisions concerning the patrolling strategy.
According to Andy Ward, Andy Ward, Sales Director of OpenView Security Solutions: “The award of this contract confirms the growing recognition of our technical ability to efficiently handle high profile installations. We are focused on working with ‘best of breed’ technology providers and using the latest standards such as ONVIF to ensure that security systems meet client expectations, reduce the fear of crime and create a safer community wherever they are deployed.”
OSS has subsequently been awarded a contract to support and maintain the university’s CCTV network, control room and intruder alarm systems helping to maintain community confidence.
 Phil Geraghty, MD of Crowdfunder Report shows:
Grant funds were amplified by 161% in crowdfunding pilot
- 78% of people who pledged gave money they wouldn’t ordinarily give to charity or philanthropic causes
- 33% saw an uplift in volunteering after the fundraise, with 2 in 3 projects seeing an increase in skills
The £5.6bn grant funding sector is set for major disruption as new research reveals the significant impact crowdfunding can make when used alongside grant funding.
Led by global innovation charity, Nesta, delivered in partnership with Crowdfunder, the UK’s #1 rewards based crowdfunding platform, the Matched Crowdfunding Report 2017 shows crowd-matched grant funding could offer 161% more for community, charity and business projects across the UK. The publication highlights a pilot programme where £251,500 from Arts Council England and Heritage Lottery Fund inspired the crowd to donate £405,941.
During the nine-month pilot, Crowdfunder marketed the funds and provided the online platform for projects to launch their ideas. The £251,500 in matched funding was provided to 59 projects on Crowdfunder.co.uk. These schemes also benefitted from ongoing support, coaching and workshops from the site and the support of 4,970 crowd backers.
The report is the result of a collaboration between the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Crowdfunder and Nesta. For the first time, it provides a powerful insight into the impact of matched crowdfunding. Until now, despite its rapid growth, the practice has remained largely unexplored.
The way in which UK grant money is distributed has been slowly evolving. However platforms like Crowdfunder have been pioneering ways to match smaller donations raised from the public with larger institutional funding from 20 local authorities and companies like Santander.
Phil Geraghty, MD of Crowdfunder said: “The report makes a strong case for local authorities and other grant funding organisations to work with Crowdfunder. We can match the UK’s £5.6bn grant money with crowd-raised funds. Importantly, the report outlines strong evidence for doing so.
“Previously, lack of evidence on the impact of crowd-matched funding meant some potential funders struggled to assess how it could be used within their current funding programmes. The release of the Matched Crowdfunding Report 2017 changes all that. We now have strong data that could change the grant sector forever. The firm recommendation shining through the report is that funding organisations need to give crowdfunding a go.
“Crowdfunder is now looking for more funders who have a collaborative approach, deep valuable knowledge of their sectors and a shared mission to tackle societal change by helping make ideas happen.”
The report also recommended that Crowdfunder needs to invest more in sharing its knowledge with the sector and develop more technology to do it at scale. This would unlock greater funds for more grass-roots projects while allowing funders to use their expert knowledge to the benefit of communities.
Crowdfunder is currently raising funds to on Crowdcube, in order to scale its business, invest in technology to ensure that crowdfunding projects can tap into the £5.6bn grant sector and ultimately help more charity, community and business projects across the UK.
Crown Commercial Service (CCS) is harnessing the buying power of the public sector to reduce the cost to the public purse of purchasing mobile voice and data services.
Expressions of interest are now being taken from public sector organisations who want to take part in this latest bulk buying project.
The competition will be awarded in March 2018, with customer requirements being gathered between now and December.
CCS is an executive agency of the Cabinet Office, and supports the public sector to achieve maximum commercial value when procuring common goods and services.
The winning supplier will provide mobile voice and data services to the public sector at the most competitive price available – supporting the provision of efficient, effective public services that meet the needs of citizens.
The most recent exercises of its kind organised by CCS have saved customers, including local authorities and NHS trusts, on average 60% compared to their previous bills. The more organisations that take part, the greater the benefits will be.
Niall Quinn, Director of Technology Strategic Category said: ‘I’d encourage all public sector organisations who are looking to purchase mobile voice and data services to consider joining this aggregation. These projects have a great track record of utilising the buying power of the public sector to leverage the best deals from suppliers, ensuring that public bodies can deliver efficient public services.’
Each participating customer will sign their own individual contract with the winning supplier.
How it works
The project is a National Further Competition completed under Lot 6 of CCS’s Network Services framework. The chosen supplier will be one of those currently appointed to this Lot.
It will put in place a mobile voice and data services contract offering a high level of flexibility by:
-
Establishing a zero line rental model for basic connections, avoiding customers incurring costs from unused lines
-
Structuring services as ‘bolt-ons’ which can be added to the basic connection, enabling packages to built to customer specifications
-
30-day terms for ‘bolt-ons’ to enable customers to change their mix of services during the contract term
Find out more
If you are interested in getting involved please get in touch (buying.crowncommercial.gov.uk/s/wps-campaign-short) – simply tick the aggregation box and quote NFC81.
The Crown Commercial Service (CCS) has recently awarded EssentialSkillz a place on the G-Cloud 9 (G9) supplier list for cloud computing services.
EssentialSkillz has been successful in achieving supplier status and can now offer its compliance solutions to public sector organisations looking to streamline their online safety training and risk assessment processes.
EssentialSkillz provides companies with online DSE Risk Assessment software to effectively identify risks, a learning management system to enable quick implementation of online training, and compliance assurance software to automate the rollout and audit trail of policies, procedures and risk assessments. EssentialSkillz’ eLearning content includes over 40 of the latest courses, covering all areas of Health and Safety and Business Protection.
The CCS acts on behalf of the Crown to drive savings for the taxpayer and improve the quality of commercial and procurement activity. The G9 agreement supports the Government’s policy to centrally manage the procurement of common goods and services through an integrated commercial function at the heart
of government.
The agreement with EssentialSkillz means that public sector organisations can buy its services on Digital Marketplace without the need to run a full tender or procurement process, meaning that it’s easier and faster for organisations to ensure their compliance using EssentialSkillz.
G9 can be used by organisations across the UK public sector including central government, local government, health, education, devolved administrations, emergency services, defence and not-for-profit organisations. The G9 agreement is fully EU compliant and provides easy access to cloud computing services, saving time and money for an organisation.
Julian Roberts, CEO of EssentialSkillz, said: “Acceptance onto the framework offers us the ability to expand our presence in the Public Sector. We are looking forward to having the chance to demonstrate the variety of services and the scale of benefits we can offer those looking to efficiently and effectively manage compliance, risk assessment and eLearning organisation-wide.”
Find out more about EssentialSkillz: EssentialSkillz.com
Sir Michael Caine
Reporter: Stuart Littleford
It is highly unusual for a council to have its own dedicated film unit, especially one the size of Thanet.
But Thanet District Council does have its own dedicated film office facilitating high profile filming opportunities.
The Council has recently played host to Sir Michael Caine who was in Margate filming scenes for the new movie – Night at Hatton Garden, while Sky Atlantic shot the last series of the Tunnel in the town.
Shawn Mendes and Emeli Sande both used Botany Bay, one of Thanet’s most distinctive beaches, as the backdrop for their music videos, whilst filming has just concluded for new Nick Hornby adaptation, Juliet Naked, featuring Ethan Hawke, Chris O’Dowd and Rose Byrne in Broadstairs. 
The area has also made numerous appearances on programmes such as The One Show, and Springwatch featuring Kingfishers and Parakeets and fashion brands like Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, ASOS and Pringle Scotland have all shot collections here this year.
With a requirement for a percentage of the BBC and Channel 4 programming budgets to be spent outside of London, Thanet’s visual appeal, proximity to the capital, affordability and creative flair make it an excellent choice.
In the current financial climate, it is also a creative income generator. Last year, the film office made £185,000.
Responding to a Local Government Ombudsman report on its first 100 investigations into Education, Health and Care Plans, Cllr Richard Watts, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People Board, said: “The number of investigations undertaken in this report is relatively small when compared to the thousands of Education, Health and Care Plans developed by councils to support children and young people with SEND. The report rightly highlights that despite these complaints, two thirds of parents have said they are happy with the support they are being provided by their councils.
“The LGA was clear with government from the outset that the reforms set out in the Children and Families Act were significantly underfunded given the unprecedented rise in demand for SEND support.
“Councils are working hard to ensure all children with SEND are getting the support that they need however, this is a new and complex system which councils and other agencies, including health partners and schools, are trying to navigate.
“With transitional funding set to end in March 2018, there is increasing concern among councils that at a time of rising demand, they will be unable to meet the needs of children and families in their areas. Councils are clear that the Government should provide additional and ongoing funding to meet this need, otherwise councils may not be able to meet their statutory duties and children with high needs or disabilities could miss out on a mainstream education.
“If we’re to meet the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities it is important that everyone, councils, colleges and government departments, work together effectively. In doing so, councils can ensure the right support is provided to those pupils in need.”
THE contract to maintain Liverpool’s parks and green spaces is set to be handed to the council-owned company which operates the refuse, recycling and street cleansing service.
A report to the Cabinet on Friday 27 October is recommending that Liverpool Street Scene Services Limited – a wholly owned Local Authority Trading Company (LATco) – takes over the £6.8 million annual parks and grounds maintenance arrangement.
The work includes the development, management and maintenance of parks, trees, playgrounds, outdoor sports and leisure facilities, cemeteries, crematoria gardens and playgrounds.
The contract is currently run by a joint venture between the city council and Glendale – Glendale-Liverpool Ltd – which is due to end in October 2018.
It is estimated that the proposed ten year deal could save up to £7 million by doing away with management fees, integrating management and supervisory functions and making efficiencies on the purchase and hire of equipment.
Following a soft market testing exercise, the city council has decided against holding a competitive tender process, because it is not believed it would deliver a better or timelier outcome. This is allowed under a rule known as the ‘Teckal exemption’, which enables public authorities to enter into service contracts with wholly owned companies without going out to the market.
Councillor Steve Munby, Cabinet member for City Services, said: “We’ve taken a long hard look at whether we should go out to tender on this, but believe that that the time and cost of doing so would wipe out any efficiency savings and not deliver anything better.
“Liverpool Street Scene Services Limited has already delivered efficiency savings in in refuse, recycling and street cleansing – and because it is owned by the council and not shareholders we are able to reinvest the cash and make our money go further, such as by clearing fly tipping or increasing street cleansing.
“We believe we can do the same with the grounds maintenance contract, and deliver efficiencies ourselves better than the private sector could do. We already face finding huge savings across the council in the next few years due to reductions in Government funding, so it is vital we make the most of every single penny that we have.”
A separate report to the Cabinet is recommending that the city council extends its existing contracts with Liverpool Street Scene Services Limited for refuse, recycling and street cleansing to 10 years.
It follows improvements in refuse and recycling such as Bank Holiday working, increased productivity due to the introduction of new vehicles and a rise in recycling rates.
Street cleansing has seen similar improvements, including new working patterns which have increased peak time working along with additional cleansing in the city centre and a drop in staff absenteeism.
The extended contract will see the implementation of seven-day working across the city and investment in vehicles, infrastructure and premises.
 Targus technology unleashes 3,000-strong team to work anywhere
Targus, a global leader in mobile computing accessories, today announces that Staffordshire County Council has selected the company to boost productivity and enable flexible working, with the installation of over 1,000 universal docking stations.
In order for Staffordshire County Council to achieve smarter ways of working, greater levels of collaboration and trust were areas of focus. A survey conducted in September last year, revealed a lack of access to the correct technologies restricted them from working flexibly.
To combat this, Staffordshire called upon Targus to roll-out its dual video @ HD with built-in Power universal dock ACP71EU suite office-wide, upgrading the majority of their workstations and supporting both new and legacy devices.
When surveyed again in July this year, 93 per cent of council employees felt they had a good understanding of what smart working is, and what it means for them and their role. Having enabled around 3,000 members of staff to work in new ways, Staffordshire already has plans to place further orders with Targus to accommodate its growing employee base.
Since implementing the new technology, Staffordshire County Council has reissued the survey, seeing the following results in the last nine months:
- A 10 per cent increase in the number of employees that feel they have an improved work / life balance
- A 15 per cent rise in the number of employees that believe they are able to work anywhere in order to deliver business-critical services
- 17 per cent growth in the number of staff that are able to access the technology they need to work from different locations
Vic Falcus, Head of IT at Staffordshire County Council said, “Since employing our smart working project, staff are no longer restricted to their desks. They are free to work anywhere around the office, at home even ‘on the go’, while maintaining relationships with colleagues and staying on top of workloads. Previously, there was a misconception that if you weren’t visible at your desk, you weren’t working. People now know that this isn’t the case.
“Not only have Targus helped us provide our workers with more flexibility, they’ve also supported us to consolidate services, as members of staff that work with employees in other locations are able to collaborate more closely, streamlining communications. The scheme has also saved us revenue, meaning more money can be put into front-line services that benefit the public.”
Dean Simpson, Head of UK Corporate Sales at Targus said, “Staffordshire County Council is a prime example of just how innovative organisations across the public sector can be. In today’s employment landscape, it’s essential that staff feel they have the option, and also the technology available, to work both remotely and flexibly.
“As the public sector is under considerable pressure to consolidate its real estate to cut costs, the reduction of various organisations into smaller premises is inevitable. With all of these organisations having their own networks, hardware and IT systems, there will no doubt be technology challenges to overcome. Yet, Staffordshire really is leading the way with setting the standards for other councils and government bodies, showcasing the unmistakable benefits smart working schemes can bring to an organisation.”
 ‘People, place and connectivity’ are the focus of a new East Midlands HS2 Growth Strategy, revealing how the planned high speed rail network could add thousands of jobs and billions of pounds to the region’s economy.
In July (2017) Government confirmed its preferred route for HS2’s ‘Phase 2b’ line, or ‘eastern leg’; proposed to run from the West Midlands, through Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire – between the large urban conurbations of Nottingham and Derby – through to Leeds. The line includes plans for an East Midlands ‘hub’ station at Toton, Nottinghamshire – set to be the network’s best connected point outside London – an HS2 maintenance depot at Staveley, north Derbyshire, and provision for HS2 classic compatible trains serving the current Chesterfield train station. It’s estimated this eastern leg would open fully in 2033, but local partners believe there’s potential to partially open the hub station at Toton by 2030.
Now the East Midlands HS2 Strategic Board – a partnership of the region’s local authorities, businesses and Local Enterprise Partnerships – has submitted its East Midlands HS2 Growth Strategy: World Class-Locally Driven to Government.
The new in-depth study – building on an initial proposal published September 2016 – details the opportunities HS2 presents to drive long term growth for the regional economy, equivalent to an additional 74,000 jobs and almost £4billion of GVA (Gross Value Added) by 2043, and how this could be achieved.
These opportunities include:
- An East Midlands Hub Growth Zone featuring a new Innovation Campus at the Toton ‘hub’ station to accommodate high growth businesses and universities’ research, and with the capacity to create up to 10,000 high skilled jobs and improved community facilities; which will be at the heart of a network of ‘garden village’ developments, including the nearby Stanton and Chetwynd Barracks sites. A North Derbyshire Growth Zone around Chesterfield and Staveley would put the planned HS2 Staveley depot at the heart of a series of mixed use regeneration opportunities, improve links between Chesterfield station and the town, and create an attractive gateway to the Peak District National Park and to other visitor attractions.
- Greater connectivity – In addition to the greater rail connectivity HS2 would bring
the Strategy proposes improvements to local connectivity – using various modes of transport including road, bus, rail, tram, cycling, pedestrian – between East Midlands economic centres such as Derby, Leicester and Nottingham city centres, and East Midlands Airport; and between the towns and villages surrounding Toton and Chesterfield. The HS2 Growth Strategy also sets out comprehensive proposals for addressing congestion and improving connectivity on the A52.
- Delivering jobs and training opportunities – Research undertaken for the East Midlands HS2 Growth Strategy indicates HS2’s presence in the region – creating better links within the region and between it and the wider world, and by providing commercial opportunities for local supply chains – could boost jobs growth above projected UK trends; equivalent to an extra 74,000 jobs and almost £4billion of GVA by 2043. Manufacturing and technology sectors would particularly benefit, says the Strategy. It proposes jobs and skills promotion be based around the themes of inspiring young people, building further education capacity, harnessing the power of universities and supporting individuals.
- Providing opportunities for business – Construction of the HS2 network, and providing services and maintenance once it is operating, represent major commercial opportunities for a wide range of sectors; including for construction and transport equipment manufacturing supply chain firms. To take best economic advantage of this the East Midlands HS2 Growth Strategy proposes establishing a rail industry ‘innovation group’ through the existing Rail Forum East Midlands, and bidding for Staveley to become a construction and maintenance depot. There should also be a comprehensive HS2 awareness campaign to alert businesses and individuals to these opportunities, to ensure they are ‘HS2 ready’.
Councillor Jon Collins, HS2 Strategic Board Chair and Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “This Strategy makes it clear that HS2 is not just about better transport, we intend to use it as a catalyst to create new business opportunities which will bring thousands of extra jobs to the region.
“It’s really important that we put the site around the new HS2 hub to good use and so it makes sense to develop an Innovation Campus, which plays to the strengths of emerging regional business sectors and local university research. It will benefit from all the enhanced transport links that we see as vital to making the most of the HS2 hub in the East Midlands.”
Jake Berry MP – Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for the Northern Powerhouse and Local Growth) at the Department for Communities and Local Government – added: “The investment this Government is making in HS2 represents an opportunity for economic growth, not just in the towns and cities along the route but across whole regions. I am delighted that East Midlands leaders have come together to develop an ambitious strategy which capitalises on this opportunity, and I look forward to discussing the proposals in more detail.”
Paul Maynard MP – Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Rail, Accessibility and HS2 – said: “HS2 will become the backbone of our national rail network – supporting growth and regeneration and helping us build an economy that works for all.
“I welcome the initiative that the East Midlands local enterprise partnerships and local authorities have taken in working together to develop plans to maximise the economic benefits that HS2 will bring to Nottingham, Derby, Leicester and other parts of the region.”
Peter Richardson OBE, Chair of the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership, commented: “We have an exciting vision for the future, which sees HS2 as a catalyst to boost the region’s economy.
“For local people and businesses across the East Midlands, HS2 will mean more jobs and training opportunities, trade and investment, housing opportunities at a range of different sites, train services with quicker journey times, and better local transport connections. To make all this happen we need to plan early and engage support from all sectors of our community. This East Midlands HS2 Growth Strategy provides an excellent and practical vision of how we wish to achieve that.”
Sir John Peace, Chair of the Midlands Engine and Midlands Connect, said: “Midlands Connect and Midlands Engine are seizing the once in a lifetime opportunity HS2 brings to drive growth for the region. We are fully supportive of accelerating completion of the East Midlands HS2 Hub and are urging Government to bring this forward.
“Midlands Connect is already defining and developing the local strategic connections that will maximise the economic benefits of HS2 connectivity and, through Midlands Engine, we will work with partners to turn this ambitious growth strategy into action.”
Councillor Kay Cutts MBE, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, added: “This latest report is vital, as it sets out in detail the huge economic benefits and opportunities this will bring to Nottinghamshire.
“The new East Midlands station at Toton is due to become the best connected place outside of London, and will help to make Nottinghamshire an even more attractive place to live and work. This radical improvement to connectivity and capacity will unlock massive economic growth for our county. The opportunities for new jobs and skills is unparalleled, particularly for our younger generation. There will be lucrative supply chain opportunities for local businesses, particularly during the construction phase, which we as a County Council will be supporting.”
Councillor Simon Spencer – Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, Transport and Infrastructure; and Vice-Chair of the East Midlands HS2 Strategic Board –said: “HS2 will bring more jobs and business opportunities to Derbyshire, as well as massive potential for the county’s tourism industry.
“We believe the best deal for Derbyshire residents will be achieved by working with the Government, to maximise the economic benefits and minimise the adverse impacts of the scheme.”
Scott Knowles, Chief Executive at East Midlands Chamber (Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire), added: “HS2 is the single biggest transport infrastructure project in a generation, and represents a huge opportunity for businesses across the East Midlands and beyond. It has the potential to be truly transformational, much more than just a new railway.
“It will be a catalyst that drives regeneration along its entire route and leads to wider infrastructure investment, it will utilise the skills available in the world’s greatest cluster of rail-related businesses in Derby, and create opportunities to make sure those skills and new ones will pass to the next generation. It will bring together a raft of different partners as they work together to maximise the opportunities of HS2, both during construction and for decades afterwards.”
To read a copy of the East Midlands HS2 Growth Strategy: World Class-Locally Driven publication online go to web link www.d2n2lep.org/News/thousands-of-jobs-and-almost-4billion-for-economy-detailed-in-hs2-strategy
For more information about the East Midlands HS2 Strategic Board and its work see the website link at www.emcouncils.gov.uk/HS2-Strategic-Board
Key facts
- Location: Manchester, UK
- Industry: Healthcare
- Employees: 5000 +
Challenges
- Encourage adoption of new technology
- Increase clinicians’ time with patients
- Simplify login process without compromising security
Results
- Fast, secure access to systems supporting security best practice
- Reduced login times
- Fast set-up of new users providing everyone with the same User Experience
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMMH) provides inpatient and community-based mental health and social care for people living in Bolton, the city of Manchester, Salford, and Trafford, and offers a wide range of specialist mental health and substance misuse services across Greater Manchester, the north west of England and beyond.
The Trust employs around 4,750 members of staff, who deliver services from more than 130 locations to around 53,000 service users in a 12-month period.
Business challenge
GMMH was formed on 1 January 2017 and brings together Greater Manchester West Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust (GMW) and Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust. Before GMMH was formed, GMW underwent a project of digital transformation, strengthening its technology infrastructure by implementing a new patient administration system (Paris) and a new patient flow and bed occupancy solution (Extramed).
As none of the new systems interfaced to Active Directory, the Trust also decided to look for a single sign-on (SSO) and authentication management solution to streamline the login process for employees. This would remove the need for staff to repeatedly enter usernames and passwords for access to applications and patient information.
The new solution had to deliver quick and secure access to the new and existing systems and provide the required integration with Active Directory, which the trust uses to authenticate and authorise all users and computers in their Windows domain network.
With the merger with Manchester Mental Health and Social Care, the new SSO and authentication management solution also had to be extended to include new staff.
Speed and simplicity
Following a recommendation by the supplier who was deploying one of the new systems, the IT Development Team requested a demo of Imprivata OneSign® Single Sign-on and Authentication Management.
Mike Birtwistle, Development Manager at GMMH comments, “During the demo, what instantly struck us was the ease with which new application profiles could be created and implemented. There was no need for complex coding; the GUI-based Application Profile Generator tool created application SSO profiles quickly and easily. After seeing the demo, Imprivata OneSign was a simple choice.”
 Imprivata OneSign was deployed alongside the new patient administration system and the bed management solution. The streamlined SSO process simplified access to the new and existing applications and provided clinicians and care staff with a positive user experience. Imprivata implemented as a mobile solution has also been deployed enabling those staff that work out in the community to access systems remotely.
Birtwistle comments, “We deployed the new systems alongside Imprivata OneSign and very quickly saw the benefits. Our users embraced having just one username and password to quickly and securely access applications, from any location. Typically, when implementing any new system, we would expect a spike in calls to the IT service desk whilst people become familiar with the system – but on this occasion we didn’t have that issue. The vast majority of our users successfully logged into the system on the first day and haven’t experienced a problem since.”
Today, 3,700 staff at GMMH use Imprivata OneSign, with the remainder of staff expected to be live by September 2018. The solution conducts over 22,000 SSO logins per week for the main Paris system. Imprivata OneSign is used on desktop PCs and laptops across the Trust and a specific configuration was developed for Surface tablets which have an onscreen keyboard.
One clinician using the new system commented, “Now I don’t need to worry about a password to access clinical systems. I can access all the systems I need to do my job and the technology is invisible.”
Business benefits
- Enhanced user experience – Imprivata OneSign has simplified the login process for clinicians and administrators across the Trust including those that work in the community or at remote locations, which has delivered demonstrable daily benefits to users through much faster, secure access to applications. Additionally, the set-up of new users and management of user accounts is now much faster, enabling a streamlined implementation for staff formerly with Greater Manchester Mental Health and Social Care. The ease of using the solution has helped to drive a culture shift across the Trust, raising the acceptance of new technology and process change.
- Increased productivity – Logging into the main systems multiple times each day took time and often users forgot the complex passwords they had to remember. This not only delayed the clinician or care giver from completing whichever task they needed to access the system for, it also created workload for the IT department in resetting the password. Now, with Imprivata OneSign, significant amounts of time are redirected back to patient care and IT support staff are able to focus on more proactive tasks.
- Security best practice – With Imprivata OneSign, employees need to remember just one username and password for many of the critical systems they use daily. This avoids the need to write passwords down, or share generic logins, and because there is less risk of password fatigue, system users are likely to select a stronger password.
The way forward
The way that health and care is delivered is changing. The move towards integrated health and care models as laid out in the Five Year Forward View, commissioned by NHS England’s Chief Executive Simon Stevens, has shone a spotlight on the role of technology in provisioning new models of care.
When technology is used intuitively and informed by business and clinical use cases, well-managed IT projects become a vehicle for transformation, as experienced at GMMH NHS Foundation Trust.
Birtwistle concludes, “Deploying Imprivata OneSign has been an enabler of change, as part of a larger project allowing us to upgrade old administration systems. At the same time, we’ve been able to minimise the impact on clinical and care staff through the ease of the single sign-on process. Imprivata OneSign streamlined workflows for users who now require just the one username and password to access many applications. The deployment was seamless and has enabled us to culturally shift the perceptions of staff who now see the positive benefits of technology supporting business and clinical process change. In addition, we are able to roll out the solution across our extended community to include staff from across the Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Trust.”
 Steve Whelan (left) Technical Director and Mark Runciman Operations Director Eminox Gainsborough-based emissions specialists, Eminox has appointed Steve Whelan, as its new Technical Director.
In his new role, Steve will be responsible for the company’s product development as well as research and advanced engineering, helping to shape Eminox’s technology strategy for the future.
He will be responsible for four teams including design, product development, retrofit product development and advanced technology and innovation. As well as managing existing development programmes, Steve will be instrumental in delivering innovative new technology solutions in reducing emissions on heavy duty powertrain platforms.
Steve will support Eminox in the search and evaluation of new technologies for other exciting industrial sectors.
Steve has nearly 30 years of experience within the industry having previously worked for Ricardo, Clean Air Power, and most recently Tata Technologies.
Within these roles, Steve has led the development of technology with both global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and for retrofit applications where existing vehicles are upgraded to comply with the latest emission standards.
Steve said: “I am looking forward to reinforcing engineering processes in the short term to support our programmes, developing a progressive technology road map that will drive our activities in the medium term, and creating a portfolio of research projects that will deliver new products into the long term.”
“Having that direct hands-on contact with the teams and management here is really exciting.”
Mark Runciman, Operations Director for Eminox, said: “We’re very happy to welcome Steve to the Eminox senior management team, he brings with him nearly 30 years of knowledge from within the industry.
“His insight into the industry will be of great value to us over the coming years as the company enters a new phase of growth.”
 Taxis working in London: Photo: GPSJ Responding to today’s decision by Transport for London not to renew taxi firm Uber’s licence to operate in London, Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “Other licensing authorities will be watching with interest today’s announcement by Transport for London, which has decided not to renew Uber’s licence to operate in London.
“Councils have long argued that there is a need for the existing outdated taxi laws to be updated.
“The legislation governing aspects of taxis and private hire vehicles pre-dates the motor car and is simply not fit for purpose in an era when mobile phone technology is significantly changing the way people access private hire vehicles.
“In recent years, we’ve seen a number of child sexual exploitation cases that have involved taxi and PHV holders abusing the trust that has been placed in them, so there are strong safeguarding reasons for strengthening current legislation.
“The onset of mobile phone booking apps for PHVs is causing concern about whether drivers are able to compete on a level playing field and has led to numerous and costly legal challenges which local licensing authorities are being forced to spend public money on.
“Local licensing authorities are trying to work out how new models fit within a legislative framework drafted before mobile phones were even invented, when what is really needed is clarity on a new legislative framework that allows for a 21st century way of doing things fairly for passengers, councils and drivers.
“The need for reform is now urgent. Councils are doing what they can to strengthen licensing processes, such as commissioning an LGA national register, but we have always said that the best way to strengthen safeguarding is to update legislation, which only government can do.
“It’s encouraging that the Government has recognised the need to look at this issue as a matter of urgency, following Minister John Hayes’ announcement of a working group to look at this over autumn and report back to him.
“The LGA looks forward to being part of the working group and is urging government to follow it up by supporting or bringing forward new taxi licensing legislation which benefits passengers, councils and drivers as it is brought before Parliament.”
|
NEED AN UP TO DATE DATABASE? 
|
Using the embedded scan button and a connected scanner, staff have the ability to digitise paper documents and upload the digital records into its legacy EMC Documentum content management system right at the beginning of the patient’s journey. The Info Input software determines the document type for correct processing after scanning and converts all scanned digital uploads to a bi-tonal searchable PDF file format. Furthermore, document images and subsequent metadata input via the Trust’s IBM Coach application is stored in the relevant patient folder located in the UHB’s 7.1 EMC Documentum system.
Recent Comments