Highland Marketing advisory board member Natasha Phillips led a discussion on nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals, and the skills and competencies they will need to lead and thrive in a digitally-enabled healthcare system.
“If the NHS is going to become more productive, we need to put the nursing and midwifery workforce at the heart of it,” Natasha Phillips, founder of Future Nurse, told the Highland Marketing advisory board.
To raise productivity, the NHS needs to streamline its workflows and handovers, to make every touchpoint with the patient as efficient and effective as possible. And it is nurses and midwives who drive that, because: “a large part of their role is to co-ordinate care around the patient.”
CNIOs are just the start
Over the past quarter of a century, considerable investment has been put into IT systems to try and capture data and drive care co-ordination. Yet the results, in terms of productivity, or releasing time to care, have been disappointing.
One reason, Natasha argued, is that there hasn’t been anything like enough investment in equipping nurses and midwives with digital skills. True, there has been some progress. As chief nursing information officer for England, Natasha saw the number of trusts with chief nursing information officers increase from 20% to 80%.
“However, that’s still a tiny percentage of the nursing and midwifery workforce,” she said, “and all of them need digital skills centred around their practice, which is to help people to live their best life, or to have the best possible death.”
New drivers: genomics and AI
The question of how to make sure the nursing and midwifery workforce has the digital education and skills it needs is particularly pressing with the arrival of new technologies, such as genomics and AI.
Sam Neville, who modestly describes herself as “a jobbing CNIO” in the East of England, pointed out that nurses and midwives are already being asked to use genomic tests, clinical decision support systems (such as NEWS2), and AI-driven rostering and flow tools as part of their practice.
So, it’s important they understand them – and can communicate about them with patients. She outlined a “persona” developed for the Phillips-Ives review that outlines the skills a future midwife, Jax, will need throughout her career, as she gains experience and moves into leadership roles.
Chris Tack, a digital health consultant and former physiotherapist and AHP information officer, who, like Sam, contributed to the review, told the advisory board it developed a model to address the current shortage of digital specialists and skills, and to create the nurses and midwives of the future, built around four strands.
Broadly, these are: revamped education for nursing and midwifery students; competency-based training for working professionals; more support for digital nurses and midwives; and a career track for the leaders of the future, so “they can feed back into academia and training and create a positive feedback loop.”
Time to publish Phillips Ives
The model would need to be underpinned by a regulatory and competency framework and practical support, such as a digital passport for staff to carry around the system. So, getting something like it in place would be a big job. Around 730,000 of the NHS’ 1.3 billion employees are nurses and midwives; and another 185,000 are AHPs.
Even so, Nicola Haywood-Cleverly, a non-executive director at several public bodies, said there was a need to reach even more people – including administrative staff. Natasha agreed. “We need to push for a national plan, but it does not have to be for nursing and midwifery,” she said.
“Neil Perry, a consultant who used to lead IT at Dartford and Gravesham NHS Foundation Trust, argued that just getting Phillips Ives formally published would be a start.
“That way, it would become mandated reading for NHS organisations’ leadership teams, receive a formal response, and be discussed alongside the new government’s health plans.”
France switches digital priorities
Like Nicola, Neil argued the whole workforce needs digital skills if transformation projects are going to work. “There is a difference between innovation and adoption,” he said. “You need a small group of enthusiasts to work on innovation, but you need everybody to enable the change to be adopted.
“And where I think that really matters is sorting out upfront data entry and quality, because without that, you will never get the good quality algorithms, or data to train machine learning models that we were talking about earlier.” Sam agreed, arguing it is essential that people understand why they are being asked to collect data in the way they are.
“If people think: ‘Oh, I have to do this now’ they will find reasons not to do it,” she said. “They’ll say: ‘The computer logs me out’ or: ‘There are too many screens and it will take too much time’.” Chris said France spotted exactly this problem.
Which is why, when it launched its latest, five-year Digital Health Roadmap in 2023, it chose to put £100 million into competency-based training, before trying to create an “ecosystem” for care, research and innovation, or progress big telehealth and personal health record projects.
Better infrastructure, devices, UI needed
Still, James Norman, a former NHS chief information officer who now works in industry, argued it would help if the NHS had more user-friendly IT. Over the past decade, a lot of IT policy and marketing has been conducted on the basis of slogans: create “a paperless NHS”; “go cloud-first”.
When the real need has been to focus on the infrastructure, devices, logins, interfaces, and data exchanges that staff have to use – or try to use – to do their jobs. Unless that is sorted, James said: “Even with a strategy, and education, and training, staff will be hamstrung by the technology, because nobody has joined the dots.”
Ian Hogan, the chief information officer at a mental health trust, pointed out that the companies that build or commission technology out in the consumer world spend a lot of time on user interfaces. “There’s something called the ‘three click’ rule, that says that if people cannot get to where they want to get within three clicks, they will give up,” he said.
“Amazon, the BBC iPlayer etc, have got it down to a fine art, but it’s not like that in the NHS, where EPR systems are too big and too old.” David Hancock, a consultant who used to work in industry, said that even where EPR vendors are looking to improve things, they “tend to think about doctors rather than nurses.”
He argued they need to involve more staff groups so they can input on “how to collect data at the point of care” as part of their roles. This triggered a debate about whether nurses, midwives and AHPs are getting involved with IT systems and developments early enough.
Nurses need to design tech, not just use it
Nicola said she’d been to a virtual wards conference recently, and while there were lots of nurses in the audience, there weren’t many working with vendors. Natasha agreed that: “We have made progress in getting CNIOs and nurses involved in implementations” but “there’s a way to go in the ideation space.”
One of the things that Future Nurse wants to do is to create a community of practice, to bring suppliers, digital nurses and midwives together.
Andy Kinnear, a consultant who used to run an NHS commissioning support unit, felt nurses and others need to be involved even earlier, in debates about emerging technology. “I have been to conferences in Munich and Amsterdam this summer, and there was AI everywhere,” he said.
“It’s a whole new world, but I wondered who is talking about the ethics of it. We need to get nurses, midwives and AHPs involved, because it feels like there’s a danger of adopting some things before we’ve really thought about whether we should be doing them.”
Sam said CNIOs and nurses may be involved in AI deployments. But Natasha agreed there is a need for policy and guiderails at a national level. Perhaps, she suggested, this is one area in which the Royal Colleges could be active, “as keepers of professional standards.”
People first
Getting involved in debates about the future of technology, working with suppliers to make systems fit for use, supporting implementations and adoption, just using IT as part of the job. There’s a lot for nurses, midwives and AHPs to do in the health tech space.
Advisory board chair Jeremy Nettle argued there’s a need to prioritise. “It’s interesting looking forward, but we need to sort out the basics first,” he suggested. “We need to get in place the things that let staff deliver holistic care for people because, at the end of the day, that is what they are all about.”
Longer term, Natasha argued that what is needed is focused, joined-up thinking and joined-up working across the system to deliver it. “We need programmes that are connected to do the things we really want to do,” she said. “Tech is all: go paperless, go to the cloud. It’s not: make people better, sort out prevention. Or: do it efficiently, do it well.
“If we keep focusing on the technology, things will only get worse. That’s why we need to put the focus on people. France got it the right way round.”
Procurement experts Fusion21 today advised landlords “to act now” so they benefit from a fresh wave of government funding which will help to ensure their homes are part of a £1.2 billion green investment.
In May, the government published details of Wave 3 of The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) designed to reduce carbon emissions, tackle fuel poverty, and make 1.2 million social homes more energy efficient.
Wave 3 funding is expected to make £1.2 billion available from April 2025 until March 2028, improving the energy performance of millions of homes and ensuring they have an upgraded Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of band C or higher.
And with SHDF Wave 3 applications expected to open within months – possibly as early as September – today Fusion21 has released a seven-step toolkit and urged landlords to ensure they take a set of vital steps NOW to make sure they make the most of this funding opportunity to transform homes in their communities.
Valued at £750 million over four years, Fusion21’s national Decarbonisation Framework includes a turnkey model with access to a network of qualified suppliers. It has already procured £250 million of decarbonisation retrofit projects including SHDF-funded schemes on behalf of housing associations, and local authorities.
Wave 3 toolkit 7-step checklist:
Understand your targets, be clear about what you are setting out to achieve through SHDF, and make sure you have a backup list.
Select your retrofit delivery partner early, think about partnerships and turn-key approach – enlist experts to manage this process.
Engage comprehensively with tenants.
Integrate SHDF with planned capital works programmes.
Start data analysis as early as possible – don’t rely on historic, out-of-date, or inaccurate property data. Identify the gaps and weaknesses in your stock data.
Use time wisely, cleanse your data, undertake sample EPCs, retrofit assessments, and technical surveys at the pre-submission stage.
Engage early with relevant bodies such as Planning, Building Control, Distribution Network Operators and understand what information you will need to provide e.g. asbestos surveys.
Oliver Mooney
Oliver Mooney, Head of Category at Fusion21 said: “Enabling works for SHDF Wave 3 needs to commence now. Seeking expert help and taking the steps outlined today will really help landlords maximise the opportunities SHDF presents and ensure projects are delivered within funding timescales.
“Incorporating energy efficiency measures within social housing can streamline the decarbonisation process. We’re already working with our members to plan and prepare for the next round of funding ensuring social housing providers get vital support on their net zero journey and implement energy efficiency measures that not only improve living conditions but also drive economic growth in local communities.”
The current government SHDF guidance confirms there will be two routes to access Wave 3 funding.
Most applications will be made via the Challenge Fund which is not a competitive process and all applications that meet the minimum standards will be awarded funding.
The remainder will come via Strategic Partnerships which are open to larger landlords with a proven track record of successful delivery at scale – these grant recipients will not be required to provide details on specific homes and measures until works have been carried out.
Homes at or above EPC band C can also be included in applications where low-carbon heating measures are being installed if they do not exceed more than 10% of the total homes within an application.
More information about Fusion21’s Decarbonisation Framework and how it can help with SHDF applications can be found here.
Public sector organisations as well as businesses including banks, airlines, telecommunications companies, TV and radio broadcasters, train companies, have been affected by a mass global IT outage today.
GP surgeries are reporting difficulties accessing patient data and appointment systems with many resorting to using hand written notes and manual filing systems.
It is thought the outage is related to an issue at the global cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike and Microsoft – although it is not known if it is the same issue affecting airports and train services across the globe.
Major US airlines including American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines have been grounded, while airports in Germany, Amsterdam and Spain are also reporting issues.
NHS England told GPSJ the IT outage is “causing disruption in the majority of GP practices” in England but there is currently no known impact on 999 or emergency services.
Dan Card, of The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) and a cyber security expert told GPSJ: “People should remain calm whilst organisations respond to this global issue. It’s affecting a very wide range of services from banks to stores top air travel.
“It looks like a bug to a regular security update, rather than any form of ‘mega cyber attack’, but this is still causing worldwide challenges and is likely to require a large number of people to make manual remedial steps.
“Companies should make sure their IT teams are well supported as it will be a difficult and highly stressful weekend for them as they help customers of all kinds. People often forget the people that are running around fixing things.”
Mark Jow of Security Evangelist, Gigamon, told GPSJ: “This Microsoft IT outage demonstrates the need for more robust and resilient solutions, so that when these issues do arise, they can be resolved quickly without causing such widespread customer chaos and security risk.
Preparedness is key – every IT and security vendor must have a robust system in place across its software development lifecycle to test upgrades before they are rolled out to ensure that there are no flaws within the updates.”
The worldwide IT outage today could create severe knock-on effects for global supply chains, warns the international delivery expert Parcelhero. The outage, understood to be caused by an issue with an update at cybersecurity giant Crowdstrike, impacted many Windows-based systems. It could lead to widespread disruption to supply chains and deliveries across the world, Parcelhero warns.
Parcelhero’s Head of Consumer Research, David Jinks M.I.L.T., speaking to GPSJ, said: “Many airports, ports, railways and retailers reported problems as a result of the IT outage.
“Delayed flights and issues with IT systems at airports will impact airfreight. Not only will slots for dedicated airfreight flights be disrupted, but many international goods and packages are transported not only in specially designed cargo planes but also in the cargo holds of passenger aircraft. 1,000 flights globally were reported to have been cancelled by Friday mid-morning.
“International ports have also been impacted by the issues. For example, Poland’s largest container terminal, the Baltic Hub in Gdansk, asked companies to stop sending containers to the port, saying “…a global Microsoft operating system outage (that) is hampering terminal operations.” Delayed and out-of-position containers are never good, as many people will remember from the global shortages created by the Suez Canal blockage caused by the ship “Ever Given” back in 2021.
“Similarly, across the UK and globally, there are reports of many delayed and cancelled rail services. In the UK, for example, Avanti West Coast, Great Western Railway and Southern were among the major operators reporting problems. Freight trains have to be threaded between passenger services and so are likely to face disruption.
“Retailers also experienced problems. The supermarket chain Morrisons reported payment issues, for example, although these were largely resolved by mid-morning. The bakery and coffee shop chain Gails also had to suspend in-store purchases. Perhaps more concerningly, UK community pharmacies were impacted by the outage.
“Time will tell the extent of disruption to international trade and industry caused by the global IT issue. It’s believed that a Crowdstrike update caused a BSOD loop on some Windows machines, meaning they repeatedly booted and crashed. The problem was that many systems updated automatically overnight. Crowdstrike is reported to have rolled back the update and the company stated on Friday morning that “a fix has been deployed”.
However, it could be some time before its impact has been resolved on all systems, as IT staff may need to physically access individual machines to boot them into safe mode and remove the update file. ‘Parcelhero’s international services use all the leading global courier networks. If there is an issue with one international carrier’s services, customers will be able to select from many other operators to that destination.”
The environmental charity Hubbub has launched Neatstreets.org.uk a new website to help local authorities and other organisations combat litter using a range of tried and tested ideas.
Artwork for posters and bins, audience insights and ideas for litter interventions are just some of the free tools available on the site which is designed to guide organisations on how to deliver a successful litter campaign in their local area. In addition, McDonald’s has provided funding for five grants of £10,000 to be made available to councils, to help subsidise funding already in place to combat the issue.¹
Litter costs UK local authorities alone, £699 million per year – and that excludes spending by other authorities such as Highways England.² It continues to be a growing, nationwide issue, despite new research from Hubbub revealing that 62% of people feel angry when they see litter on the ground and two in five find it frustrating that there aren’t more bins or campaigns to tackle litter. ³
Hubbub hopes to address the problem through the new website which has been developed, drawing on the charity’s eight years of experience in delivering successful, strategic litter interventions in a range of environments.
Packed with ideas and tools to help others develop litter busting interventions, the website will share the successes and learnings from previous campaigns from Hubbub which include:
Neat Streets – delivered in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole to tackle litter on beaches using drone technology and AI
#InTheLoop – addressing on-the-go litter and recycling in high footfall areas in 16 cities across the UK
Love Your Forest – using creative ways to reduce woodland litter in the Forest of Dean
Ballot Bin – the world’s first customisable voting ashtray, proven to cut cigarette litter by up to 73%. There are now over 5,000 Ballot Bins in 43 countries, saving an estimated 15 million cigarette butts from being littered a year.
Pick Your Side – innovating on the Ballot Bin, Pick Your Side trialled Hubbub’s most advanced bin to date, The Big Ballot Bin a solar-powered customisable voting bin. Tested in Manchester and Southampton, independent litter surveying by Ellipsis Earth showed that the bins also reduced food and drink litter within a 20m radius by 60% and 70% respectively.
Gavin Ellis, Director and Co-founder at Hubbubsaid: “We have a wealth of experience in tackling specific types of litter in very targeted environments and are delighted to share our learnings with organisations wanting to develop litter-busting initiatives in their local area. Equipped with public polling, audience insights and a library of creative assets and tools, we hope to provide inspiration for the best tactics to use and are thrilled to also offer funding to support this.”
Andrew Moys, Vice President for Impact at McDonald’s said:“We are proud of the difference we’ve had working with Hubbub in the communities we serve over the years. We’ve learned so much about what works and how we can make it easier for customers and members of the public to do the right thing, and we are pleased to be sharing all this knowledge through the NeatStreets website.”
The Neat Streets website and grant funding is being supported by McDonald’s, who has funded projects with Hubbub since 2017. Notably, McDonald’s funded the award-winning Neat Streets campaign in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, in partnership with Hubbub and Ellipsis Earth. The campaign used drone technology to identify problematic areas and target them with playful interventions, resulting in a 75% – 90% reduction of litter in these locations. You can find out more about the campaign by reading the impact report.
For more information on how to address litter in your local area, visit Neatstreets.org.uk
Two London boroughs will pilot charge points specifically designed for disabled residents
Charge point operator (CPO) Believ and Waltham Forest Council are joining forces to bring more accessible electric vehicle (EV) charge points to hundreds of residents, including disabled people, across East London.
The East London Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funded pilot, led by Waltham Forest Council (along with one other East London borough council), is designed to support disabled people who may find that impractical or inaccessible charging bays are a barrier to EV adoption.
The innovative project will see the rollout of 120 fast (22kW) charge point sockets across both London boroughs, with 30% of support coming from Office for Zero Emission Vehicles’ (OZEV) LEVI Pilot scheme and the remaining 70% funded by the CPO Believ.
The new charging bays have been designed through a collaborative workshop involving multiple stakeholders, including representatives from Motability Operations, the company who deliver the Motability Scheme to over 750,000 disabled people across the UK, and a number of public and private sector organisations. These organisations have all worked together to design best practice charging bays with improved accessibility. The new charging bays will include wider hatched areas between the charging bays and dropped kerbs to ensure a step-free route to a charge point from a vehicle.
The Energy Saving Trust have published a report confirming that the built environment around charge points has been identified as an area of concern for certain disabled consumers, specifically those with mobility and dexterity disabilities. To support with site selection for the charge points, anonymised data from customers on the Motability Scheme, supplied through the Cenex’s National EV Insight and support (NEVIS) service, has helped provide input into where the charge points are proposed to be installed.
“Charge point infrastructure must be inclusive, and through collaborations like this we can prove that we can create a bespoke network that ensures that no one is left behind,” says Guy Bartlett, CEO, Believ.
“We’re incredibly proud to be a part of this project, particularly to support residents with disabilities who have felt the industry has been too slow in addressing their needs. This is a perfect example of how the private and public sector can partner to deliver innovative solutions for those who need it most.”
Procurement organisation and social enterprise Fusion21 has announced the suppliers successfully appointed to its national Lifts Framework worth up to £80 million over four years.
A total of 37 specialist firms – 76% being SMEs, have secured a place on the framework which is now in its fourth generation and has been designed to deliver lift-related works and services to estates across the public sector, including housing, education, and healthcare providers.
Offering geographical coverage across the UK down to a regional and local level, the framework supports the design, installation, servicing, testing, and refurbishment works of passenger and goods lifts, stair lifts and lift consultancy services.
Peter Francis, Group Executive Director (Operations) at Fusion21 said: “This framework renewal will support our members to manage and maintain both passenger and goods lifts compliantly, while also catering for the renewal and refurbishment of aging units and the service and installation of domestic lifts.
“In addition to working with a team of technical procurement experts and a rigorously assessed and approved supply chain, Fusion21 members accessing this offer will benefit from a compliant and efficient route to market, flexible call-off options, and greater cost efficiencies.
“As with all of Fusion21’s frameworks, the Lifts Framework will also support members to deliver social value they can see in communities, aligned with their organisational priorities.”
Successful suppliers appointed to Fusion21’s national Lifts Framework:
Allied Lift Services Division (UK) Ltd, Amalgamated Lifts Limited, Ansa Elevators AB Ltd, Apex Lift & Escalator Engineers Limited, Bureau Veritas UK Limited, Calfordseaden LLP, Classic Lifts Ltd, Concept Elevators (UK) Limited, Cundall Johnston & Partners LLP, Deltron Lifts Limited, Frankham Consultancy Group Limited, Guideline Lift Services Limited, HSB Engineering Insurance Services Limited, Knowsley Lift Services Limited, LCG Lift Consultancy Limited, Lerch Bates Europe Ltd, Lift and Engineering Services Limited, Lift Craft Limited, Lift Specialists Limited, Liftec Express Limited, MAND (PLS) Ltd, Morris Vermaport Limited, N C W Associates Limited, Omega Citylifts Services Limited, Precision Lift Services Limited, Prism UK Medical Limited, RPS Consulting Services Limited, Rubax Lifts Limited, Saadia Ltd, Safe Working Lifts Ltd, Sheridan Lifts Limited, Specialist Lift Services Limited, Stannah Lift Services Limited, Stonewood Lift Consultants Limited, Tuv Sud Limited, VLC (Stairlifts) Limited, Wemaintain Technologies Ltd.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, has just said:
“After a second constructive meeting, I am pleased to announce that my department will enter formal negotiations with the BMA junior doctors’ committee on Tuesday.
“This is a crucial step forward, as we work to end this dispute and change the way junior doctors are treated in the NHS.
“This government has been honest with the public about the terrible economic circumstances we inherited, and I have repeated that message in meetings with the junior doctors. But I am encouraged by our early meetings that there is a deal to be done.
“Strikes have had a significant cost to patients, staff, and the NHS. Serious work is now underway to finally bring them to an end.”
“The omission of any mention of policies to improve the social care system in the King’s Speech today is a disappointment for the millions who rely on it and are facing endless waiting lists and delays . It is a shame that the National Care Service featured in Labour’s manifesto is not an immediate priority for the Government.
“Without an action plan that addresses current chronic underfunding for local councils, lack of trained, vetted Care Professionals, and productivity losses throughout the health sector, the goals to improve the NHS that were featured are not viable.
“Sir Ed Davey has called for a cross-party approach to social care, and we agree that this must be prioritised. The social care issue must be tackled with a technology-driven mindset, applying innovation to make the care sector more streamlined and effective. The result of this, when done well, will be more affordable and accessible care that gives Care Professionals the treatment and reward they deserve.”
GB Energy Announcement Comment from Grundfos
Glynn Williams, UK Managing Director of Grundfos:
“The announcement of the new GB Energy firm is an opportunity to fast track the UK’s clean power goals, and ultimately deliver cost savings for households and businesses across the country.”
“While the beneficial effects of the clean power scheme are apparent, the government must simultaneously recognise the low-hanging fruit solutions already within reach to help cut energy bills fast, by focusing on providing energy efficiency. Lack of awareness around how to optimise heating systems, such as through hydraulic balancing or replacement of old circulator pumps, costs households and businesses a combined £3.1 billion each year. In the coming months we therefore hope to see regulation and funding that goes beyond insulation-based improvements.”
“The principle behind the GB Energy green power investment is absolutely right – the public and private sectors should work together to solve the country’s issues. Nowhere is this more clearly needed, though, than on the issue of energy efficiency.”
Comment on devolution bill from expert lawyer
Laura Hughes, Head of Public Law at UK and Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson, said: “The further rollout of devolution in England has been welcomed by local leaders who feel they are best equipped with the knowledge of their areas to make the best decisions.
“Providing greater powers on issues such as local bus services will help to ensure a co-ordinated approach to transport
“However, devolution has become very fragmented with just over half the population covered by a devolution deal and varying degrees of power handed down to different areas. At the same time, these powers have taken on a degree of standardisation rather than addressing unique and complex sets of circumstances in each local area where devolution is present.
“So while we’ve seen some great examples of devolution delivering transformative benefits to trailblazer areas like Greater Manchester and the West Midlands, it’s debatable whether we can replicate this efficiently and effectively in other places without a more bespoke devolution model.
“For devolution to truly work, we need to get back to recognising that areas will require specific powers to deal with specific issues, and we hope the English Devolution Bill reflect this, allowing tailored deals driven by what the areas want and need.”
King’s Speech announcements fall short on growth for small firms, and jobs within them
Responding to the King’s Speech at today’s State Opening of Parliament, Policy Chair of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), Tina McKenzie, said:
“Today’s King’s Speech announcements fell short on the central challenge – getting growth back into the economy and ensuring wealth creation in every local community.
“Small businesses and the self-employed expected more on these, with their key issues instead overlooked. The Government’s 105-page briefing document doesn’t mention ‘small business’ once – suggesting Labour may not keep its promises to drive growth in the real economy.
“Apart from ambitious-sounding planning reform, there was no sign of delivery of the small business plan promised by Labour in opposition.
“The lack of promised legislation to tackle late payments and poor payment practices by bigger businesses to their small business suppliers is the most serious omission for our community and will hold back economic growth. This scourge hampers cashflow and stifles investment, and we call on the Government to look again and deliver on the promise it made.
“The move from an Apprenticeship Levy to a Growth and Skills Levy will risk small business apprenticeships unless the Government quickly follows up with its promised unequivocal commitment to protect Government co-investment for apprenticeships at small employers.
“Similarly, the Industrial Strategy Council commitment omits mentioning the need for a small business voice, to prevent it being dominated by large corporate incumbent interests.
“At the same time, small businesses are increasingly worried about the developing employment rights package. More than nine out of ten small employers say they are concerned about the prospect of increased costs and risks when they employ people, and there were no commitments within this to look after small employers who will struggle the most.
“It is small businesses which take on those furthest from work and who must be the solution to labour market participation. Small firms must be given the right platform to recruit those out of work, create new jobs, and expand. There was nothing on this today, which suggests early signs of complacency on the need to back small businesses to resolve economic inactivity.
“The Government has before pledged to consult widely and openly on measures it has announced, and FSB will be working intensely on this over the coming months, and helping our community to deal with the more difficult challenges.
“As we look towards the Autumn, today’s speech piles pressure onto the Chancellor and Business Secretary for the Budget where progress must be made to achieve economic recovery and growth. Small businesses and the self-employed can drive this, but only if the right conditions are there.”
The UK’s largest independent provider of mental health services will benefit from medicines supply and pharmacy services alongside further development of the newly implemented e-Works electronic prescribing and medicines management solution
Priory has signed a new, five-year agreement with Ashtons that underlines its commitment to improving the management of medicines, following the roll-out of the e-Works electronic prescribing and medications management system.
The contract covers the full range of services offered by Ashtons, which encompass medicines supply, expert audit and clinical advice from pharmacists, training and e-learning for staff, and the e-Works software solution, which was rolled-out to all 53 of Priory’s mental health facilities last year.
Priory will also become the first healthcare provider to implement the Ashtons 2.0 programme, which will enable pharmacists to offer more regular advice remotely, using the information captured by e-Works to reduce the need to visit hospitals to review paper charts.
Adrian Cree, chief medical officer of Priory, said: “We are delighted to have signed this five-year contract with Ashtons because of their unwavering commitment to patient safety, their innovative solutions, and their proven ability to deliver exceptional service.
“Our long-standing partnership with the company has consistently demonstrated significant improvements in medication management and patient outcomes, making Ashtons the ideal partner as we continue to enhance our services and support our patients’ needs.”
Priory is the UK’s largest, independent provider of mental health and social care services. It has a long-standing relationship with Ashtons that goes back to 1997, when the company started to provide medicines to one of its hospitals.
Since then, Priory has gone on to choose Ashtons to provide medicines for all its facilities and adopted its learning and pharmacy services, which see expert pharmacists go on site to review prescription charts and provide advice to prescribers and medicines administrators.
When Ashtons launched e-Works in 2021, Priory chose to pilot the EPMA system at one of its mental health hospitals. A study found the shift away from paper-based prescribing practices led to a significant reduction in error rates.
Patient detail errors were reduced by 87%, prescription errors by 85%, and administration errors by 93%. Following the successful trial, Priory decided to implement e-Works at all 53 of its mental health hospitals.
Planning and implementation of the system took just 14 months, finishing early in 2024. The implementation will not only improve prescribing safety, but enable the development of the Ashton’s 2.0 programme, which will enable more pharmacy services to be delivered remotely.
Stephen Tuddenham, chief executive officer of Ashtons, said: “We value the partnership with Priory and the incredible success the team has achieved. Together, we have built a robust foundation for excellence in the supply and management of medicines, delivering significant clinical and patient benefits.
“This milestone contract renewal will also support our growth and solidifies our reputation as a leader in digital-first medicines management solutions.”
e-Works is a cloud-based EPMA system that can be securely accessed using a modern browser from any device with an internet connection. It includes decision support for prescribers and a medicines administration scheduler to help administrators to ensure that patients get the right medication at the right time.
The system is designed to meet the needs of healthcare providers, and is widely used by hospices and clinics, as well as in mental health. One of Priory’s hospitals became the 100th site to implement e-Works during the roll-out, and the system is now in use at more than 130 sites across the UK.
Exciting new developments, set to be adopted by Priory under the new contract, include an enhanced stock management module. This upgrade will streamline the review of medicine supplies, simplify the ordering of new stock, and improve the management of controlled drugs.
Selwyn John, implementation manager at Ashtons, said: “e-Works supports doctors to prescribe and nurses to record the administration of medications to support patient care. It is evolving software that we are continuously developing, for mental health and for hospices and clinics.
“As we have demonstrated with our relationship with Priory, this is a collaboration. We are not just developing the software that we want to develop; we are working with our customers to develop the software they need.”
In the ever-evolving landscape of early years education, a pressing issue looms large: the 30-hour funding policy and its repercussions.
At the heart of this dilemma is the lack of adequate financial support for nurseries to meet the demands of this funding model. As nurseries grapple with ever-tightening budgets, the inevitable consequence is a reduction in staff salaries and the employment of less expensive and, therefore, less qualified staff. This downward spiral not only undermines the value of early years as a career, but also compromises the quality of education and care provided for children at a stage which research shows is critical to their development. This could, therefore, have consequences for their long-term well-being and fulfilment of their potential.
In Montessori education, we recognise and emphasise the importance of teachers thoroughly trained in child development at every stage, yet the current funding climate fosters a culture of lowered expectations driven by the allure of quick, inexpensive online childcare courses. This risks the integrity of early years education since provision becomes more of a baby-sitting service than an opportunity for nurturing optimal development. Parents seeking childcare options under the guise of choice may unwittingly entrust their child’s formative years to individuals lacking in proper training and understanding of child development.
Another area is the prolonged hours offered by many childcare centres, sometimes from as early as 6.30 am to as late as 7.30 pm, raise concerns about the impact of long days in settings on children’s well-being. The Montessori philosophy underscores the significance of children engaging in the life of the home – such as eating together as a family and undertaking simple household tasks, which build confidence, independence, and a sense of responsibility as well as social, verbal and motor skills. Limiting these opportunities for young children will mean many miss out on the benefits they bring, making a strong case for a more balanced approach to childcare arrangements.
With brexit-induced staff shortages are also exacerbating the challenges faced by the early years sector, further straining resources and increasing the gap between demand and supply of trained and experienced staff. It must be said that the disparity between the actual cost of early years education and government funding poses a fundamental threat to the sustainability of nursery schools. Many establishments find themselves on the brink of closure, unable to bridge the financial gap created by the 30-hour funding model.
Looking at the current state of early years provision, critical questions emerge: Will places for two and 3-year-olds in UK early years settings be reduced rather than expanded by this approach? What is the government’s objective with the 30-hour funding initiative, and how does it align with the reality of nursery funding shortfalls?
In terms of the financial sustainability of early years settings, therefore, the only solution is for the Government to do the sums on the 30-hour funding and to consider raising the funding given to providers. It seems that the current allocation might rely on staff being employed on minimum wage or less.
As we review some of the wider impacts of the funding crisis – such as low morale as a result of low pay and less qualified/ trained staff – it is imperative that we make early years employees feel valued and empowered to pursue qualifications. Recognising nursery staff’s dedication and hard work through appropriate remuneration is essential in retaining strong practitioners within the sector. By offering incentives and support for training before entering the workplace and further training and development throughout their career, we can encourage individuals to enhance their skills and knowledge, ultimately benefiting the children in their care. At the Maria Montessori Institute, we are working hard to offer discounts, scholarships, and bursaries, as well as a degree route, all of which increase wider access to high-quality early years training.
One area to reflect on the 30-hour policy is the broader long-term implications for our children. Every child should be able to access high-quality care and education. Only through concerted efforts and informed discourse can we forge a path toward a more equitable and sustainable early years sector.
Louise Livingston is Head of Training at the Maria Montessori Institute (www.mariamontessori.org), which offers Montessori teacher training and short courses at the UK’s only AMI training centre and authentic Montessori education for children aged from 2½ years at its London school. Louise has over 30 years of experience in education and a background in educational neuroscience.
Five top technology trends in physical access control – looking ahead
HID, a worldwide leader in trusted identity and physical access control solutions, announces the 2024 State of Physical Access Control Report, identifying five key trends that are shaping the future of access control.
Produced by IFSEC Global in partnership with HID, the report surveyed over 1,200 security professionals across the globe to paint a picture of an industry that has been going through considerable transformation. Conducted between November 2023 and January 2024, the survey reveals five trends, as follows:
Mobile access and digital ID set to become ubiquitous
While physical ID is still prevalent within the access control industry, there is no doubt that mobile access credentials and digital IDs are quickly gaining ground.
According to this report, nearly 2 in 5 organizations (39%) now actively use mobile identities with respondents naming touchless/contactless solutions (48%) and mobile access (44%) as the two largest trends shaping the wider access control industry.
Open standards driving smart buildings phenomenon
Open standards have become key drivers for more converged security solutions, where physical access control data is helping not just to decide who should be allowed into the building, but also how that building can best be used. As the report shows, almost half of organizations (48%) already have access control/badge scanning systems in place to monitor building usage throughout the day, at least to some extent. Additionally, 43% of respondents cited smart buildings and flexible workspaces being among the top three trends shaping the wider access control industry. Integration with other business functions was also listed by one in three respondents (32%) as another top trend.
Sustainability becoming a greater influence on business decisions
Sustainability is playing a significant role in access control with nearly two thirds (63%) of respondents citing that those with responsibility for sustainability have either some influence or are fully consulted when it comes to upgrading physical access control systems.
The rise of artificial intelligence for analytics use cases
The use of Artificial Intelligence capabilities in physical access control is becoming more common as AI technologies and expertise are developed. Asked if they are looking to incorporate AI/machine learning into their access control solutions, 38% of stated they were (although the same percentage said they were unsure of the benefits). Only 23% said they didn’t have any plans to incorporate AI technologies.
Growing role of biometrics – especially contactless solutions
The biometrics market is growing at a rapid pace. By 2031 the worldwide market for biometrics is expected to reach $136.18 billion while the global facial recognition market alone is predicted to grow to $16.74 billion by 2030, up from $3.83 billion in 2020. That’s a CAGR of 16% from 2021 to 2030.
All data cited in this press release are from the full report, which provides an in-depth analysis on what is driving the physical access control industry now and into the future. Read it here. To learn about the security and sustainable benefits of HID Access Control Systems, visit the website.
By Lesley Moore, Director, Field Services, Workday
Implementing new HR and finance systems in the public sector can be daunting.
Lesley Moore
Traditionally, these systems have been riddled with challenges, including extensive customisation, long testing phases, poor reliability and difficulty applying software and a lack of updates. Not only did that mean public sector bodies weren’t getting a good return on their most valuable resources – their people and their money – but it acted as a disincentive to change. Why – the argument went – expose yourself to the risks of a new system, when there’s little reward?
Though this attitude understandably lingers, the technology, thankfully, has evolved. Today, cloud-based SaaS (software as a service) HR and Finance systems are replacing the on-premise and legacy systems of old. In place of cumbersome interfaces and time-consuming tests, these systems offer powerful out-of-the-box features that can be adopted with ease.
Intuitiveness, however, is just one part of the picture. Reliability, safety, security and cost of ownership are other considerations that must be taken into account. Here, too, SaaS solutions can offer new benefits. If we’re to empower finance and HR teams with better technology, challenge the perception of these system’s potential and offer public sector bodies a more productive future, it’s worth examining how the landscape has changed.
Every cloud is unique
The days of on-premise systems are increasingly behind us. Like the private sector, the public sector is aware that the benefits of the cloud – from lower maintenance costs to more powerful features – cannot be ignored.
Nevertheless, not all cloud-based options are created equally. After decades of using on-premise solutions, there can be a temptation to simply lift and shift those legacy platforms to the cloud – sometimes on behalf of the companies providing them.. There’s a misconception that this approach minimises business impact and commercial risks like costs or testing phases. In reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. If you’re going to upgrade your system, this approach only goes half way and exposes you to inefficiencies and poor ROI, and perpetuates vendor lock-in..
Cloud-native ERP systems like Workday are the other side of the coin and offer benefits that go beyond a change of server infrastructure. These solutions offer an ‘adopt, not adapt’ approach – meaning features are pre-built and can be configured rather than customised to meet individual department bodies’ needs. Whereas, a legacy cloud system might require months worth of coding and testing and coding to adapt a new feature to a specific organisation, with a cloud-native system the same result can be achieved in less than a day – often in just a few minutes.a day.
Likewise, security and feature updates are automatic rapid in cloud-native systems, and accessing new features is simplified. Because everything is pre-tested and built by the solution provider, rollouts are fast. With these solutions, customersHR and finance teams are no longer paying to act as their supplier’s own software testing team beta-testers. Instead, they get the intended product from day one. This is why it’s crucial that buyers looking into cloud transformation evaluate the market – and don’t simply opt for a cloud-port of a legacy system that carries over inefficiencies that should be left behind.
Reaping the rewards of SaaS implementation
Perhaps even more important than the logistical benefits, like easier maintenance and short testing periods, are the results a SaaS implementation can offer to the end users in finance and HR departments.
One of the biggest boons to these teams is the ability to undertake sophisticated analytics on their growing datasets. To date, the public sector has often struggled to extract value from data. With reams of it trapped in legacy systems IT teams are left struggling to service ad hoc requests to put it to use.
A shift to cloud-native systems can keep that data tightly guarded, while deploying a layer of sophisticated analytics over the top, which delivers practical insights. Whether used for financial forecasting, identifying skill gaps or annual audits, these advanced analytics bring concrete benefits to HR and finance productivity.
With a platform like Workday Prism Analytics, IT teams remain in control of security, while teams can self-serve insights without any coding or additional software special licences required. This is a win-win: IT teams can focus on priorities like security, while individual departments can easily assess and share valuable insights.
Alongside putting data to work, cloud-native platforms are also more easily integrated with other critical third-party systems, without additional costs or requiring extra layers of code to be built. All of this helps to raise the bar when it comes to HR and finance productivity. Those teams become more autonomous, data-driven and engaged because they can easily find and deploy the insights they need, whenever they need them.
However, this doesn’t mean help isn’t available when needed. Cloud-native providers like Workday, and its net implementation partners, maintain ongoing support and guidance when needed to ensure organisations are maximising the return on their investment and operating with confidence.
However, it does mean individual HR or finance teams, as well as their larger organisations, have the autonomy to adjust systems to their changing needs without having to call out a Systems Integrator for every new request.
The silver lining: future-proofing for AI
With the age of AI well underway, cloud-native SaaS systems additionally offer a future-proof solution for the public sector. These platforms can roll-out new AI features as they become available, with minimal disruption to teams. For organisations that are still experimenting with where AI fits within their workflows, they also offer a safe way to turn such features on and off, without needing to rework an entire system.
Beyond limited AI functions, the drawbacks of legacy systems and their cloud-based equivalents – long and costly implementation, lengthy update periods and limited features – can no longer be ignored.
For leaders looking to upgrade their HR and finance systems, the process no longer has to be a painful one. There’s an opportunity to break the vicious cycle of high costs and increasingly poor return on investment for outdated technology, and to instead embrace a future of work that’s more productive, simpler and cost effective for the public sector and its people.
Highland Marketing asked some of its associates and clients what they hope the general election will mean for the NHS and digital health. They argued that whoever becomes the new health and social care secretary will need to invest in sorting out the basics of infrastructure, devices, and care records, if they want to build the foundations for the adoption of AI and innovation in the future.
Yet, at the same time, they argued a new government should be looking for ways to invest in technology that can address some of the immediate challenges facing the NHS, from managing waiting lists and improving patient flow through the system, to maintaining a focus on quality and addressing inequalities. There was also a plea for the next administration to work with the health and med tech industries; and to crack the stubborn nut of interoperability.
Jeremy Nettle, chair, Highland Marketing advisory board: The main parties have focussed on the NHS, because it is one of the top concerns for voters. They’ve shown much less interest in social care, but the health service’s problems won’t be resolved without a functioning care system to reduce demand and free up discharges.
So, whoever becomes the new secretary of state, let’s hope they remember the job is health and social care. They’re certainly going to be taking on the job at a challenging time, with junior doctors about to strike again and waiting lists growing after a period of stability.
The capacity and reform required will not be delivered without investment in technology. Organisations need better infrastructure, devices, and software systems to support the AI that politicians are hoping will be a panacea. Working with the private sector on waiting times could also create a new focus for data sharing. After all, the only person with a true 360 view of their healthcare is the patient themselves.
Jane Rendall, managing director, Sectra UK and Ireland: The new health and social care secretary should prioritise the integration of genomics into healthcare, leveraging the Genome UK strategy to offer personalised treatments and predict disease risks.
Emphasis on digital transformation is crucial across the NHS, with a cloud-first approach that can enhance the interoperability and efficiency of systems and help to improve access to diagnostic tests, imaging and expertise.
Addressing health inequalities, ensuring data security, and fostering innovation through public cloud platforms are also essential. This comprehensive focus will help to modernise the NHS, improve patient care, and prepare for future healthcare challenges.
Jamie Whysall, principal head of healthcare, Netcompany: One of the biggest challenges in the NHS is how to do more with a finite amount of resource and budget – and to balance smart investments that can promote positive change in the short-term as well as elevate citizen and clinician experiences in the long-term.
Investment in new hospitals and large IT systems to bring it together may seem like a heavy up-front investment, but there are step-change approaches available today with proven success in mitigating risk, increasing productivity, and reducing waste costs.
We believe prioritisation should be given to technology that can be used to improve the capacity of existing healthcare systems and the flow of patients through them. That means solutions that can help to optimise, streamline and predict fluctuations in demand and give the healthcare system the agility to adjust across a hospital, an integrated care system level, or at or national level.
Bevin Manoy and Moyra Amess, directors, CHKS: Whatever the outcome of the general election campaign, there is a huge task ahead for the NHS. Health services are still living with the impact of Covid-19, with real pressure on the workforce. There are mounting waiting lists, with acuity of patients increasing as people wait longer for treatment.
To address these challenges, we need a strong focus on patient safety and the effectiveness of services in the acute health sector. That means collecting high quality clinically coded data, benchmarking to find out what works and what does not, and assurance services to support professionals in delivering excellent outcomes for patients.
None of this requires huge, new initiatives. If anything, it requires stability, and continuing to invest in the basics of being able to ensure efficient and high-quality services. There are tough decisions ahead, but to address them we need to be smart and to use the tools available to make good decisions.
David Simpson, owner and head of product and partnerships, MEDILOGIK: One priority for a new government interested in health tech should be to ensure that large electronic patient record suppliers are forced to fully integrate with the numerous, small, departmental clinical systems that hospitals use. This is a crucial step towards delivering a true, integrated care record, with all the benefits that would deliver for clinicians and, of course, patent safety.
Secondly, national and local projects should be aligned and use the same procurement rules to reduce the conflicting requirements that suppliers tend to face at every stage. And finally, instead of issuing targets, it would be good if policy makers and programme managers could engage with suppliers. After all, we might just have some experience and be able to assist – or even improve! – what they are trying to achieve.
Dean Moody, healthcare services director, Airwave Healthcare: General election campaigns can have a long-lasting impact on health services and the technology they use. A good example is the introduction of bedside TV and telephones to NHS hospitals.
This was a key feature of the NHS Plan that New Labour launched after the 1997 general election. The NHS Plan promised new hospitals and state or the art facilities. But the patient pays model for bedside entertainment and communications was never popular and the units that deliver it have never been modernised.
This general election, it would be great to see one of the parties promise to do away with the patient pays model, and to invest in today’s state of the art technology. That way, we could not only deliver entertainment, but information and digital services to patients, educating and engaging them to be partners in their own care.
Assad Tabet, senior vice president healthcare, UKI and Europe, Mastek: Reducing health inequalities should be a joint priority for the UK government and the NHS over the course of the next Parliament. Collecting, harnessing, and utilising available data should be at the centre of the strategy to achieve this goal. Ahead of the general election, Mastek is calling all political parties to commit to cross-government data sharing to address data gaps in public health surveillance and drive local prevention efforts.
In particular, the focus should be on the following areas, which have consistently been shown to have a considerable impact on an individual’s health and wellbeing: environmental considerations, such as air quality; housing status, including details on homelessness and those living in damp and overcrowded accommodation; employment status, including details of long-term unemployment, where appropriate; the location of, and proximity to, community and acute health services.
Chris Goldie, chief executive, Vertex UK: Every health tech vendor will argue that the digitisation of the NHS must top the new health and social care secretary’s agenda. Considerable progress in digital strategy and implementation has already been seen, especially in areas such as diagnostics.
Building on this momentum in ways that maximise available innovation, will require a focus on modernising procurement approaches within the health service. Framework contracts and tender stipulations can make it hard for innovative start-ups to work with systems and trusts on valuable, cost-effective solutions.
We believe that to truly advance NHS digitisation, the new health and social care secretary needs to have the process of doing business with the NHS high on their agenda. It urgently needs to be reformed, to support British startups with solutions that can truly enhance patient service delivery.
Winvic Construction Ltd, a leading main contractor that specialises in the design and delivery of private and public sector construction and civil engineering projects, has started work on the second project awarded to it under the Lincolnshire County Council highways framework contract.
Work has begun on the resurfacing and signal improvement scheme on Newland, between Carholme Road and Mint Street, along with sections of Wigford Way, Mint Lane and Lucy Tower Street.
As part of proposed works, Winvic will be improving multiple highway assets, including drainage, footways, kerbs, surfacing, traffic signals and road markings.
The General Works Lot contract is designed to deliver new infrastructure assets and improvements across the County over a four-year period.
Winvic commenced construction in April, and work is expected to be completed by November 2024.
Activities at Carholme Road and Lucy Tower Street junction feature the replacement and upgrade of existing signal equipment, new construction of traffic islands and footways replacements. Newland will see footpath replacements, and new carriageway surfacing.
Altogether it is expected some 9,800sq m of new carriageway will be placed, plus 2,200sq m of footpath asphalt, 100m of new drainage systems, alongside repair works on gullies and ironwork renewals.
Winvic will oversee traffic management, implementing lane closures and one-way restrictions on westbound Newland traffic. The resurfacing works will primarily occur overnight towards the end of the programme with full road closures in place.
As part of its social value commitments to the region, Winvic is also engaging local schools through careers talks and on an art project, which will see the pupils’ winning creations printed on the construction site hoarding.
Winvic is furthering its community support by donating copies of the ‘When I Grow Up’ book to local schoolchildren, has sponsored the Greenbank JFC U9s football team, and has installed defibrillators on city centre site hoardings.
Rob Cook, Winvic’s Managing Director for Civils and Infrastructure, adds: We’re delighted to have been awarded our second highways scheme as part of the four-year Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) highways framework.
“We look forward to building an even stronger relationship with LCC’s team while delivering these transformative infrastructure improvements. Our commitment extends beyond construction through to actively engaging with the local community and promoting safety.
“We look forward to delivering these essential upgrades with minimal disruption and maximum benefits to nearby communities, businesses and road users.”
Jared Taylor, Winvic’s Contracts Director, adds: “We are very proud that Winvic is exceeding expectations on this project and that our dedication to positively impacting the local community is being warmly received. It’s truly a pleasure to be supporting schools in the county through our ongoing social value initiatives.
“Winvic is working extremely hard to ensure works are progressed quickly and efficiently to avoid disruption and long-lasting infrastructure improvements are delivered across Lincoln. Much of this success is due to our diligent and highly dedicated workforce.”
For more information on Winvic, the company’s latest project news and job vacancies please visitwww.winvic.co.uk. Join Winvic on social media – visit X (Formally Twitter) @WinvicLtd – and LinkedIn
It’s now two years since the UK published its 2022-2025 roadmap for digital and data to transform government services and ensure every penny of taxpayers’ money is well spent.
Sascha Giese
The roadmap set out ambitious plans to “transform digital public services, deliver world-class digital technology and systems, and attract and retain the best in digital talent”—and it didn’t pull any punches.
“Our services are often slow, difficult to use and expensive to deliver,” the roadmap said in no uncertain terms. “Departments operate many competing digital identity solutions as well as duplicative identity verification transformation programmes. Data quality is inconsistent and frequently poor, while effective data sharing between departments is limited.”
It also went on to discuss how it is held back by “costly and outdated technology” and how the government machine fails to “leverage our scale in technology procurement.” It talked about “failing to attract top digital talent” and that ways of working “do not enable or incentivise agile delivery methodologies.”
No one said government transformation was easy
Even today, this honest assessment makes for pretty uncomfortable reading. Fast forward two years, and although no one would have expected an immediate turnaround, those in charge are reporting that progress is being made.
For example, One Login—the solution that allows people to access government services online with one username and password, and without having to repeatedly confirm their identity—has now been used by more than 4.4 million people, according to the latest update from the Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO).
While 21 of the top 75 government services—everything from claiming maternity allowance to obtaining an export health certificate—are now ranked as ‘great,’ which means they are quick and easy to use.
Progress has also been made regarding the publication of the Generative AI Framework and the launch of the new Secure by Design approach to help embed cybersecurity digital services.
While all this is a step in the right direction, there is still plenty that needs to be addressed.
Legacy systems continue to hamper progress
There is still an ongoing reliance on legacy systems, which not only fail to provide the level of functionality required for modern public services but also act as a brake on progress and a drain on resources.
There are also ongoing concerns about data—how to store it, what to do with it and how best to protect it.
Despite the gains made, the public sector suffers from data fragmentation that spans numerous systems and databases spread across multiple agencies and departments. In terms of complexity, it’s off the scale. No wonder the march towards digital transformation can sometimes feel like a crawl.
Closer collaboration is required to ensure security
And then there’s the issue of security. One of the best ways to shore up defences is to take a more collaborative approach. That means both the public and private sectors must come together to strengthen security efforts. It also means promoting transparent and open information-sharing within the industry to better understand the threats that are out there.
But a new collaborative approach to security is only part of the solution. The government also needs to ensure it can attract people with the skills and know-how to secure our cyber borders.
For while much of the discussion about legacy systems pivots around cost—and the fact that they’re not designed for today’s data-demanding world—there is another issue that is ever-present.
Like every industry and geography, the public sector is always on the lookout for new talent, not just in its drive towards digital transformation but in the rapidly expanding world of artificial intelligence (AI).
The UK government has made no secret of its ambition to become an ‘AI superpower’.
And with IT and engineering staff in high demand across the public and private sectors, more must be done to attract new talent into the sector so that we can narrow the skills gap.
The roll-out of skills boot camps is one approach that has the potential to deliver results, although much more needs to be done to make up the shortfall. Despite all this, there are reasons to be optimistic.
As Sam Lawler, Deputy Director Strategy, Analysis and Reform, CDDO, wrote in the latest update: “For the past two years, teams across government have been making great strides in digital delivery, harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI) and fixing the foundations of data and legacy that will enable us to transform at scale.
“We’ve still got plenty of work ahead of us to deliver the commitments in the roadmap by next year, from transforming more services to growing digital and data capability and harnessing the potential of artificial intelligence.”
Health Innovation East, the innovation arm of the NHS in the East of England and Cogniss, a no-code ecosystem for digital health solutions, have announced a strategic partnership to launch the Health Innovation East Digital Hub.
A no-code ecosystem is an online collection of tools, ways of working and learning resources that help people with no technical expertise build apps, in a point-and-click way, without the need for coding. Cogniss’s digital health ecosystem makes it quick and affordable for entrepreneurs and health and care practitioners to build sophisticated apps for patients or customers without relying on costly agencies. In the hands of health and care experts the ecosystem creates frontline solutions and helps commercialise digital products across health and care. In doing so Cogniss drives the democratisation of digital health.
Health Innovation East, part of the Health Innovation Network, believes that great ideas only make a difference for our health when they are put into practice. It accelerates great health and care ideas and removes barriers to their adoption and scale in the NHS.
The partnership helps the East’s health and care experts overcome obstacles associated with the cost of developing digital solutions, the demands of regulatory compliance and securing the resources required to bring digital technologies to market.
At the heart of the no-code ecosystem is an ‘innovation sandbox’ – a space where users can create, test and experiment with ideas prior to launch – that is open to all users to help refine their health solutions. The sandbox is also accompanied by an ‘innovators forum’ where users can connect with fellow solutionists, and an e-learning platform supporting professional development for no-code. The ecosystem also offers access to a unique feature that automates many of the requirements of regulatory compliance for frameworks such as DTAC (how the NHS assesses digital technologies).
Joanna Dempsey
Launching the Health Innovation East Digital Hub
Together the sandbox, forum, academy and compliance functions combine to create the Health Innovation East Digital Hub – a first point of call for healthcare entrepreneurs and SME’s to be able to create and commercialise digital health solutions into the NHS.
Joanna Dempsey – principal advisor, Health Innovation East says: “Our aim is to cultivate a community of digital health innovators, whether SME’s or clinical entrepreneurs, and provide them with comprehensive support to tackle the most pressing health challenges and to deliver solutions to the people and places where they are needed most”.
As the digital hub continues to develop access will be available via a digital health innovation programme. The programme will run two cohorts in 2024, each supporting up to 20 participants to produce a minimum viable product. The first cohort launches in September 2024 and is open nationally. Applications can be made by visiting the programme’s microsite.
On the goals of the Digital Hub
Dr Lloyd Humphreys – Managing Director, Cogniss says: “This is a first-of-type partnership to accelerate innovations into and within the NHS, removing the barriers to and supporting health and care innovators to create the next generation of technology at a fraction of the cost and in a matter of weeks rather than years. The aim is to create a sustainable and supportive digital health ecosystem the leverages the frontline experience of clinicians and health care entrepreneurs”.
Piers Ricketts, Chief Executive, Health Innovation East comments:“We are delighted to have worked with Cogniss to support the further development of their platform in the UK, which will enable SMEs and partners in health and care to develop their digital innovations at a much-reduced time and cost than would previously have been required. This collaboration is an excellent example of our goal of ensuring that that great ideas make a difference to our health when they are put into practice. We look forward to working further with Cogniss over the coming months”.
Durability. Reliability. Perhaps not the most exciting two words in the English language.
However, with some deeper thought we realise just how valuable these two things really are. How priceless is not being let down? How valuable is a product or service that performs consistently to the highest of standards regardless of environment?
Often, only when we delve deeper, or we experience disappointment first-hand do we truly appreciate how vital durability and reliability really are.
When it comes to durability, our roads are subject to such a variety of testing variables. From severe compression to testing weather patterns, any solution installed across our network must perform in a variety of conditions.
SHIMPAC® Systems products are designed to form a strong, stable, engineered structure developed to support and position any commercially available ironwork correctly. All SHIMPAC® Systems products are exceptionally durable, long lasting and recyclable.
SHIMPAC® Systems products do not distort. They withstand excessive stresses including the compression, shear, and percussion forces that street ironwork is subjected to. Compression strength of the SHIMPAC® Systems product range is over 120 tonnes, making them the perfect durability choice for original installations, remedial and maintenance purposes.
What’s more, SHIMPAC® Systems product range is compatible with all PAS certified materials used for ironwork installations. This is vital and highlights the true ‘strength’ of SHIMPAC® – the ability to deliver millimetre precision for levelling ironwork, whilst being used with all, or any, other profiled product line.
Chamber construction is no longer just brick, but a combination of materials including pre-cast concrete, flowable mastic, or flowable mortars, and SHIMPAC® Systems products sing in harmony with each type of material.
Seasonal Success
Beyond compression damage from traffic, the UK’s seasons bring their own unique challenges to our highways and the ironwork seating beneath them. From melting roads in summer to water penetration in England’s notorious downpours, as well as the subsequent expansion in a biting winter, the products keeping our roads usable must be ready for whatever our climate throws at them.
SHIMPAC® Systems are installed quickly and without fuss all year round with minimum equipment and materials. The product range is suitable for use for civil engineering and construction applications both above and below ground including ironwork seating, permanent shuttering, and external cladding.
The SHIMPAC® Systems are virtually completely waterproof. With just 0.07% water absorbed after 24 hours of total immersion – making SHIMPAC® the standout choice when it comes to preventing erosion beneath ironworks.
When summer is upon us and road surfaces are being tested amidst heatwaves, SHIMPAC® remains resolute. The products are unaffected by temperature extremes and have been tested to BS 476 Part 6.7 – classified as Class 1 surface spread of flame.
SHIMPAC® products are not season specific. Compatible with all bonding agents they can be installed in any environment, including below water line. So, hot or cold, rain or shine – SHIMPAC® doesn’t let you down.
Barry Andrews, SHIMPAC® Technical Lead told GPSJ:
“For durability and reliability, SHIMPAC® doesn’t compromise. All year round, the product range and system handle whatever the conditions throw at it. We’re often asked about the life cycle of our system, but as the earliest installations of the SHIMPAC® system over 30 years ago are yet to fail – it’s difficult to give a definitive answer. It’s safe to say these products are built to last, and they do just that.”
Health tech provider C2-Ai has formally launched a new ‘observatory’ system to help hospitals gain a better understanding of risks, outcomes and safety within maternity and neonatal services.
Announced at the annual NHS ConfedExpo, the new system will equip hospitals and frontline teams with a detailed picture of individual health trajectories for women, and the performance of maternity units.
Known as the ‘Maternity & Neonatal Observatory’, the system is based on a highly regarded AI-backed risk methodology already used in the NHS, and in top hospitals around the world, to measure safety and performance, highlight hidden risks in healthcare, and safely manage waiting lists.
By shining new light on outcomes for mothers and babies, it will help healthcare providers to proactively identify and address areas of concern early within maternity services, before they escalate or become systemic problems.
Frontline clinical teams will also be better informed about specific risks and care requirements for individual women, including any specialised support needed to ensure favourable outcomes.
Dr Mark Ratnarajah, a practising NHS paediatrician and UK managing director for C2-Ai, said: “Maternity services have come under close scrutiny in the public eye. By working closely with partners in the NHS, we will provide capabilities that can alert healthcare providers to challenges at the earliest of stages. And they will have new analysis to help them to demonstrate quality to regulators, maternity incentive schemes, and the outside world.
“Insights needed to achieve this can often be buried within data held in disparate places. We can now decode that complex clinical data, and unearth intelligence needed to support a learning environment. In addition to current evaluations of compliance with processes, services will have a new means to help them understand, interrogate, and enhance outcomes on an almost continuous basis.”
Early adopters within the NHS are expected soon, with maternity teams in trusts across several regions having already provided positive feedback on the observatory’s capabilities.
The system works by calculating and comparing in-detail observed outcomes for women and babies, in relation to expected outcomes for those individuals. Tailored for the acuity level of each maternity and neonatal service, the observatory uses AI and machine learning algorithms, widely proven in the NHS and internationally, to assess a total of 47 clinical factors. It takes into account case-mix adjusted maternal and neonatal clinical outcomes, impacts from social determinants of health such as ethnicity and deprivation, and comorbidities.
Maternity services are then able to visualise in granular detail where they may need to focus attention. The same system then allows providers to track if policy changes and quality improvement measures put in place have led to improvements.
Healthcare providers will be better equipped to identify patterns – for example the prevalence of sudden or unexpected increases in complications. They will be able to carry out deeper root cause investigations into adverse events. And they will be able to use insights to support accurate reporting on performance to regulators, and NHS Resolution’s Maternity Incentive Scheme.
Significant gains are also expected in tackling maternal healthcare inequalities. Research released in 2022 revealed maternal mortality rates to be four times higher for women from black ethnic backgrounds, compared to white women, and nearly twice as high for Asian women. Women residing in the most deprived areas also experienced higher maternal mortality rates. The findings were published in a report from Birthrights (1), which also examined inequalities in risks facing babies, including stillbirth, injuries, and brain damage.
Combined analysis of community care, and maternity and neonatal outcomes, made possible through the Maternity & Neonatal Observatory, is expected to support healthcare providers’ ability to measure progress in tackling such inequalities, including in NHS England’s Core20PLUS5 programme on narrowing healthcare inequalities.
Stephen Mackenney, CEO for C2-Ai, and a former head of quality, safety and clinical governance in the Department of Health, said: “New insights available through the Maternity & Neonatal Observatory, can help services to react to immediate challenges, and to proactively forward plan. This has the potential to support strategies at national, regional and local level, to help healthcare providers to focus training, to personalise care for individual women, to plan resources across healthcare systems, and to develop policy, based on evidence of what delivers the best outcomes for people receiving care.
“Healthcare providers are working tirelessly to improve quality and safety. I look forward to seeing our technology support them in their mission to enhance care in the maternal services so many people rely on.”
By Anne-Marie Vine-Lott, Director of Health, Vodafone UK
Anne-Marie Vine-Lott
Restoring public sector productivity is a national priority.
Recent ONS figures reveal productivity levels in the public sector considerably worsened in late 2023 – especially across healthcare and education – and to this day remain 6.8% lower than pre-pandemic levels.
The Office for Budget Responsibility believes returning to pre-pandemic productivity levels could save £20 billion a year – improving public service quality and reducing the burden on taxpayers. But how can we go about achieving this goal?
I strongly believe that safe, reliable, world-class connectivity is key for transforming public sector productivity and ultimately citizens’ experience. Each part of the public sector has its own challenges, but our breadth of experience and the flexibility of our technologies mean that we can innovate at a pace that works for all stakeholders, whether we’re talking about NHS patients and staff; students; citizens working with councils; or public services of any kind.
They all stand to benefit from top-tier connectivity and the roll-out of 5G.
Harnessing technology in healthcare
In healthcare, connectivity has a direct impact on patients’ abilities to access services, their experience navigating their care; and their ability to self-manage their health if they have a long-term condition.
Connectivity, whether mobile (4G/5G) or fixed, public or private, is fundamental for accelerating the adoption of new and existing technologies that facilitate these improvements. It’s why having the right underlying connectivity in place in every hospital and GP practice is key for them to run as efficiently and productively as possible – and we have already started to see what a connected healthcare ecosystem could look like.
In A&E departments across the country, Vodafone has partnered with eConsult Health to roll out eTriage – a self-registration system which is helping reduce waiting times and improve patient safety. Through the self-registration process, eTriage collects patients’ medical histories to quickly identify those that need medical attention most urgently, as well as reducing the general waiting time for emergency treatment. Overall, it makes waiting rooms safer, helps reduce workforce challenges, and means patients get seen more quickly.
It’s clear that hospitals need a network that can keep up with the growing demand from doctors and patients for faster, more accurate information. The latest technology can also help free up much-needed resource for time-poor and under-pressure healthcare workers.
Helping educators adapt to hybrid teaching
We all witnessed how vital it was for students and teachers to stay connected during the pandemic. Back then, it was hard to grasp the long-term impact on schools, universities, and students.
Now, recent figures from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) show that the lingering effects of lockdowns on education threaten to wipe £700bn off the global economy, potentially stunting growth for decades.
It’s essential, therefore, to ensure educators can deliver to their full potential in the post-pandemic hybrid teaching environment – so those students learning remotely can benefit just as much as those attending in-person.
Through Connected Education, Vodafone is helping educators with this new hybrid learning norm: helping them take smart, simple steps forward to deliver online education experiences seamlessly.
Using Vodafone’s ultra-low latency 5G network, we ensure that collaboration is still a key element of learning – even when not in the same room. With our partner Sensing Feeling, we provide many institutions with Emotive Sensing, to monitor the mood of the “room” during seminars. And with our scalable cloud Contact Centre as a Service system, we help universities across the UK remain productive in student recruitment, clearing, and student wellbeing.
Looking after local government
Local governments, who are working tirelessly to ensure services run smoothly against a backdrop of limited funding and increasing demand for services, need the best connectivity.
When COVID struck, Barrow Borough Council had to quickly adjust their ways of working. They worked with Vodafone and Centrality to safely integrate Microsoft’s suite of solutions, beginning with a cloud-readiness assessment to tailor the support to the council’s specific needs. This ensured a seamless transition to Microsoft 365, which the council still uses today for secure, collaborative, efficient operations.
In Kingston, we helped with a different, but equally significant issue: keeping the town clean from fly-tipping. Currently, financial pressures faced by councils means that local household waste and recycling centres (HWRCs) have to close – which inevitably leads to increased fly-tipping. With Vodafone’s Smart Wireless Camera, which supplies authorities with live surveillance of illegal dumpings, Kingston Council can now allocate their already limited resources, more effectively – and have seen a reduction in fly-tipping by 80% on average.
Transforming our public sector is within our reach. By making carefully considered investments in establishing smart, digital foundations we can support the adoption of new and existing technologies as well as collaborating with businesses who can offer the connectivity tools and expertise needed, we can restore our public services and unlock the productivity puzzle together.
By Tim Freestone, chief strategy and marketing officer, Kiteworks
The sheer number of cyber-attacks in recent years puts the inadequacy of current systems into sharp focus. Alas, many public sector organisations are still using decades old legacy, homegrown technologies to manage the storing, transfer, and sharing of data. Although this approach has historically been adequate, it can no longer keep up with the growing cyber threat landscape. This is why the UK Government has initiated a new cyber security strategy that focuses first on establishing resilience within the public sector.
Tim Freestone
Government organisations must take responsibility for securing their daily operations, communications, and data activity. In government, data is consistently being moved, shared, and collected, both internally between departments and externally with third parties. Keeping this data safe throughout its communication lifecycle is essential to the reliable functioning of national services and the protection of people’s privacy. Whether it is patients’ personal health information or mission-critical data, any breach can cause serious disruption.
The need for cyber resilience
As of 2023, the UK was the third most targeted country in the world for cyber-attacks. Because of this, cyber resilience is a necessary cornerstone of the UK’s strategy for national resilience. The Government Cyber Security Strategy for 2022-2030 recognises that the cyber security landscape is evolving, and that its approach to resilience must evolve with it. The government has been tasked to lead by example for the nation’s private sector. It is, therefore, imperative that central government departments set the standard for robust, trustworthy, and compliant data and communication security.
Cyber threats across the public sector are on the rise. Between 2020 and 2021, 40% of cyber incidents managed by the National Cyber Security Centre targeted the public sector. Ransomware attacks on the NHS saw patient data fall into the hands of malicious actors, and several local councils were locked out of their systems due to ransomware attacks. These incidents not only result in significant costs, but the increased vulnerability of critical national infrastructure, government organisations, and other public sector services also puts sensitive and mission-critical data at risk.
Unfortunately, as technology develops, malicious actors are leveraging new and more sophisticated techniques to circumvent data security. The problem is that many government departments continue to rely on homegrown solutions and legacy systems that are no longer fit for purpose. The IT solutions being used for secure content communication, such as email systems, data transfer and file sharing, have reached the end of their lifecycle. Not only can they not develop as this new strategy needs them to do, but they are introducing an increasing number of risks and exploitable vulnerabilities.
Unique challenges
As the backbone to countless public services, central government organisations have some unique challenges to consider when it comes to secure data communication and the solutions they need to achieve it.
Firstly, is the risk brought on by interagency communication. Central government organisations have a long supply Sensitive PII data chain, both internally and externally. This introduces many more potential areas of risk, such as emails falling into the wrong hands or files being accessed by malicious parties when being shared. In addition, these communications are often happening across different channels, creating silos which further add to the risk of a breach.
Secondly, is the need for service assurance. Mission-critical services, such as emergency weather responses or national security, rely on high-volumes of data to function properly. It is essential that this data is not disrupted when being collected, transferred, or processed.
Then there is the sensitivity of the data itself. People-facing services, such as healthcare, handle vast amounts of sensitive data. This must be stored in compliance with regulations like GDPR. Unfortunately, it remains a prime target for attack and so must be strongly protected to deter attacks and prevent accidental leaks
More needs to be done
Plenty of progress has been made to improve the UK’s position to meet these challenges. However, there is a lot more to do. Government organisations need to look at two pillars. Firstly, to build a united defence and secondly, to build resilience and be empowered to manage their own cyber risks. This will lead to them reducing vulnerabilities and risks while improving visibility over activity, strengthening the security surrounding content communication, and building processes that align with regulatory compliance requirements. In doing so, organisations must consider solutions that can scale as threats evolve and that can be integrated across organisations – or that are highly interoperable and compatible.
A turning point
Government organisations have reached a turning point. They must take the leap to re-evaluate and reinvent their secure data communication solutions before the capability gap between them and potential adversaries grows too stark.
Thankfully, help is at hand. There are secure file and email data communications platforms on the market that are built to enable central government organisations to meet modern data security requirements. Such a Private Content Network empowers agencies to share sensitive content internally and with third parties by email, file sharing, file transfer, and other channels at the highest levels of security, governance, and compliance.
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