Written by Amanda Griffiths, Head of Communications Planning at Royal Mail Marketreach
Last year was a year of elections. Around the world, new leaders took office with the promise of change. Now, with critical political milestones on the horizon, from Donald Trump’s first 100 days in Spring to the Labour Party’s one-year anniversary in the Summer, the next few months pose leaders with a new communication challenge.
Public sentiment here is critical, and that relies on governing parties showing the meaningful impact of their short time in office as effectively as possible. This means understanding how and where to communicate.
Luckily, the recent elections shone a light on political communications – and the public’s feelings towards them. What we learned may surprise you.
Medium matters
With each election cycle, the volume of digital media grows. Last year’s General Election was expected to be the ‘first TikTok election’,
To understand if this was true and what it meant for direct mail, Marketreach conducted a significant piece of consumer research during and after the General Election. The findings from this study as reported in Landslide: How mail won the General Election were surprising and enlightening. Trust in parties and candidates is critical in an election. Yet one in three Brits reported concerns that social media posts about the election were misleading or inaccurate. While digital platforms were expected to be particularly popular with younger constituents, only 65 percent of voters aged 18-24 reported engaging with political messages on digital channels. Whereas 81 percent of this same 18-24 audience reported engaging with direct mail, confirming voters relied significantly more on mail than digital when exploring serious matters such as who and what to vote for.
What did this research tell us about how people want to be communicated with? This first answer, to me, is thoughtfully. We live in a world in which political leaders from all sides are gravitating towards soundbites – short, sharp party lines that can fit into evening news programming, front pages, and social media feeds. But these soundbites by definition provide little detail and are also short-lived – here today and gone tomorrow. This not only means that an unengaged audience might miss the impact of a strong soundbite, but also its transience makes political communications much harder to fact check, to process, or to expand on.
For any party attempting to showcase its thinking, this is a fatal flaw. At the moments in time in which voters truly engage with their leaders – elections, milestones, times of crisis – thoughtful, longer form communication is a powerful tool. It stands up to scrutiny, and politicians look all the better for it.
Constituents also want to feel like the communications they receive are honest. No matter how good the message, voters need to be able to trust what they’re reading. This is why mail becomes so critical in election periods. It reaches voters where they are, at home, with a trusted message that they can read, reread, and explore further (if needed) in their own time. In fact, research Marketreach conducted in partnership with Trinity McQueen showed that 71 percent of people trust the mail they receive, particularly when it’s addressed to them.
Time for reflection
The recent General Election showed a nation particularly open to considering their choices. In our election survey, around half of all voters reported that they were uncertain who they might vote for during the election campaign and open to changing their minds before casting their votes. This was even higher for younger voters, rising to 61 percent among 18-34 year olds.
And not just targeting but timing and location is key when it comes to political communications. Mediums, like out-of-home, social and online display advertising all work well to drive home messages and influence voters, but they can often appear to a voter while that person is distracted, disinterested, or even just tired after a long days’ work, meaning they lose their impact. And once passed by or scrolled over, they often cannot be found again.
To paraphrase a political slogan we’ve heard often – the public wants to take back control over how they engage with politics. Effective communications understand this, giving people the freedom to learn and engage in their own time, at their own pace, without in-fighting or soundbites.
By offering a tangible piece of communication, delivered to their home, mail offers a flexible informative tool that recipients can retain and read in their own time, at their own pace. From a survey conducted with Blue Yonder and WARC we know that 58 percent of mail is kept for future reference. And in political communication, this means valuable messaging is likely to be “saved for later”, stored and re-read whenever voters choose to. Among our surveyed voters, 59 percent read electoral mail, compared to just 36 percent reading posters, social and digital ads.
But mail does not operate in a vacuum. Voters value it specifically because they see it as playing a strong part in an integrated election communication campaign. Along with Party Political Broadcasts, online advertising, social media, press and out of home (OOH), mail enables voters to find the accurate and honest information they need to play their part in this vital democratic process.
Leaning into thoughtful communication
So as we approach a key milestone in the political calendar, last year’s election offers us a handy, recent guide to ensure that party leaders understand and meet the nation’s communication preferences to find success.
For communicators and marketers, I believe the biggest takeaway from last year is that the public is engaged with their government and political process. Voters believed the election was important and they wanted to make the right decision. Audiences truly respond to and consider political messaging that shows solid and detailed thinking. Social media and TV broadcasts, or interviews, will always have a role in helping to land and reiterate party messages. But to truly engage and convince voters to act, these channels must be reinforced with direct mail. Uniquely, this channel delivers engaging detailed communications to constituents where they live in a way that meets their needs for information they can commit to in their own space and time.
Politics has rarely felt more personal, more impactful on our lives, than it does today. Why shouldn’t our outreach feel the same?
Living conditions for families in military housing will be transformed under a new Consumer Charter, as Defence Secretary John Healey promised to “stop the rot” in military housing.
The Charter will be part of a new Defence Housing Strategy, to be published later this year, which will set out further plans to improve the standard of service family homes across the country.
Defence Secretary visits Service Family Accommodation
Under the Charter, basic consumer rights, from essential property information and predictable property standards, to access to a robust complaints system, will be rapidly introduced. These will be underpinned by new, published satisfaction figures, putting forces families front and centre.
The wider Defence Housing Strategy – overseen by the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People, Al Carns – will also turbocharge the development of surplus military land, creating opportunities for Armed Forces homeownership. It will further support the delivery of affordable homes for families across Britain as part of the government’s Plan for Change.
It follows the Government’s landmark deal, completed in January, to bring back 36,000 military homes into public ownership, reversing a 1996 sale described by the Public Accounts Committee as “disastrous”, and saving the taxpayer £600,000 per day by eliminating rental payments to a private company.
The announcement follows the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to deliver “homes for heroes” and means that under this government, support will be there for veterans at risk of homelessness. This included removing local connection tests for veterans seeking social housing, meaning as of November, veterans will have access to the housing support they need.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP, said:
“Our Armed Forces serve with extraordinary dedication and courage to keep us safe. It is only right that they and their families live in the homes they deserve.
“For too long, military families have endured substandard housing without the basic consumer rights that any of us should expect in our homes. That must end and our new Consumer Charter will begin to stop the rot and put families at the heart of that transformation.
“We cannot turn around years of failure on forces housing overnight, but by bringing 36,000 military homes back into public ownership, we’ve already taken greater control and are working at pace to drive up standards. This is about providing homes fit for the heroes who serve our nation, and I’m determined to deliver the decent, affordable housing that our forces families have every right to expect.”
The new Consumer Charter will include the following commitments:
A strengthened move-in standard so families can have confidence that the home they are moving into will be ready on time and will be clean and functional.
Improved, clearer information for families ahead of a move, including photographs and floor plans of all homes when a family applies for housing.
More reliable repairs, including an undertaking to complete urgent repairs within a set timeline consistent with Awaab’s Law, and a new online portal for service personnel to manage repairs.
Raising the minimum standard of forces family housing with a new programme of works targeted at the worst homes, with up to 1,000 refurbished as a downpayment on the broader programme of renewal to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy.
Better and clearer communication for families, including a named housing officer for every service family who they can contact for specific housing related queries.
A new, simpler complaints process that will shorten the process to two stages in line with industry best practice, so that service personnel and families have a quicker resolution, backed up by the new Armed Forces Commissioner.
Modernising policies to allow more freedom for families to make improvements, giving them a greater sense of pride in their homes.
These improvements will be in place by the one-year anniversary of the announcement to buy back military homes last December, with final detail to be set out in the Defence Housing Strategy following consultation with military personnel and their families.
Many of the commitments in the Charter will be achieved by driving better performance – and better value for the taxpayer – from existing suppliers of maintenance and support for service family housing.
The new standards will be underpinned by new published customer satisfaction measures and enhanced accountability so families can have confidence in the improvements being made. This will sit alongside an independently conducted stock survey, as recommended by the Kerslake review of military housing which was published last year.
The Defence Housing Strategy will be driven by an independent review team whose members have been announced today, and which will be chaired by former Member of Parliament and housing expert Natalie Elphicke Ross OBE, drawing on expertise from industry and forces families.
Notes to editors:
In the meantime, the Defence Secretary and the Minister for Veterans and People have instructed the MOD to immediately plan improvements for the new Consumer Charter, as part of a short-term action plan to enhance the family homes after years of neglect.
Natalie Elphicke Ross, Chair of the Defence Housing Strategy Review said:
“Our pride in our armed forces must include pride in our military homes. Delivering better housing, boosting home ownership opportunities for service personnel and improving the experiences of service families will be at the heart of our work.”
David Brewer, Chief Operating Officer of the Defence Infrastructure Organisation, said:
“We are dedicated to making changes that will bring real improvements to the lives of families living in military homes and the plans set out in the new charter are an important step towards doing this.
“The advisory team, announced today, brings together an exceptional group of individuals, who through their expertise and experience will help ensure our housing strategy maximises benefits, not just to families living in military homes, but to communities and industry more widely.”
Antony Cotton MBE said:
“Our Armed Forces community are the backbone of our society, so improving the standard of service family housing is essential if we are to continue to retain and recruit the soldiers, sailors and aviators that protect us selflessly, every day. I welcome this consumer charter as a starting point to give our military families an improved service, and homes they deserve.”
Hospitals have been using technology to stimulate patients in new ways. Innovative approaches to engaging and informing patients could soon rapidly scale. Dean Moody, healthcare services director at Airwave Healthcare, explains how.
In NHS trusts across the country, a momentum has been building to engage patients in innovative ways.
Patient Engagement – engage patients whilst entertaining them
Dean Moody
Driven by a desire to enhance patient experience, healthcare providers have been moving away from outdated patient entertainment systems that charge patients to watch otherwise free television.
Instead, they have been making new systems work harder – in part by distracting patients with the media they are accustomed to at home, aiding in their recovery, but also in ways that educate and inform.
Such systems are being deployed in ways that provide insights to patients about their care, their condition, their procedures, and the exercises they can take to help to enhance their outcomes.
Media technology at the bedside is being used to capture patient feedback on services provided. It is able to direct patients to relevant services in the community that might be needed post-discharge.
And it is starting to lessen some of the pressures faced on busy wards – allowing patients to use their bedside screens to request assistance for bathroom visits, order their meals, engage with the chaplaincy service, or simply to ask for a glass of water, such that requests are fielded directly to the right members of staff, and not always busy nurses.
In more than 150 NHS organisations, patients can now access these services for free. But the opportunity can be scaled significantly further.
Some hospitals are achieving engagement benefits at-scale, trust-wide, or across their estate.
Many have also started to do this in pockets of best practice where budgets permit. Specific wards might have received dedicated funding from beneficiaries to make this happen, for example.
In other trusts, success may be hindered by ageing patient entertainment systems that are not used due to cost, and that provide limited content. And in some scenarios, there may be no provision for patient entertainment technology at all.
Now, with patient engagement such a strategic priority the opportunity is to deliver content that entertains, engages, educates more equitably for all patients – and it is something more and more trusts are working to make possible.
An expansion of this technology could enable a significant boost for patient engagement. But it is not the only tool in the box.
Digital signage – engaging patients before they reach a ward
With effective engagement and communication required by both policymakers and regulators, hospitals are looking to seize every opportunity.
A growing number are examining new ways to engage patients and visitors before they reach a ward, using technology in areas of high-volume footfall, where dwell time is a factor.
Effective digital signage in these areas is one means to achieve that. Digital screens in waiting rooms and reception areas is not a new concept, but the means by which content is being delivered and devices supported is changing.
Healthcare organisations under financial pressures might not be able to invest in new screens, or afford time from their busy teams to ensure that hardware and the content displayed is effectively maintained.
A new model is now being introduced where all of this is outsourced – in some cases even the cost.
Screens can be installed in busy areas where they can reach the most people with messages that engage audiences with messages around hospital and community services, public health issues, vaccinations, patient safety matters such as sepsis, site specific content, and clinical priorities that might contribute to a provider’s CQUIN targets.
Financial models to make this affordable, and potentially even revenue generating, are being introduced.
Hospitals can outsource the management of media provision and can intersperse NHS messages, with appropriate sponsored content. Such content would be fully approved by the trust and would be carefully focussed on products and services complementary to patient care – for example high street pharmacies and other health and wellbeing services. It could also include messages from relevant charities.
Trusts could choose for screens to be installed entirely free of charge. Some are already beginning to work with us to make this happen – with two acute trusts and around 50 GP surgeries taking advantage of a new digital signage service.
This is about innovative provision of technology, so that it can make an immediate difference without the need for financial burdens on the NHS.
Making more of WiFi as an engagement tool
A third technology tool that could complement these approaches is WiFi. Now in place across every NHS trust in the country, free WiFi was originally launched with the idea of exposing patients to self-help tools.
Hospitals are now looking to take that one step further, by directing users to a customised landing page that can provide key information to engage patients, families and visitors.
It can show key information about services available, and flag important public health messages, as well as messages relevant to the specific health needs of the local population.
An interconnected opportunity
Healthcare organisations may be able to harness one engagement tool to reinforce another. Digital signage might flag how visitors can access the WiFi, to avoid busy nurses having to answer such questions.
More than that this is about engaging patients at the point of contact in the system – and making sure the technological enablement exists to support that reach, at that moment.
Leeds GP and CCIO will bring an important primary care perspective to the leading health tech agency’s panel of NHS IT professionals and industry experts
The Highland Marketing advisory board has welcomed a new member – Dr Jason Broch, a GP and director with a strong track record in the NHS and IT-enabled transformation.
Dr Broch brings a wealth of experience to the board, which debates issues in digital health and advises the specialist health tech agency and its clients on policy, procurement and implementation.
Dr Jason Broch
He is a GP partner at the Oakwood Lane Medical Practice in Leeds and medical director and chief clinical innovation and information officer at Leeds Health and Care Partnership, which unites organisations from across the city to improve health and wellbeing.
“What drives me is trying to make the experience of the NHS better for staff and for patients,” he says. “Most of what we do is communication, whether that is consulting with patients or with colleagues.
“Digital has a huge role to play in bringing together fragmented services, removing duplication during handovers, and improving the experience of care for patients. I’m also interested in using data for quality improvement and for population health management.
“And also in how we can be clear about what we are trying to achieve, collectively, and how we can deliver maximum value for patients with the resources available to us.”
Dr Broch is joining the Highland Marketing advisory board at a difficult but potentially exciting inflexion point for health tech.
The NHS is facing huge demand and financial pressure, and the government has embarked on a rapid reorganisation of its central and commissioning bodies, which have important roles in delivering infrastructure, national systems, and data collection and analysis.
Yet the government is also committed to a shift from analogue to digital as part of its 10 Year Plan for Health, which will also seek to shift care from hospital to community, and from treatment to prevention.
Dr Broch says: “I am optimistic. Yes, we have had the pandemic, and there are questions about funding and capacity, and we need to address inequalities. But there are things that put us in a good position for the future.
“We have electronic health records in place, we have more data than ever before, so we can start measuring the things that really matter to people, and there is a lot of new technology coming on stream.
“There are still issues that we need to address around infrastructure, and integration, and taking people with us, but I think we are on the cusp of real change.”
Highland Marketing is an established research, PR, marketing and sales acceleration agency with more than 20 years’ experience in digital health. Its advisory board is comprised of experts working in NHS health tech and leading suppliers.
“I think the best way to learn and to challenge yourself is to be part of conversations,” Dr Broch adds. “When you look around the table, there are lots of people with different expertise, so being part of that feels like a huge opportunity.”
Mark Venables, chief executive of Highland Marketing, said: “We are very pleased that Dr Broch has agreed to join our advisory board. Primary care is a critical sector of the NHS. It is also one that digitised early and has continued to innovate.
“That means it is vital that the primary care perspective is considered when further digital developments are being discussed, planned, and implemented.
“Dr Broch will bring that perspective to the advisory board’s discussions and provide vital insight for our clients, who work in all areas of health tech and med tech.”
Brightly Software, a Siemens Company, is pleased to confirm that it has met the requirements of the Carbon Literate Organisation Standard and has been certified as a Bronze-level Carbon Literate Organisation.
Emphasising the collective role we all share in tackling climate change, CLO accreditation supports the development (recruitment and retention) of a Carbon Literate workforce and requires accredited organisations to engage positively with its own employees and with external stakeholders in developing, and delivering, zero carbon behaviour. The accreditation is applicable to any organisation, from large corporations to SMEs
“Carbon reduction is easy to talk about, and most people recognise its importance, but it can be challenging to identify actions that can make a meaningful difference – and more challenging still to put those into practice,” says Zoe Stirling-Wall, Brightly’s newly-appointed Business Development Manager (Sustainability), who spearheaded the process to gain the accreditation for Brightly. “I’m delighted to have joined a company that doesn’t just talk the talk – but also walks the walk – and helps clients to do the same.”
She adds: “I joined Brightly in January 2025, as a Business Development Manager, with a sustainability focus, and it was immediately clear to me that Brightly took Carbon Literacy very seriously. Hannah Winstanley General Manager and Country Lead, UK recognised the value of the training, both for Brightly as a company, and for clients, leading her to arrange training for herself and colleagues in November 2024. Nineteen staff (nearly a third of Brightly’s UK workforce) are now carbon literacy trained, and as an approved carbon literacy facilitator myself, I can offer ongoing formal training to colleagues, and to clients. Providing tools to our clients to manage and track carbon commitments and to boost sustainability is already a significant part of Brightly’s offering. We’re thrilled now to be able to add even more value to our clients through Carbon Literacy training.”
With such a significant proportion of staff now Carbon Literacy trained, and with an approved facilitator in Zoe Stirling-Wall, Brightly qualifies as a Bronze-level carbon literate organisation for the next three years. When this term expires, Brightly intends to push for silver-level accreditation – with an even greater proportion of staff carbon literacy trained and accredited.
“We see this as just the beginning,” Zoe concludes. “Being carbon literate is not just about knowledge – it’s about action. As part of the training, all of us had to commit to both a personal and a professional change that we would make in order to reduce our environmental footprint. It’s about making meaningful changes and then tracking those commitments over the long term. I look forward to helping our team and our clients to continue to develop and maintain more and more environmentally responsible practices over the coming years.”
Dave Coleman, Co-Founder and Managing Director of The Carbon Literacy Project, says: “Carbon Literacy is an essential skill, vital to every workplace, community, and place of study. It is the foundational knowledge, and a catalyst to empowering people to act on climate, however, Carbon Literacy is only the first step. The actions taken and pledged by learners as part of their Carbon Literacy have an immediate impact within their organisation, however it is the maintenance of these and further actions, supported by Carbon Literate organisational culture, that reaps the greatest rewards for both participants and their organisations. By becoming a Bronze accredited Carbon Literate Organisation, Brightly Software has demonstrated its commitment to genuine low carbon action, environmental and economic impact, and the building of a low carbon future for us all.”
Suffolk County Council, in partnership with charge point operator (CPO) Believ, will deliver around 6,000 new public electric vehicle (EV) charge points across the county to support residents make the transition to EVs.
Suffolk County Council is the first local authority in England to both award their LEVI main funding tender, and subsequently sign a contract with an operator.
The county council has made this project possible with a successful £5.3m bid to the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which supports local authorities to plan and deliver charging infrastructure for residents without off-street parking. This roll-out uses a proportion of that funding along with over £16m funding from CPO, Believ.
From left to right: Matthew Ling and Amy Rushton of Suffolk County Council, Charlie Allen and Steve Beer of Believ
Beginning in Summer 2025, thousands will be installed on residential streets, with many locations suggested by local residents following a survey last year.
The county council has also worked closely with district and borough councils and communities to identify further suitable sites.
The majority will be bollard-style units at the kerbside, suitable for long-stay or overnight charging. Drivers will be able to benefit from an overnight off-peak tariff, and a dedicated resident’s tariff which features discounted charging at all times.
Public car parks will also see a number of rapid and ultra-rapid charge point installations, allowing for quicker charging.
Councillor Philip Fairclough-Mutton, Suffolk County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Communities and Equality said:
“25% of Suffolk households don’t have a driveway and park on their street. This is a significant barrier for people who would like an EV, as they have no convenient way to charge.
“We are providing a solution by installing charge points on their street, or very nearby. Our ambition is to provide them with a public charge point within a 5-10 minute walk or wheel.
“There are around 1.5 million EVs on the country’s roads and we need thousands of new public charge points in Suffolk, and we need them quickly – around 5,400 by 2030, and 12,000 by 2040. Working with Believ, our new installations will bring a significant reduction to those numbers.
“The benefits of EV ownership go beyond helping residents and businesses to reduce their carbon emissions and their impact on climate change. It means together we can contribute to Suffolk’s Climate Emergency Plan, improving Suffolk’s air quality and enabling us to live healthier lives.”
Following a competitive procurement exercise, Believ will install, operate and maintain the charge points, which deliver 100% renewable energy.
Believ is able to install all speeds of charge points to accommodate the full breadth of resident and visitor charging needs.
Believ will install a minimum of 2,100 on-street charge points and over 400 car park charge points by the end of 2026, increasing to a total of approximately 6,000 throughout the project as EV demand increases. Believ will also support with the installation of fast and rapid charging infrastructure at key locations, building on the county council’s successful ‘Plug In Suffolk’ project which launched in 2018.
Guy Bartlett, Believ CEO, said:
“We’re delighted to have been awarded the opportunity to rollout such a significant number of charge points across Suffolk.
“It will make a real difference to local EV drivers and give others the confidence to go electric, helping to support our mission to deliver cleaner air for all. Through this project we forecast the removal of nearly 140,000 tons of emissions by the end of the initial phase in late 2026*.
“As one of the UK’s best-backed privately funded charge point operators investing over £16m in the Suffolk area, Believ is well placed to support Suffolk deliver its zero carbon transport ambitions.”
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said:
“Making charging as easy as possible is a crucial ingredient to make the switch to electric a success. Rolling out over 6,000 charging sockets across Suffolk will make driving an EV easier and more convenient, especially for those without a driveway.
“The switch to electric will power growth, cut emissions and improve lives in Suffolk and beyond, as we continue to support jobs, attract investment and secure our future as part of our Plan for Change.”
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust has marked an important milestone in connecting busy radiologists across large parts of South East England, following the successful go live of Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution.
The trust is the sixth NHS organisation in the South East 2 Imaging Network to deploy Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution. Commonality of technology now in place opens opportunities for clinical collaboration across multiple locations, and brings with it the means to further enhance care and safety for patients.
Trusts involved now share a single instance for radiology imaging. This means that imaging, such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs, are now instantaneously available to professionals across the six participating NHS trusts.
Improved access to critical diagnostic information captured at each organisation has implications for safer and better-informed decision making at the point of care, and in the delivery of high quality diagnostic reporting.
It also lays the foundations for workforce development at a regional level – with new possibilities for harnessing scarce resource where it is needed most.
Trusts that have already benefitted from deployment in the imaging network include Ashford and St. Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, Queen Victoria Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, and University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust.
Several trusts in the region have also deployed the digital pathology module of Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution. Though this module was not part of the agreement at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, trust imaging specialists will still be able to benefit from visibility of pathology cases from elsewhere in the region, to complement their reporting.
Tony Newman-Sanders, Consultant Radiologist and Chief of Cancer and Diagnostics at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We are placing modern technology into the hands of our healthcare professionals, and creating the foundations on which we can build imaging services that meet the needs of our patients into the future. This has potential to deliver rapid impact for safer care, and to maximise the use of our specialist diagnostic expertise.”
The deployment, which comes after a previously signed contract with Sectra, follows thorough work to consolidate imaging at the trust, evaluate the safe use of Sectra’s solution, and to ensure that it is configured around trust workflows, and the needs of healthcare professionals and patients.
Jane Rendall, UK and Ireland managing director for Sectra, said: “Hard work has gone into making sure that this deployment is successful. The potential for enhanced patient care that comes with it is highly significant at a time when diagnostics is so high on the national agenda. It has been gratifying to collaborate with teams at the trust, and across the region, in delivering against their objectives, and I look forward to ongoing collaboration as the future of diagnostics continues to evolve.”
The news of the UK government’s recent push toward a circular economy is a welcome and much-needed step in reshaping our waste management practices. As part of its plan, the government has launched an initiative to tackle waste and encourage recycling across various sectors. But while the overarching goal is commendable, local authorities and waste management companies need to be particularly vigilant in addressing one area that is too often overlooked: the mismanagement of grocery delivery equipment such as bread baskets and dollies.
Paul Empson
At Bakers Basco, we’ve been at the forefront of managing a vast pool of bread baskets and dolly equipment used for transporting bread to retailers across the country. However, our industry has faced a persistent challenge: misplaced or abandoned bakery equipment. Many of these items, which are essential to the logistics of the bakery supply chain, are either inadvertently discarded by waste collection services or sometimes left in public spaces without proper attention. The result is not only waste but a severe environmental impact as these items often end up in landfills instead of being returned to the supply chain where they can be reused.
As part of our commitment to reducing environmental harm, we have made significant strides to prevent this. Through investments in GPS tracking and a dedicated national investigations team, we have worked tirelessly to recover misplaced equipment. However, we are only one part of the puzzle. Local authorities and waste management companies play a crucial role in this transition to a circular economy. We need them to be vigilant in their waste collection practices and recognise the value of grocery delivery equipment in the supply chain.
This isn’t just about reclaiming misplaced baskets; it’s about ensuring that materials are reused, repaired and put back into the economy rather than thrown away. With the UK government’s goal to reduce waste and encourage recycling, local authorities must take active steps to prevent the inadvertent collection of these vital assets. When a bread basket is taken away with general waste, it not only represents a financial loss to the industry but also contributes to the unnecessary production of new plastic products. This is a critical issue and it’s one that we need to address collectively as we transition to a more sustainable economy.
One of the most recent incidents involved the discovery of large quantities of misplaced bread baskets across several locations in a Scottish city. These items were found abandoned in public spaces and while this is an unfortunate scenario it did prompt the local Commercial Waste Enforcement team to act swiftly. They reached out to Bakers Basco for assistance and we were able to arrange for the prompt collection and repatriation of the equipment. This collaborative effort is exactly what needs to happen more frequently across the UK.
For local authorities and waste management companies, this is a call to action: to consider the impact of their waste collection practices and to work with companies like ours to ensure that important materials are not lost in the waste cycle. By being more mindful of grocery delivery equipment in the waste stream, local authorities can play a pivotal role in the circular economy. It’s about ensuring that equipment like bread baskets, which are often used hundreds of times, is not discarded needlessly, but returned for reuse, reducing the need for additional production and saving resources.
The government’s vision for a circular economy is one that I fully support, but the success of this transition will require more than just policy changes. It requires a fundamental shift in how we view materials and waste. Local authorities must be part of this shift, ensuring that waste management processes are aligned with the principles of reuse and sustainability. We are more than prepared to collaborate with or assist the Circular Economy Taskforce should they need inside knowledge or additional support. The time to act is now, and through effective partnerships, we can all contribute to a circular economy that works for everyone.
For anyone who comes across these baskets, please contact the Bakers Basco team, who are willing to arrange collections for free. You can report via the recovery helpline: 08000 327323 or email: enquiries@bakersbasco.co.uk.
Influential investors convened in London to discuss future routes to defence financing.
Government’s record spending uplift and reforms will help unlock private-sector investment into UK defence, Defence Secretary said.
Defence “is an ethical investment” as Government set to back Britain’s high-growth companies with new innovation funding.
Comes alongside up to £250 million of Government investment into UK firm to help boost missile defence.
Major venture capitalists from across Europe can help unlock billions of pounds of private investment into UK technology and defence firms, as part of a “new partnership” between defence and private investors, the Defence Secretary has said today.
In a first-of-its-kind meeting between venture capital firms and a UK Defence Secretary, John Healey MP spoke at a breakfast roundtable at Plural’s offices in central London. The meeting was convened by Plural co-founder Khaled Helioui, and Grace Cassy of Ten Eleven Ventures who has supported the development of the Strategic Defence Review as part of the Defence Review Team.
In a changing world, with increasing threats and war in Europe, the group discussed how to incentivise greater private investment into defence and deep technology, to help deter Britain’s adversaries, secure the UK economy, protect the incomes of hard-working families up and down the country and support European security.
The Defence Secretary set out how the Government’s largest sustained increase in defence spending since the Cold War – with 2.5% of GDP spend by April 2027 and a commitment to hit 3% in the next Parliament – coupled with defence reforms, can unlock private sector investment into high-growth British firms – boosting jobs and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change by making defence an engine for growth across the UK. This includes:
A new ambition to unlock more private defence investment, supported by long-term certainty of rising Government defence investment over the next decade, alongside the new Government direct expenditure target for SMEs including start-ups and scale-ups to give high-growth companies more certainty and sight of future investment.
Turbocharging innovation with a new £400 million ringfenced budget for UK Defence Innovation, announced by the Chancellor last week, alongside a commitment to spend 10% of the MOD equipment budget on novel technologies.
Making clear that “defence is an ethical investment” in deterring conflict and preventing the huge human and economic costs caused by conflicts such as Ukraine. It comes as some funds look to renegotiated Limited Partner Agreements to better enable investment into defence.
In a sign of the Government backing British firms with long-term public investment, the meeting comes as the Government confirms up to £250 million investment across the next six years with UK defence tech firm Roke – supporting around 150 jobs and delivering analysis, trials and technology development against ballistic and hypersonic missile threats.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP
Roke – based in Hampshire and focused on innovation and AI development – have been awarded a contract up to six-years in length, known as Science and Technology Oriented Research and development in Missile defence (STORM). The framework streamlines crucial research into innovative technologies, helping enhance the UK’s ability to detect, identify, and defeat ballistic and hypersonic missile threats – work that is essential to safeguarding the UK and its allies.
Defence Secretary, John Healey MP said:
“In this new era of rising threats, national security isn’t just a military imperative. It’s the foundation for economic growth, securing Britain’s future and our Government’s Plan for Change.
“As Defence Secretary, I am determined to bring together investors, innovators and industry in a new partnership that drives British jobs and growth. We want to mobilise private investors to take a fresh look at defence, alongside the certainty of our Government’s record long-term uplift in defence spending.
“With countries across Europe facing new threats stepping up to take more responsibility for our continent’s defence is an ethical investment, and it’s good to see increasing numbers of private investors recognising that. There is no more important investment than in our European security.
“As a government we are determined to tackle any blockers which are preventing private finance from flowing into UK defence, which is why today’s landmark meeting is so important.”
The Defence Secretary also said the government is bringing “a clear mandate to bring innovative technology to the frontline at speed and enable the defence sector to create high-growth British success stories that deliver investor returns and national security.”
Matrix Workforce Management Solutions (in association with The People Space) has today launched its in-depth Unlocking Unseen Talent: The Future of Work whitepaper, following extensive research and a high-level industry debate with leading HR professionals. The whitepaper explores the critical shift towards a blended workforce and the role of AI and workforce agility in shaping the future of employment.
Bringing together insights from industry leaders and working with the HR sector’s editors and reporters, the report highlights the increasing reliance on contingent talent, gig workers and AI to drive business adaptability, efficiency and innovation. With traditional employment models becoming less viable in today’s rapidly evolving economic landscape, the paper’s insight outlines the strategies HR and business leaders must adopt to build resilient, future-proof workforce ecosystems.
The launch follows an exclusive HR Leaders Debate Lunch, where prominent figures in talent strategy, HR and workforce management discussed the challenges and opportunities of a blended workforce. The discussion reaffirmed that businesses must move beyond rigid, permanent hiring structures and embrace new, flexible workforce strategies that integrate technology, data-driven insights and human expertise.
The Future of Work whitepaper outlines several key findings:
The Workforce is No Longer Binary – Businesses that blend full-time employees with contingent workers, gig talent and AI-powered solutions are better positioned to navigate volatility and access the best skills at the right time.
AI is an Enabler, Not a Replacement – The report debunks the myth that AI will replace human workers, instead highlighting its role in augmenting workforce capabilities, improving decision-making and increasing productivity.
Skills Over Roles – Organisations must shift from job-based structures to skills-based workforce planning, ensuring they can deploy the right talent dynamically to match business needs.
Workforce Compliance and Governance Are More Complex Than Ever – As businesses move towards a more flexible talent model, navigating global labour laws, IR35 regulations and AI ethics is essential to mitigate risks.
Speaking on the launch, Mark Inskip, CEO of Matrix, commented: “The world of work is undergoing a profound transformation. Traditional workforce structures are no longer fit for purpose in a world where agility and resilience define business success. Our whitepaper provides a roadmap for HR and business leaders to embrace workforce flexibility, AI-driven decision-making and innovative talent strategies. The insights from this whitepaper reaffirm that businesses must take bold steps today to stay ahead tomorrow.”
The full Future of Work whitepaper is now available for download at landing.teammatrix.com/download-unlocking-unseen-talent offering invaluable guidance for HR leaders, business executives and policymakers looking to adapt to the next era of work.
Stepping Hill Hospital, part of Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, has replaced its bedside units with state-of-the art devices running a full range of information, engagement, communications and productivity apps, to demonstrate the potential of digital technology in the NHS
Stepping Hill Hospital in Stockport has gone live with the first lighthouse deployment of SPARK TSL’s Fusion platform in the UK.
The hospital, which looks after a population of 350,000 people in Greater Manchester, has replaced its outdated Hospedia bedside units with modern SPARK Fusion Bedside Units running the state-of-the-art infotainment platform.
Peter Hughes
This will give patients access to a greater range of entertainment, information and communications services, while enabling staff to explore the potential of SPARK Fusion’s leading engagement and productivity apps.
Peter Hughes, chief technology officer at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust said: “The Hospedia entertainment solution has remained largely unchanged for the last 10 years and is very limited in what it provides to patients.
“Following consultation with SPARK TSL, it was a no-brainer for us to take advantage of the opportunity to replace all our Hospedia units with the latest, tablet-based devices, of SPARK Fusion. This has not only provided a wider array of entertainment options for patients, but is a medium through which we can deliver targeted information and leverage other digital capabilities, including translation services and meal ordering.
“With an eye on the near-term future and our electronic patient record programme, the ability to leverage devices at the bedside will absolutely improve the availability of the patient record – and potentially dispense with the need for laptops/PCs on trolleys and a wide array of tablets for staff to access various digital systems.”
SPARK TSL is a leading provider of WiFi to retail outlets, transport and conference venues, but it has developed a specialisation in healthcare since it started working with a large London trust in 2005.
In 2020, it became part of the Volaris Group, which acquired legacy bedside unit provider Hospedia the following year. And in 2024, it acquired Sentean Group, which developed the Fusion platform that is already proven in 40% of hospitals in the Netherlands.
SPARK Fusion keeps patients entertained by giving them access to a wide range of television, radio, and magazine content, phone calls and chat. It also supports a wide range of apps, thanks to its adoption of international integration and messaging standards.
The functionality already available includes translation, so patients can communicate effectively with their clinicians, modern nurse call, so patients can indicate their needs and the right person can acknowledge and meet them, and a food ordering app, so patients can choose meals that meet their dietary requirements.
Trusts and health boards can also use the platform to enable patients to complete the Friends and Family Test and other feedback forms, and to make sure patients have proactive information about their condition to promote recovery and reduce readmission rates.
Jane Stephenson
In the Netherlands, patients already use the platform to control aspects of their environment, such as room temperature and lighting, and staff can set door signs electronically: features that align with NHS England’s vision for the ‘digital hospital’ of the future.
SPARK TSL chief executive Jane Stephenson said: “We are passionate about improving patient experience by ensuring patients have access to the information and services they require, and we know what a difference it can make to provide support to the clinical teams delivering those services.
“That’s why we brought SPARK Fusion to the UK and why we’re so pleased to be live at Stepping Hill. The go-live for our first lighthouse project is a tremendous achievement and we are confident that it will be instrumental in helping us to achieve those aims, which I know we share with its dedicated team.”
SPARK Fusion integrates with EPRs using HL7 messaging, so apps can draw on demographic and clinical information in the EPR. It can be used by ambitious trusts to reach Level 7 on the HIMSS EMRAM maturity model: an internationally recognised marker of digital maturity.
At Stepping Hill, the platform will be installed on 500 new devices and bedside units, covering all of the traditional ward spaces in the 740-bed hospital. A second lighthouse trust, to further demonstrate the potential of SPARK’s digital technology, will be announced shortly.
Zhaga, the global lighting-industry consortium, proudly announces the launch of Zhaga Book 21, a new industry-standard specification designed to ensure full interoperability of LED modules in SELV applications. Building on the Zhaga Book 26 for non-SELV applications, which was launched in December 2024, Book 21 further strengthens Zhaga’s mission to promote sustainability, serviceability, and design flexibility in the lighting industry.
Zhaga Book 21 defines electro-mechanical, mechanical, electrical, thermal and photometrical interfaces for fully interoperable LED modules operating at SELV (<60V).
Key features of Zhaga Book 21 include:
Modules can be connected in parallel, with operating currents ranging from 175 to 1750 mA depending on the module length and category.
Different module lengths (1 to 5 ft) with recommended lumen packages
Defined LED board areas for mechanically secure mounting
Two alternative contact areas for electrical connections enabling seamless lighting applications and troffers or linear luminaires for trunking systems
Plug-and-play compatibility
Standardization for a Future-Proof Lighting Industry
Zhaga Books 21 and 26 provide a future-proof solution by enabling OEMs and maintenance personnel to replace and upgrade linear LED modules without compatibility concerns. The standardized interfaces ensure:
Reliable interchangeability of certified LED modules
A cost-effective solution for luminaire assembly, maintenance, and upgrades
Full flexibility in certified connector selection while maintaining interoperability
Seamless integration into different luminaire designs, enhancing product longevity
Driving Sustainability and Service-Based Business Models
As part of Zhaga’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, Books 21 and 26 play a crucial role in transforming the lighting industry toward circular economy principles. The interface standardization of LED modules encourages reusability and upgradability, reducing electronic waste and supporting service-based business models.
Zhaga Certification: Ensuring Compliance and Market Confidence
Certification of LED modules, connectors and luminaires under Zhaga Book 21 and 26 is conducted by independent test centers. Certified products are listed in the Zhaga public database and may display the Zhaga certification logo, ensuring confidence in interoperability.
Benefits of Zhaga certification include:
Interoperability assurance with next-generation LED modules
Trademark-protected certification logos to prevent misuse
Market advantages through a recognized and trusted certification system
Availability of certified components from multiple suppliers, reducing supply chain risks
A Unified Approach to LED Module Design
With the launch of Zhaga Book 21, the industry gains an essential framework for linear socketable LED modules for SELV applications, complementing Book 26, which covers non-SELV applications. Together, these standards provide manufacturers, designers, and facility managers with a cohesive approach to lighting system development and maintenance.
Zhaga Book 21 is now available for Zhaga Regular and Associate Members.
For more information on Zhaga Book 21 and its role in advancing circular economy and sustainable lighting solutions, read the presentation.
For more information on Zhaga Book 26, visit here.
SWSC is an internationally recognised high security printing and identity management solutions provider with a range of award-winning products including passports, identity cards, excise stamps, birth and education certificates. For government and public sector organisations our solutions help secure borders, protect citizens, prevent fraud, generate revenue and enable delivery of frictionless services to citizens. We are a Smurfit Westrock company and can leverage our parent company’s strong international presence and infrastructure.
Where do you operate?
Our head office is in Bray, County Wicklow, Ireland. We honed our skills and expertise on award winning projects including the Irish Passport and we provide
The Revenue Commissioners (Revenue), the Irish Government agency responsible for customs, excise, taxation and related matters, with tobacco excise stamps – a contract we have held for over 20 years. We now support organisations around the world with current clients in the UK, Europe, Africa, the Middle and Far East and South America.
Peter Thomas, MD, SWSC
What should governments and public sector organisations be aware of?
With the imposition of stricter security regulations and standards globally in recent years, the challenge to provide trustworthy security documents is greater now than ever before. As secure printing technology has improved, so too has the sophistication of the forger, meaning there is an ongoing need to find new ways to protect these documents. Fraud and related counterfeiting is increasingly commonplace often using identity documents such as birth and education certificates.
In addition, the whole world is changing, and every organisation is in the midst of digital transformation as international communities become more connected. Many of the products we supply are still paper based, but the increasing use of mobile digital wallets and online verification is slowly taking the place of physical documents, and we are at the heart of that evolution. Currently the world is straddling both the physical and the digital with different regions at different stages and we need solutions for both.
Why is SWSC a good fit for government and public sector?
We have worked with governments and public sector organisations for over 30 years supporting ambitious programmes of reform in this challenging and ever-changing sector. We understand the unique culture and business processes; the importance of social value; as well as the requirement for accountability and transparency.
Our solutions, which are designed to make the world a safer place, help to protect against criminal elements. We keep up to date with the latest fraud and counterfeit trends, designing products to combat future attacks and address the ever-improving technological techniques used by ‘bad actors’. Our in-depth understanding of data and brand protection is also integral to this. We are meeting today’s challenges head on, leaning on the foundations of our security printing traditions and driving a long-term future into digitised solutions and services.
Finally, tell us what is important to your business.
As a responsible organisation we are committed to strong ESG standards, as part of Smurfit Westrock’s ‘Purpose’ initiative to create, protect and care. This means doing the right thing for our people, communities and the environment, through products and processes that make a real difference for customers and across the entire value chain. Our people are at the heart of our operation and the company is passionate about their wellbeing, which is reflected in the high levels of staff retention resulting in a highly experienced and knowledgeable team enabling consistently high levels of service delivery.
Innovation in UK MedTech, and policy issues including regulation, integration, sustainability, and collaboration, will take centre stage at a new conference in May.
Hosted by trade associations AXREM and the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA), ‘The Future of MedTech – Innovating for Tomorrow’, will allow delegates to engage with speakers from the government, NICE, MHRA, and the NHS.
Held at the Mercure Northampton on 13 May 2025, conference organisers have now confirmed health tech specialist agency Highland Marketing as the headline sponsor.
Sally Edgington, chief executive officer, for AXREM, said: “The Future of MedTech conference is a new opportunity for innovators in the sector to engage in close dialogue on key issues at the centre of policy; matters that affect a sector that contributes so much to both the UK economy and health and care services.
“We are pleased to welcome Highland as the lead sponsor of this event, an organisation known for helping health tech companies to propel success stories of innovation, and to scale their success.”
Confirmed speakers include David Lawson, director of medical technology and innovation at the Department of Health and Social Care; Heidi Barnard, head of sustainability at NHS Supply Chain; and Huw Shurmer, AXREM chair.
“We are proud to partner with AXREM to bring together industry leaders and policymakers to explore advancements that will shape the future of medical technology. This is a must-attend event for anyone committed to improving patient outcomes and driving progress in healthcare,” said David Stockdale, chief executive officer, British Healthcare Trades Association.
Mark Venables, chief executive officer for Highland Marketing, also said: “The UK has a vibrant health tech sector, which Highland has been a leading champion for more than two decades. We are privileged to be invited to support The Future of MedTech conference, and we look forward to an engaging discussion on furthering innovation in this space.”
Organisations wishing to find out more about the conference, including details of how to attend, can register online.
FourNet’s digital channel map uncovers crucial demographic trends and analyses tech usage across every council area in England, Wales and Scotland
Alan Linter
The first ever Local Authority Digital Transformation Index (LADiT) has been unveiled today by customer experience and digital transformation specialists, FourNet, to assist councils – many of which are facing reorganisation, budget cuts or shared services – with future investment plans.
The LADiT Index analyses census information across every local authority area in England, Wales and Scotland and, combined with expert customer experience (CX) analysis from FourNet, charts a detailed course for councils embarking on future digital transformation journeys.
The Index reveals that the top three most digital-savvy populations in the UK, ranked as a percentage of the UK average, are City of London (133%), Tower Hamlets (126%) and Lambeth (122%). These council areas have the fewest elderly residents and the highest ratio of so-called “Digital Natives” – those who are comfortable using digital channels – including Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z.
Mapped with FourNet’s expert CX analysis, the Index shows that those three local authorities will need to keep ahead of the digital game when it comes to communicating with local residents – investing in the latest communications tech and considering newer social media platforms like TikTok to engage in future.
The LADiT Index plots the channels which residents are more likely to want to use in each council area – whether landline, mobile phone, chatbot, email or social media – and ranks them with a score for each demographic which will help councils plan for future generations.
At the other end of the Index sits North Norfolk, which has the least digital savvy population in the country (77.6%) with more residents from the Greatest Generation, Silent Generation and Baby Boomers than anywhere else in Britain – less likely to use TikTok, Snapchat, or want to engage with chatbots and more likely to use the postal service or in person appointments.
Alan Linter, FourNet’s Group Consulting Director of Customer Experience, said: “What we’ve designed is a go-to-map for every local authority which is considering next steps in their digital transformation journey. Crucially it comes at a time of council reorganisation, in England, for which many local authorities had to submit proposals to ministers last Friday (21st March).
“What our analysis reveals is the make-up of local populations with data which will be critical for councils to take into account when deciding how to invest in tech and designing their services for the future, particularly as some councils need to save money, while others are likely to become single tier authorities.
“There is a huge difference in the way the majority of people interact with council services from the top of our index to the bottom – and how they will do so in future, and councils ignore that data at their peril.”
Using the LADiT Index, 350 councils will be able to measure the “Digital Maturity” of the local population with the percentage of Digital Natives compared to the UK average – enabling better local and regional investment decisions to be taken.
The Greatest Generation and Silent Generation show a clear preference for more traditional communication methods like landline telephones, postal mail, and in-person visits.
Baby Boomers are transitioning into digital communication but still retain a strong preference for email and telephone.
Generation X is comfortable with both traditional and digital methods, with a significant presence on social media platforms like Facebook and LinkedIn.
Millennials and Generation Z are highly digital, with strong preferences for instant messaging apps, social media, and chatbots.
Gen Alpha, still very young, is growing up in a world dominated by AI and voice assistants, making them likely to rely heavily on these technologies as they mature.
UK councils are the backbone of local governance, managing £121.7 billion in budgets, supporting over 1.3m employees and providing services to nearly 60 million people.
Understanding the needs of citizens and optimising their customer journey when accessing local services is crucial to local authorities – and FourNet’s new LADiT Index provides key data for that purpose which will furnish digital transformation plans for the future. Contact FourNet for a copy of the LADiT Index – or it is available here
The recent cyberattacks on London councils have exposed a fundamental weakness in today’s cybersecurity strategies. Despite organisations investing heavily in perimeter defences such as firewalls, anti-phishing measures, and zero-trust policies, cybercriminals continue to breach these barriers. The reason? Traditional best practices focus on keeping attackers out, rather than protecting what truly matters; the data itself. Simon Pamplin, Chief Technology Officer atCertes, discusses.
Perimeter defences are no longer enough
Simon Pamplin
The stakes in cybersecurity have never been higher. Attackers no longer rely on brute-force break-ins; instead, they exploit stolen credentials to log in undetected. Studies show that over84% of breaches now involve credential theft, allowing cybercriminals to bypass traditional security measures entirely.
Meanwhile, the financial impact of these breaches is soaring. Ransomwaredemands have skyrocketed, with the average ransom payment now exceeding$2 million; a staggering increase from $400,000 just a year ago. But the costs extend far beyond ransom payments. Organisations face an average of $2.73 million in recovery costs, not to mention the reputational damage that follows, often leading to lost customers and diminished trust.
For public sector organisations, the fallout can be even more severe. Data breaches in government agencies and councils compromise sensitive personal data, eroding public confidence and triggering regulatory scrutiny. Despite these risks, many organisations still rely on outdated security models that focus solely on network protection. But when attackers are logging in rather than breaking in, traditional defences offer little protection.
The business impact: more than just financial losses
Cybersecurity is no longer just an IT issue; it’s a boardroom crisis. Regulatory bodies such as GDPR, DORA, and NIS2 impose hefty fines on organisations that fail to secure data adequately. For financial institutions, non-compliance with DORA alone can lead to penalties of up to 2% of global revenue.
Beyond financial losses, reputational damage can be devastating. Customers and clients expect their data to be handled securely, and a single breach can drive them away permanently. Operational downtime resulting from an attack can halt productivity, costing millions in lost revenue. Perhaps most concerning, executives now face personal liability for failing to protect sensitive data. CEOs and CISOs are increasingly being held accountable, meaning cybersecurity failures could have career-ending consequences.
The shift to data-centric security
If cybercriminals are after data, why is security still focused on protecting the perimeter? It’s time for organisations to shift their mindset and prioritise a data-centric security approach. The fundamental principle of this approach is simple: assume breaches will happen and ensure that, if they do, the stolen data is worthless to attackers.
This is where solutions like Data Protection and Risk Mitigation (DPRM) become essential. By encrypting, tokenising, or otherwise devaluing sensitive data, organisations can render stolen information unreadable and unusable. Even if attackers successfully infiltrate a network, they won’t be able to exploit the data they access.
Equally important is protecting backups. Many organisations fall into the trap of securing live data but neglecting backup systems. Cybercriminals often target backups in ransomware attacks, leaving businesses with no choice but to pay up. A robust backup protection strategy, incorporating immutable backups and air-gapped storage, is vital in mitigating ransomware risks.
The ultimate defence: a multi-layered approach
Creating an impenetrable defence may seem like a pipe dream, but a multi-layered security model that neutralises threats before they cause harm is achievable. A comprehensive approach should include:
● Proactive security measures: Implementing encryption, tokenisation, and access controls to devalue data.
● Regulatory compliance: Adhering to frameworks like GDPR and DORA to mitigate legal and financial risks.
● Rapid recovery capabilities: Ensuring businesses can resume operations quickly after an attack, minimising downtime and financial losses.
● Advanced threat detection: Using AI-driven analytics to identify and stop threats before they escalate.
By integrating these elements into a unified security strategy, organisations can not only defend against cyber threats but also maintain business continuity and protect their reputations.
The future of cybersecurity: act now or pay later
Ransomware and data breaches are not just technical threats; they represent financial, operational, and reputational crises. The reality is clear: perimeter defences alone are failing, and organisations must act now to protect what truly matters.
Building higher walls will not stop attackers. Instead, businesses and public sector organisations must invest in making the data itself untouchable. By shifting to a data-centric security approach, implementing robust encryption, and ensuring resilience through protected backups, organisations can render cyberattacks ineffective.
Cybersecurity is no longer about preventing breaches altogether—it’s about making stolen data useless. Until organisations embrace this mindset, breaches will remain inevitable. The time to rethink security is now.
Digitised clinical noting at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is creating efficiencies for busy doctors and nurses. The trust’s CCIO Dr Andrew Adair, deputy CCIO Dr John Greenaway, and digital business change manager Niki Idle explain the impact so far and why this crucial component of digital transformation, delivered in partnership with Alcidion, lays the foundations for AI and smart technology.
Individual doctors saving an hour each day on admin. Nurses halving the time spent on handover preparation. And informed staff leveraging key information, whilst eliminating paper. This describes just some of the immediate impact witnessed on the shift from paper records to digital noting at South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: results that are enduring as digitisation continues to progress.
Dr Andrew Adair
“The general ward state is undoubtedly more efficient and safer because we now have availability of standardised, legible, and complete notes,” says Dr Andrew Adair, an emergency department consultant and the chief clinical information officer for the trust. “We have links into regional systems, all accessible through one window. Our healthcare teams are not having to leave the electronic patient record to look at x-rays, radiology reports, endoscopy, outpatient letters, or to look at other hospital attendances on the Great North Care Record.”
His comments reflect benefits being realised following a South Tees Hospitals decision to deploy Alcidion’s Miya Precision platform as a trust-wide electronic patient record.
Patient flow, e-observations and assessments, electronic prescribing and medicines administration, and clinical messaging were some of the first priority areas to be digitised in the EPR programme, with significant positive implications for patient care.
But the digitisation of clinical noting that Adair describes has become one of the most significant achievements in the programme to date.
“It’s that visibility right across the system of information for the people who need it, when they need it,” says Niki Idle, digital business change manager.
The trust has so far prevented the creation of 1.8 million paper documents as a result of digitised clinical noting. “That’s 1.8 million documents through the system so far, including 102,000 discharge letters that can automatically be sent to GPs electronically,” says Idle. “We are not building up notes that require physical storage. And other than for business continuity purposes, specialist notebooks that were used to capture notes are not being printed.”
‘I can’t believe we have never had this before’
South Tees Hospitals has worked with Alcidion to effectively reinvent noting at the trust. Intuitive technology has helped with clinical buy-in
“Compared to other digital systems I’ve used, it just looks nice. It has been laid out with clinical teams in mind. It seems like a little thing, but this is important as your first impression of the system as a clinician,” says Adair. He describes Miya Noting, a component of the EPR platform.
Deeper under the hood, nurses and clinicians at the trust have fed back positively on a system built, configured, and deployed around their needs.
“All grades of medical staff, the nursing body, and allied healthcare professionals have all been really receptive of it,” says Dr John Greenaway, a consultant gastroenterologist and the trust’s deputy CCIO.
He recalls that in other trusts clinicians had left their positions at the thought of an EPR deployment. At South Tees Hospitals one clinician who was approaching retirement had voiced similar reservations.
“As we went live, she realised that there wasn’t much she was going to have to do, she saw the advantages of it, and there were big smiles over the next few days,” says Greenaway. “‘I’m not going to retire”, she told us.”
Another nurse, initially fearful about being able to cope with new technology, changed her mind by the end of her first shift. “I can’t believe how we’ve not had this before,” she said.
Now deployed across nearly all of the trust, and with plans to soon deploy to a remaining four areas out of 38 wards, clinical noting has had widespread engagement – with further configuration ongoing to respond to the evolving needs and requests of specialty noting. In the early stages of deployment, Idle recalls how clinical educators who were there to support staff, were told they could leave early because wards intuitively understood the system.
“We’ve been fairly swept away by how people have taken to this”, adds Greenaway. “We’ve not really had the ‘hard time’ often faced in large healthcare IT deployments. That’s partly a testament to the system and partly because clinicians do not find it too painful to input the electronic information that will be so beneficial further down the line.”
Collaboration to reinvent noting
A collaborative approach between the trust and specialists at Alcidion in designing how data is captured, has helped.
The design process delivered alongside frontline clinicians has meant that the noting has been configured around user needs from day one. Comments from staff that the system “lightens the workload”, that it has “made life a lot easier” and has released “far more time to care”, have resulted.
“It feels like you are in it with your mates,” says Greenaway. “We have a common goal, working through things together.”
The intention is that around 70% of the data required on many forms could eventually be auto-populated, either from existing parts of the patient record such as demographics, or pulled through from notes captured at earlier points of the patient’s hospital encounter.
For example, ‘pull through’ of comorbidities data is not only expected to save time, but aide in clinical decisions, and in accurate coding for financial purposes, says Idle: “Every time the patient is admitted, the system will present the clinician with a list of comorbidities, asking ‘are these still all valid and present?’ It’s prompting the clinician with information that already exists.”
“We are taking the brain power out of remembering what to do and where. We get to concentrate on important patient care decisions,” adds Greenaway.
The system has been configured to create efficiencies beyond the point of care too, for example supporting data requirements for national clinical audits. This is expected to prevent the need for clinicians to manually search for information for mandatory audits, so that they can then spend more time on quality improvement.
“We can just pull that data out of the system,” says Idle. “We’ve designed forms to ensure we collect as much pertinent information as possible, rather than somebody sifting through notes to then type into another computer system. This is freeing up time to ensure audits are complete and to address concerns raised in audit data.”
The availability of data for reporting is also supporting patient safety. “Within 14 hours of an emergency admission patients should have a senior clinical review,” Idle explains. “We’ve never been able to quantify that before without searching manually through paper notes. Now we can, just as we can examine where VTE assessments have been completed. We can now pull that data, see where it’s happening, where it isn’t, and then follow up with education.”
AI: The near future
Despite positive results, Greenaway insists more is to come and soon. “I don’t think we are anywhere near realising the benefits of the Alcidion system,” he says.
AI and other smart technologies are expected in the “near future”. “I don’t think this will be long,” says Greenaway. He refers to demonstrations already made to the trust, where a clinician can dictate a summary into a microphone for AI to then populate a form, or a plan, for clinicians to approve. And he describes “ambient listening”, where AI tools can listen to consultations in the background to generate notes.
Initially the trust intends to structure options to allow staff to ask AI to generate a handover document, or a discharge letter, or to pull through certain information from multiple encounters.
Adair concludes: “What we have now is already undoubtedly so much better. Now we are planning to introduce robotic process automation to be able to bring in additional data from our comorbidities system. And we are working to integrate more data from pathology. Not having to go into a separate system for that information – for our clinicians, that’s massive.”
As part of its ongoing commitment to workplace inclusion, Matrix Workforce Management Solutions has been supporting neurodivergent job seekers through a series of workshops with Learning Disability Network London and Resources for Autism. These initiatives aim to equip individuals with the tools and confidence to secure meaningful employment while also guiding employers on creating accessible workplaces.
Neurodiversity Week 2025 (17th – 23rd March) provides an opportunity to spotlight this vital work, reinforcing Matrix’s mission of ‘Connecting People to Work.’ Beyond its external efforts, Matrix is also strengthening its internal commitment to inclusion with an Autism Awareness training session for employees on Thursday, 20th March, building on the success of last year’s programme.
In addition, engagement with Capital City College Group, Matrix also contributed to two webinars during SEND Celebration Week (also known as Neurodiversity Celebration Week), a global initiative that challenges stereotypes about neurological differences and promotes more inclusive cultures. These webinars covered ‘What are reasonable adjustments and how to ask for them’ and ‘How to prepare for successful progression after college’. Matrix has worked with Capital City College Group for several years, particularly supporting SEN learners at the college’s Centre for Lifelong Learning in Finsbury Park.
Jodie Champaneria, senior social value officer at Matrix, commented: “At Matrix, we believe that employment opportunities should be accessible to all. Our partnerships, workshops and training sessions help both job seekers and businesses create environments where neurodivergent individuals can thrive. I’m proud that our Autism Awareness training and wider initiatives continue to drive real impact and it’s really encouraging to see the engagement and impact of inclusivity initiatives across our business and client’s communities.”
As part of its broader social value strategy, Matrix is also working closely with suppliers to promote inclusive hiring practices. The company recently launched an ‘Inclusive Ideas’ series, providing hiring managers with practical guidance on supporting disabled candidates.
Neurodiversity Week serves as an important reminder of the need for more inclusive workplaces. Matrix remains dedicated to championing workplace accessibility, ensuring that neurodivergent individuals not only find employment but also succeed in their careers.
A need to control costs while delivering demanding sustainability improvements is changing thinking about water attenuation.
The conventional approach, to install large tanks to hold water captured in gullies and slot drains, is proving, in many instances, to be no longer fit for purpose.
Climate change, causing more volatile weather, the subsequent need to reduce carbon emissions, a need to redevelop live and brownfield sites with complex ground conditions, and a strong imperative to control costs are stacked against tank systems that have held sway for decades.
Most optimised attenuation
It is why Manchester Airports Group (MAG), the UK’s largest airport group, selected a different approach to attenuation when it upgraded one of its main staff car parks.
Forma has been designed to streamline attenuation. It does it by keeping drainage shallow, creating a hugely flexible and scalable way to manage stormwater at source, without large tanks.
It is the most comprehensive and optimised subbase attenuation system on the market, and is simpler, quicker, less costly and safer to install.
Forma is also much more sustainable, with a carbon footprint a fraction of the size of traditional tank-based attenuation systems.
Forma ‘ticked all boxes’
MAG’s project perfectly demonstrates the advantage of shallow drainage. It needed to resurface and upgrade one of its largest park-and-ride staff car parks at Manchester Airport.
The project was designed by AECOM, the main contractor was Allied Infrastructure Management, part of Colas, and the attenuation installation contractor was SEL Environmental.
MAG had found the existing drainage and tank attenuation system was not holding water consistently.
Replacing it like-for-like would have represented a big proportion of the cost, time and risk associated with the project. So MAG was open to new ideas.
When we presented Forma, it recognised an ideal solution.
Daniel Wilmer, Capital Delivery Project Manager at MAG, said: “My brief was to come up with a solution. We’re all about innovation and sustainability and Forma ticked those boxes.
“I would like to use it across other sites. They’ve taken a lot of stress away and have been really reassuring in terms of what we require.”
Void space to hold water
Central to the Forma solution for MAG’s car park is a product called Formavoid. It’s a modular system made from recycled plastic, here in the UK, designed with extremely strong columns and arches.
Quickly clipped together, fill material can be poured on top of the Formavoid raft, while 60% open ‘void’ space remains below for source control water storage and management.
The interlocked Formavoid modules – just 100mm deep – are positioned on top of a very strong, wedge-welded puncture-resistant geotextile membrane, called Formatextile.
The in situ car park surface and drainage system was removed with a 450mm-deep excavation. The Formavoid enhanced subbase attenuation system was installed across an area of 8,500m².
The system was designed to manage around 1,000 cubic metres of water. It was also more than capable of withstanding loads created by thousands of car movements and bus journeys every day.
Innovative water system
The Forma system was installed in five months by just six operatives in the second half of 2024.
Formavoid modules were integrated with 160mm-diameter plastic transport pipes. Just 100 metres of pipework were needed to collect water from across the carpark and take it to an outfall point.
A key innovation for this project was the use of checkdams within the subbase. This maximised the system’s attenuation volume across sloping ground.
The surfacing was completed with permeable asphalt in the parking areas and impermeable asphalt on the vehicle circulation route.
Right solution ‘critical’ – MAG
The Forma solution is already performing very well. It has exceeded expectations in terms of structural stability, achieving in excess of 80% CBR (a standard aggregate strength test) on top of the subbase.
This is very extremely impressive for a permeable open-graded subbase system, with much of the stability created by the Formavoid raft.
The system is design to attenuate a 1 in 100 year storm with an additional safety factor of 40% for future climate change.
Importantly, the Formavoid subbase is the ideal environment to intercept, contain and biodegrade hydrocarbons, as proven by many studies on pervious pavements.
So pollutants are removed from surface water before it is discharged into the stream, eliminating the need for expensive interceptor tanks.
Olivia Hughes, Senior Project Manager at MAG, pointed out: “Due to the staff car park being adjacent to a site of special scientific interest, it was critical that we did the right thing.
“The Forma system has been beneficial to MAG because it allowed us to only excavate to a shallow depth. It’s also a carbon zero product so we are reducing our emissions.”
Attenuation system of choice
The modular design of Forma will allow MAG to continue to implement the system in phases. For example, the rest of the car park could be upgraded in 2,000m² sections.
This aligns the solution with capital availability allows maximum flexibility to keep car parks operational. Forma is a progressive solution. Every square meter installed is a progressive improvement.
The project has also delivered many other advantages for MAG:
The solution streamlined and simplified all elements of a large attenuation installation project.
Much less material was excavated and moved, which saved significant costs.
It also dramatically collapsed the project’s carbon footprint.
Fewer truck movements meant less air pollution and improved road safety.
The construction method was safer, as well, with no confined space entry.
The project was completed much faster than a traditional tank-based solution.
In limited scenarios, installing large tanks will remain the only water attenuation option available.
However, shallow attenuation, as demonstrated by Formavoid at Manchester Airport, is ready for take-off. And will be the attenuation system of choice. For a lot of very good reasons.
Giving SuDS compliance a sporting chance
The Forma system is not just changing minds about water attenuation in the world of airport management or car park design.
It can be applied to many other water management challenges. For example, a Formavoid raft has been installed below the playing surface in a new stadium belonging to one of the UK’s most prestigious sports clubs.
Forma, based in Blackpool, Lancashire, is working with partners to widen its use to create the perfect drainage systems for the most high-profile sporting arenas across the world.
Storing water for reuse
Forma Director Jack Shuttleworth said: “The technology is ideal for controlling conditions needed to optimise grass growth and health, as well as installing modern hybrid playing surfaces that combine grass and other materials.
“Forma attenuation systems can also be combined with a wide range of permeable and non-permeable surfaces in public spaces, like school playgrounds and play areas, sports centres, parks, and city squares.”
What is more, the water can be stored and reused, for sports pitch, lawn, or plant bedding irrigation, or for use in public toilets.
Shallow attenuation represents an ideal response to Schedule 3 of the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.
This now requires developments to be authorised by local Sustainable Drainage System Approval Bodies (SABs) before they are granted planning permission.
The four main pillars of SuDS are:
Quantity – the system must manage the expected volumes of water
Quality – water must be fit to discharge
Amenity – rainwater must, where possible, be usable
Biodiversity – water should be used to support biodiversity
Jack Shuttleworth said: “Shallow attenuation adds a fifth pillar: true sustainability. It’s less costly, less disruptive, and is easier and safer to install, with a smaller carbon footprint than tank systems.”
Find out more
Forma has CPD programme to explain shallow attenuation to ground engineering and design consultancies, architects, and government planning teams.
Green Book: if you’re a film buff, it represents the Oscar winning screenplay by Pete Farrelly. For medical folk, it provides the latest information on vaccines. But for us economic development professionals, the Green Book often means only one thing…how do I get my project approved?
When I was a young cub starting my career in Whitehall back in the 1990s, and Joseph Lowe was still roaming the corridors of Treasury, I was given a forest of paper documents to devour. One of the tomes was a gleaming, bound(!) copy of the Green Book (to the unversed, yes, it’s actually green, dark green to be precise). Though the years have inevitably meant less paper copies are in circulation, and thankfully less woodland is destroyed, it’s importance in the public sphere has only soared. Since time immemorial, a project sponsor’s heart will skip a beat with those dreaded words “is this proposal Green Book-compliant?”
Back to the present day, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer has initiated a review of the Green Book. To use Rachel Reeves exact words “(we) will review the Green Book in order to support decisions on public investment across the country, including outside London and the Southeast.” Though the Chancellor hasn’t released formal terms of reference for the review, the statement “including outside London and the Southeast” is rather telling. Certainly, that’s the message being broadcast to the northern heartlands, with organs like the Yorkshire Post proclaiming that “(changing) Treasury rules around infrastructure project spending could unlock billions of pounds of investment for the North.”
Thumbing through my dusty files, I managed to locate the Treasury slides outlining the scope for the 2020 Green Book review. It was noted at the time that any re-assessment should, to quote directly “(address the alleged) systematic bias towards London and the Southeast” plus, and rather emotively, the “tyranny of BCRs” (Benefit Cost Ratios). Sound familiar?
So, what’s at the heart of the issue?
To answer this question, we need to ask another one, this time rhetorical. Surely one of the accepted roles of the state is redistribution and, by association, regeneration? As economic development specialists, we know the market alone will not bring forward some of the more challenging corners of the country. It would be naive to suggest a private sector developer looks at, say, Burnley in the same way as, perhaps, Sevenoaks. We know that depressed values and challenging viability mean developers often need the public sector to take a supporting role to break the stalemate.
The crux of the argument is, disappointingly, rather techy. So, grab a strong coffee and buckle-up. Over the years, an appraisal technique emanating from our transport cousins and their sacred TAG guidance has migrated across to economic development. What is this technique I hear you cry? Land value uplift, of course! The practice used by DfT analysts to capture the uptick in values due to road improvements, is now the principal economic benefit used to justify a property-based renewal project, be it in Burnley or anywhere else.
The gripe from Metro Mayors and others is that land values – especially housing ones – are significantly higher in the south of the country, than, say, in the north. This means a Green Book orthodoxy which relies exclusively on “LVU” will always have a natural bent towards Sevenoaks rather than Burnley. To give you a flavour of the difference in residential values, using MHCLG’s own ‘Land value estimates for policy appraisal’ it recommends for Burnley using £370,000 per hectare. Whilst for Sevenoaks, the same indicator stands at an eyewatering £8,300,000 per hectare. Those good at mental arithmetic will know that’s a factor of 22:1. This means by appraising exclusively LVU, any Green Book exercise looking to choose between funding the same housing scheme in these two areas, the Sevenoaks of the country will always ‘score’ higher as the land values are in a different stratosphere.
If this wasn’t enough, critics turn to the other side of the benefit cost equation, namely the public cost denominator. It’s not a great intellectual leap to suggest that areas with low values and tough viability will naturally need a bigger injection of grant to get them over the line. Add to this, the legacy of de-industrialisation that blights swaths of Northern England, it’s not hard to see why the likes of Steve Rotherham (Metro Mayor for Liverpool) have been pushing for a rethink in Whitehall.
Does this tell the whole story?
Your red-blooded economist will tell you that values/prices send out vital signals in an economy, and the land market is no different. The Southeast needs more housing because this is where the demand is, which is duly manifested in the higher prices. Why use scarce public resources building homes where people don’t want to live, as the mantra goes. Counter to this argument is, of course, one of renewal and equity, as played out a moment ago. In fact, there are already Green Book techniques that appraisers can use to capture and monetise “externalities”. Have another swig of coffee, we’re approaching the summit.
Treasury – and MHCLG – boffins would argue that a good Green Book business case would study the direct benefit of new development, as captured by the usual LVU calculus. But these same experts also recognise that regeneration can often lead to a broad range of further external impacts i.e. externalities. For example, new housing or employment floorspace, public realm improvements and facilities that benefit existing communities (as well as new residents). These will not be fully captured through a simple LVU assessment.
The Green Book makes it clear that the appraisal of social value should consider not just economic market efficiency but overall social welfare efficiency (hang in there, one final push). This is echoed in MHCLG’s appraisal guidance (we’ll discuss that guide another day!) which highlights the need to capture all the benefits and costs of an intervention. This includes all externalities in the form of placemaking and regeneration, health, education, transport, environment, plus culture and amenity impacts.
The challenge facing appraisers, is that these externalities can often be difficult to quantify and monetise. Therefore, this can mean that metrics commonly used to assess a project’s value for money, such as (tyrannical?) BCRs do not reflect the real impact on society.
What does this all mean for the Green Book review?
Getting out my crystal ball, firstly, I think LVU is here to stay. Though much-maligned in some political quarters, I don’t suddenly expect Treasury to re-write economic theory. Whisper it quietly, but LVU logic is widely accepted by many government economists.
What I do expect is a renewed focus on the externalities I referenced above, tapering the blunt tool that LVU can be. The Homes England economics team is already leading this debate, with its series on Measuring Social Value. It would be remiss of me not to mention that AMION helped prepare the first paper in this series: Placemaking impacts of housing-led regeneration (though I’m informed alternative competitors are also available).
Finally, a dog that rarely barks is the explicit use of distribution coefficients within appraisals. Buried in Annex 3 of the Green Book is advice on the use of Distributional Appraisal. Though governments of all colours tend to dodge the language of (re-)distribution, I’m afraid it’s written on the tin. I wouldn’t be surprised if the review gave a further nod in this direction.
On release, Pete Farrelly’s Green Book movie was greeted by universal acclaim and ultimately received many awards and nominations. Will Rachel Reeves be accorded the same treatment?
Simon Dancer is a Board Member of the Institute of Economic Development, and a Director at AMION Consulting.
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