r2c, a leading provider of connected fleet and workshop management solutions, has launched a new Incident Management feature, designed to help HGV fleets digitise and streamline the way they capture, track and resolve incidents.
Available now as part of the r2c connected platform, Incident Management helps to revolutionise incident reporting, resolution, and compliance for the transport industry, allowing operators to take control of incidents, near-misses, and vehicle damage from the moment they happen.
Ash Connell
Whether it’s a minor scrape or a major accident, the Incident Management feature ensures nothing slips through the cracks by digitising every step of the process.
By replacing outdated, administration-heavy paper-based processes with structured digital workflows, the system ensures faster resolutions, improved communication, and boosts compliance standards and operational transparency – all backed by a complete audit trail and real-time visibility.
“When an incident happens, things often move very fast. Many different factors come into play, from reaction, rescue and repair to issues such as operational vulnerability, compliance and risk management,” said Ash Connell, r2c Commercial Director.
“Our new Incident Management feature ensures these disparate strands are tied together so nothing gets missed, and everything happens when it should.”
Users are able to complete immediate, structured incident logging so incidents can be reported when they occur, or retrospectively, with key details added for accuracy and compliance.
Comprehensive tracking means that within each incident fleets can manage a range of scenarios, from VOR to warranty claims across multiple assets.
It also uses integrated communication tools, which can be set up to send action requests to repairers, incident managers, and stakeholders. This keeps all parties connected and informed throughout the lifecycle of the incident, from initial report through investigation, resolution, and close-out, including vehicles, scenarios, contacts, repairers, and job sheets.
As well as being integral to the management of specific incidents, data-driven Insights are also available, using built-in analytics which highlight trends, identify high-risk areas, and uncover root causes, enabling preventative measures to improve fleet safety performance.
“With this launch, we’re giving fleets the tools to act faster and work smarter when an incident occurs, while also making strategic decisions that improve both safety and efficiency,” said Connell.
“Our Incident Management module doesn’t just track what’s happened – it can help prevent it from happening again.”
This year’s Healthcare Excellence Through Technology at London ExCeL is the first opportunity for health and social care to discuss the 10 Year Plan. From the agenda to all new features like the Roundtable Zone and AI Spotlight, the show on 7-8 October has been set-up to make the most of that opportunity.
The government published its 10 Year Plan for England as the NHS prepared to mark its 77th anniversary at the start of July.
As predicted, the plan called for reform through three shifts: from hospital to community, treatment to prevention, and analogue to digital. The plan promised better IT infrastructure, a single patient record, a massively expanded NHS App, and a huge role for AI.
But there is no delivery chapter yet, and no alignment with the funding coming out of the Treasury’s spending review. So, the health and care ecosystem and its suppliers are still waiting for much of the crucial detail on how its vision will be put into practice.
Right time, right now
Some of that detail may be revealed at this year’s Healthcare Excellence Through Technology, which takes place at ExCeL London from 7-8 October.
“HETT Show 2025 is the first significant opportunity that the health tech community will have had to discuss the 10 Year Health Plan, and the agenda has been planned to inform that debate,” says Rikki Bhachu, head of marketing at organiser GovNet.
“We have also created a host of new features on the show floor to encourage free thinking, support collaboration, and introduce the NHS to suppliers with the innovation it needs, with a spotlight on the potentially transformative impact of AI.”
Powerful keynotes
This year, the HETT agenda will be delivered across five theatres, focusing on: digital maturity; infrastructure, data and cyber security; digitally empowered experience; integrated care; and workforce, adoption and productivity.
The focus on the 10 Year Health Plan will start on day one with a keynote address from NHS England. On day two, Avi Mehra from IBM, the co-chair of the HETT Steering Committee, will lead a high-powered panel.
Speakers from NICE, The Health Foundation, and RAND Europe will discuss how to navigate the new normal, and how the system will adapt and change in response to the plan. Sonia Patel, chief technology officer at NHS England, will also be taking part in a fireside chat that will explore the shift from analogue to digital in more detail.
Inspiring real-life examples
Other sessions across the show will discuss the good work trusts are already doing, the impact of initiatives that pre-date the plan but will support its delivery, and the potential of some of its specific IT initiatives.
Kevin Percival from Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, will talk about the impact that digitally transformed pathways are having on its teams and patients on a panel with Vital Hub.
William Monaghan, from University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, and Becky Taylor, from the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire NHS Group, will discuss the different approaches their organisations are taking to adopting the Federated Data Platform.
While Rachel Dunscombe, the co-chair and chief industry advisor for openEHR, will lead a panel on the potential of the single patient record. Speakers from Quantexa, the Artificial Intelligence Centre for Value Based Healthcare, Imperial College Health Partners, and The Kings Fund, will discuss how it could drive safer, smarter and more connected care.
A rare chance to hear from a decorated Olympian
It’s not just the technicalities of policy, technology, or even funding that will be key to the 10 Year Health Plan’s delivery. Leadership, teamwork, and creating the conditions that enable success will also be essential.
In recognition of this, HETT has created a special opportunity for attendees to hear from Dame Laura Kenny, a multi-Olympic and Worlds medallist, and Britain’s most successful female Olympian.
In a fireside chat on day two, she will reflect on how she rose to the top of her sport, her experience of the NHS, and the importance of exercise in building health and resilience. HETT VIPs will also have the opportunity to meet Dame Laura in person.
Navigating the innovation on offer
HETT has created an opportunity for influential health tech leaders to apply to be a HETT VIP. This unlocks access to dedicated content streams, the opportunity to contribute content, and the chance to meet a community of like-minded peers.
It’s just one of a number of options to get more out of the event. Visitors will also be able to join a new digital estates trail that will guide them across the show floor and connect them with leading suppliers and solution providers.
Attendees can drop into the Start-up Hub, to meet young and innovative companies. They will also be able to dip into a live podcast recording with the Ministry of Health Tech, a fast-growing network of future leaders that explores the trends shaping the industry.
Conversations, critical
For the second year running, HETT will open with a pre-show drinks reception and Rockaoke singalong at The Fox on 6th October from 7:30pm, to raise money for The Brain Tumour Charity.
On the day of the show itself, there will be plenty of spaces to stop, power devices, recharge, and network over the two days of the event. Whether people meet at The Rest Stop Lounge, the Roundtable Area, or the Networking Lounge, there’s likely to be one, key topic of conversation; the 10 Year Health Plan.
Rikki Bhachu says: “We know that the plan has set out some clear ambitions for its three shifts. At HETT, these ambitions aren’t just talking points, they’re at the centre of everything we do.
“From our agenda and speaker sessions to show features and exhibitor spotlights, everything is designed to support real-world delivery. If you’re leading service redesign, driving local prevention, or scaling digital innovation, this is an event you can’t afford to miss.”
By Emma Swann, partner and education law specialist at Forbes Solicitors
Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Tribunals are a hot topic for schools and local authorities, with rules being enforced for presenting evidence at hearings. Emma Swann, a partner specialising in education law at Forbes Solicitors, provides a run-down of what schools need to know to avoid potential penalties.
Spotlight on SEND support
There’s a lot of interest and anticipation surrounding the provision of SEND education. Government is due to publish a whitepaper in the Autumn, outlining SEND reforms and there are calls for this to include the abolishment of SEND Tribunals.
Reports suggest there was a 55% rise in SEND Tribunal appeals during 2023-2024 (SENDIST 2024 statistics), while The Law Society Gazette reports 96% of such cases are lost by local authorities. It’s estimated this is costing tens and hundreds of millions of pounds – funds which could be redirected to delivering SEND support – and that interventions are required to address an unsustainable issue.
Emma Swann
We’ll have to wait for publication of the government’s whitepaper to see if SEND Tribunals are abolished, but this seems unlikely. During the summer, The Department for Education (DfE) indicated that forthcoming reforms do not include any such plans. Where we do have more certainty, and a point that schools should take heed of, is guidance for improving the presentation of evidence at SEND Tribunal hearings.
Focus on evidence bundles
A new Practice Direction (No. 1 of 2025) has been issued by the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary for evidence bundles at SEND Tribunal hearings. This was reportedly introduced because of an increase in irrelevant information being submitted. Judge Meleri Tudur referenced that page limits have existed for a number of years, which determine the total number of pages that can be put forward. These limits will now be enforceable, and non-compliance could see schools face penalties.
What are evidence bundles?
An evidence bundle is a collation of documents which comprise the written evidence to be considered by the SEND Tribunal. Bundles are prepared by a school and / or local authority (with support from their legal team) and must be submitted by the relevant deadlines in each case. Any information that is not included in the bundle, and which does not meet deadlines, will not be considered by the Tribunal.
A best-practice bundle should clearly and easily allow the Tribunal and all associated parties to navigate through the history of the claim. This may include documents relating to the position and claims of the relevant parties involved, Tribunal orders, any requests made by the different parties and attendance forms. Bundles should be separated into clearly defined and labelled sections, with an index hyperlinking to each relevant document.
It’s also generally considered good practice for evidence bundles to be succinct. Page limits should not be viewed as targets or a benchmark. The new Practice Direction has been introduced to encourage greater consideration about what information is included, to make bundles more effective and user-friendly for all parties.
What do schools need to know about the Practice Direction?
Tribunal Practice Directions are typically issued to provide formal instruction and guidance. In this instance, this refers to detailed rules about how schools present evidence to a SEND Tribunal.
The rules stipulate that the core part of an evidence bundle must not exceed 100 pages, while supplementary evidence must be limited to 200 pages. It’s reported that bundles have contained blank forms or pages and duplicates of the same documents. The Practice Direction has been issued to remind schools that this isn’t allowed.
Bundles must, where possible, enable ‘optical character recognition’, which makes pictures word-searchable. There are also specific rules for fonts, the format of a bundle and orientation – evidence must be arranged, so that documents can be viewed without having to be rotated. There are requirements to organise bundles in a chronological order, and schools must ensure an accurate, hyperlinked index reflects this and supports straightforward, easy navigation of the information.
As well as reiterating what should be included in an evidence bundle, the Practice Direction also outlines what should not be included. For example, any correspondence and email threads between associated parties are prohibited, unless this information is relevant to an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP). Any professional reports and school reports more than three years old and draft versions of an EHCPs must also be omitted from evidence bundles.
What are the penalties for non-compliant evidence bundles?
The Practice Direction references that non-compliant bundles may be rejected by a Tribunal, unless there is an accompanying note explaining why non-compliance is necessary. Non-compliance may also cause a Tribunal to vacate a hearing date at short notice, strike out the case in its entirety or prevent a party from participating further. In certain limited circumstances, a costs order may also be made against a party presenting an evidence bundle that does not meet SEND Tribunal rules.
Any failure to meet Tribunal deadlines to produce the evidence bundle could mean that a school or local authority is automatically barred from further participation in the proceedings and may lead to the school or local authority’s response to the appeal being
struck out. The Tribunal may choose to reinstate the proceedings, but this would be at the discretion of a Judge.
The issuing of the Practice Direction implies that the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary service will place SEND Tribunal evidence packages under greater scrutiny. Schools are best placed allowing plenty of time to compile evidence bundles, using Tribunal rules as a check list for preparing evidence and working with specialist advisors to ensure information presented at hearings is robust, relevant and compliant.
For further information about preparing for SEND Tribunals, contact Emma Swann at Forbes Solicitors.
By Nicola Casburn, Solutions Consultant, Brightly Software
When it comes to managing their bridges, UK councils are facing an increasing number of challenges. This article explores how digital tools, such as Confirm from Brightly Software, a Siemens Company, can empower them to make data-driven decisions, carry out proactive maintenance, and centralise the oversight of their entire network of assets.
Bridges are a key part of the UK’s highways and transportation system, which facilitate the connectivity and the transit of communities while keeping them safe. Currently, it is becoming increasingly difficult for UK councils to manage their bridges to the best of their ability – because they’re working with shrinking budgets and resources. For many local councils, this isn’t just the case for the management of bridges, it’s also the case for the management of their entire asset networks.
Adding to the issue: there is a current skills shortage of highly trained engineers that are required to maintain the complexities of bridges and structures. This skills gap is being plugged with contractors – many of whom use their own systems to record the findings of inspections, leading to siloed data across diverse systems.
Samuel Beckett Bridge
Other challenges faced by UK Councils managing bridges include: ageing infrastructure, as many bridges were constructed decades ago and require ongoing monitoring to maintain their strength and safety structurally; budget constraints, as limited funding requires prioritisation for the maintenance of tasks, which can lead to deferred repairs and increased costs in the long run; the impact of climate change, as flooding, extreme temperatures and erosion pose growing threats to bridges’ stability; and a lack of a centralised data, which makes long-term planning difficult.
Leverage technology for smarter asset management
By using digital tools, such as those from Brightly Software, a Siemens Company, UK councils can rely on data-driven decisions to help them prioritise critical works, mitigate risks, carry out proactive maintenance and promote the longevity of their assets, including bridges.
Brightly’s lifecycle asset management solution, Confirm, is a user-friendly and robust system that supports smart management to facilitate local authorities’ service improvements. It centralises assets to simplify and streamline the processes involved with managing them.
For the management of bridges, Confirm enables inspections to be undertaken according to industry guidance, in a consistent manner, and inspection results can be recorded on-
site via the intuitive mobile app, ConfirmConnect. Confirm also supports data analytics; for example, it is able to report on BCI (Bridge Condition Index) condition scores, as well as capture data required for Structures Asset Valuation and Investment toolkit (SAVI) analyses. The intuitive system is also able to manage and prioritise a work bank of maintenance activities that have been identified.
In addition, the cutting-edge solution continually and intuitively scrutinises information that’s entered; handles complex analytics, and flags inefficiencies to avoid duplication of tasks or spending. The intuitive system generates data and reports, highlighting the presence of all assets in a given area, to enable works to be better planned and prioritised depending on the status of any given asset.
Confirm also facilitates preventative maintenance, helping its users to operate more cost efficiently in the long run.
Although the network of assets supporting UK roads is vast – from bridges and gantries, carriageways and footways, drainage and streetlights, traffic signals and retaining walls – with more detail and understanding of asset behaviours, local authorities can start to proactively manage maintenance schedules based on historical trends. Brightly’s digital tools can help them to achieve this.
By Prof. Oleg Kvlividze, MD, PhD, Provost, New Anglia University
Prof. Oleg Kvlividze, MD, PhD
Last week, YouGov released their latest survey results around Higher Education. The results showed that Two thirds of students in England and Wales say university is poor value for money.
Provost of New Anglia University, Prof. Oleg Kvlividze, MD, PhD, shared his thoughts.
“It’s clear from the YouGov survey that many students are worried about whether the rising cost of university represents fair value. That concern is understandable, especially given the current fees and repayment terms. What is encouraging, though, is that most students still say they are satisfied with their courses and believe their degrees will help them into good jobs.
“At New Anglia University, we see how having a degree opens doors. The benefits are not only financial, although graduates do tend to earn more over their lifetimes. It’s also about the confidence, problem-solving skills, and flexibility that higher education gives people, and it’s these qualities that employers consistently tell us they value.”
“We’ve also welcomed a growing number of international students into our medical school. They choose New Anglia University because of the quality of our teaching, the strength of our links with NHS trusts, and the supportive environment we provide. Their contribution enriches our university community and reflects the standing of UK higher education globally.”
“The debate on how universities should be funded is an important one, and it will continue. But the bigger picture is that higher education remains one of the most important investments someone can make in their future, for their career, in their personal development, and in what they can give back to society.”
“A degree is still one of the most powerful investments a person can make, not just in their career, but in the skills and confidence that last a lifetime. While students are right to question costs, the fact remains that higher education consistently opens doors to better opportunities.
“At New Anglia University we’ve seen a strong rise in overseas students studying medicine, drawn by our clinical teaching, NHS partnerships, and welcoming community.
“The funding debate is important, but we mustn’t lose sight of the bigger picture: higher education changes lives. University is about more than salary returns, it’s about developing resilience, adaptability, and the ability to contribute to society.”
The successful go-live for the order communications system lays a foundation for further IT developments at the Trust and its pathology network
Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust has taken a significant step towards a more digital future by rolling out electronic test ordering using Clinisys ICE.
The trust deployed the order communications system to around 2,000 clinical users across all of its wards, the maternity and paediatrics units, the emergency and same day emergency care departments, and outpatients in June.
Previously, clinicians placed orders for imaging and pathology investigations on the trust’s 25-year-old patient administration system or on paper. The move to ICE means they can use a modern, intuitive system designed to make the process faster and safer.
The implementation also paves the foundations for further IT developments. The trust is looking to procure a new electronic patient record, while its laboratories will deploy the Clinisys WinPath laboratory information management system next year.
Once the new LIMS is in place, clinicians will also be able to receive test results electronically through ICE, improving turnaround times and making more information available to clinicians for diagnosis and treatment.
Guy Sisson, a Consultant Gastroenterologist and the Trust’s Chief Clinical Information Officer, and the Senior Responsible Officer for the project said: “This has been a long-running project that has really picked up speed over the past year.
“Once we decided on a big-bang go-live, our project team, our IT team, Clinisys, and our PAS supplier all worked together to make it work. It was almost like a hackathon, with everybody in a room making it happen.
“Since then, the feedback has been how intuitive the system is. It has been received very, very well. And it supports the next steps on our digital journey: turning off paper, implementing a new LIMS, introducing digital results reporting and, eventually, deploying a new EPR.”
The implementation of Clinisys ICE at Dartford and Gravesham is also part of a wider series of pathology IT developments in the Kent and Medway Pathology Network.
This is a partnership of seven laboratories across three pathology services at four NHS trusts: Dartford and Gravesham, Medway, Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, and East Kent Hospitals University.
The network wants to create a single pathology platform, by implementing Clinisys WinPath at all seven laboratories, and making ICE available to all the hospital clinicians and GP surgeries that order tests from them.
The extension of ICE to GPs is already well underway. In a separate project, GPs moved from paper to digital ordering for radiology tests conducted at Dartford and Gravesham in February.
A second tranche of practices started using ICE to order radiology tests from East Kent Hospitals University in June. The next step will be for these practices to start using ICE for pathology testing.
GPs across the rest of the network will move to ICE as their local laboratories go-live with their new LIMS. Mo Khan, Programme Director-Digital, at Dartford and Gravesham, said that having GPs, hospital clinicians, and laboratories on the same IT platform will deliver significant benefits.
“We will have access to the results of tests ordered by GPs, and they will have access to the results of tests ordered in hospital,” he said. “That should mean fewer repeat tests will be needed, and clinicians will have more information on which to make decisions about their patients.”
He added: “It has taken time to get to this point, and the project has experienced a lot of challenges. But everybody involved, including the suppliers, have worked together really well, and delivered the project to a high standard, as expected by our staff, with minimal post-implementation issues.”
Clinisys has put substantial resources into developing ICE in recent years. The system has a new user interface, which Dartford and Gravesham is using, and has been built out to support information sharing across sites, networks and regions.
Louise Dewing, Programme Manager at Clinisys said: “The roll-out of Clinisys ICE at Dartford and Gravesham shows just how important pathology is to modern healthcare and how modern pathology systems can act as the foundation for further digital developments.
“This implementation took place in a complex environment, but we were delighted to see it through to a successful go-live, and even more delighted to see how it has been received. We now look forward to supporting the roll-out of Clinisys WinPath and further ICE projects across the network.”
Patients receiving care at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust are benefiting from a modern patient entertainment system that is providing important comfort during long hospital stays and helping to inform people about their care, whilst alleviating pressure on busy wards.
The trust has worked with Airwave Healthcare to deploy the MyCareTV service, along with 150 intuitive screens in patient rooms across the trust’s Liverpool in-patient hospital.
It means that patients, who can be away from their friends and families for extended periods of time as they receive care, can access content to help keep them stimulated during their recovery, helping to improve their experience.
Emma Daley, the trust’s chief nursing information officer, said: “As the chief nursing information officer at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, I am delighted with the positive impact of MyCareTV for our patients. This system keeps patients informed and entertained, enhancing their overall experience. It provides crucial comfort and normalisation during a potentially isolated long stay in hospital, supporting mental and physical well-being, and allows our nursing teams to focus more on direct patient care. We look forward to continuing to innovate and enhance the patient experience at our trust.”
Clatterbridge Cancer Hospital Liverpool
The MyCareTV service provides a new platform for the trust to host digitised information often held in printed leaflets, allowing patients to use screens in their rooms to access materials relating to their condition, care, and recovery.
Mindfulness content created by trust teams and provided by Airwave’s sister company TechLive, is also made available for patients, as well as condition-specific related videos that demonstrate relevant exercises and other insights that can help patients to better manage their care. Patients can also choose to cast media from their own devices.
David Croft, technical change manager at The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre, said: “We are only at the beginning of what’s possible through MyCareTV and what we can achieve for patients and busy staff. Already our patients tell us they are better entertained, with access to media content they would have in their homes, providing additional comfort for many who may be experiencing challenging treatment pathways and spending significant periods of time in hospital.
“The platform is very stable, user-friendly, and fully supported – and configurable options mean we can now explore ways to use the platform to integrate with other trust systems, and respond to appetite from our staff to better field patient requests to the right person, and release time for busy nursing teams.”
Provided as a fully managed service, the reliable service significantly reduces risk of downtime, and already means that nurses are no longer spending time logging requests for trust teams to repair televisions.
In-room screens can also be used to gather patient feedback on their care, whilst anticipated reductions in leaflet usage are expected to support sustainability initiatives.
Airwave Healthcare will also be providing patients for the first time with access through MyCareTV to live streaming of music events across a broad range of genres, including orchestral recitals, rock concerts and music festivals. The service launch is imminent and for some events patients will have the option of interacting with the event via an app.
Dean Moody, healthcare services director at Airwave Healthcare, said: “The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre has made a proactive decision to innovate with patient entertainment technology in ways that add value to the patient experience, that help to stimulate minds as people receive care, and that can make a tangible difference to staff. We are really pleased to see this already working well, and we look forward to collaborating with a very forward-looking team at the trust, to enable even more benefits to be realised to help to enable efficiencies in the care environment.”
The UK dental sector is facing an unprecedented staffing challenge. NHS dentistry, already under pressure from underfunding and recruitment shortages, is now contending with volatile workforce availability and surging patient demand. The British Dental Association (BDA) has warned of an “existential crisis” for NHS provision, while a 2023 General Dental Council (GDC) survey revealed that more than a quarter of UK dentists are considering reducing their NHS commitments or leaving the profession altogether.
Dr Eugene Bojé
For patients, this translates into longer waits, fewer available appointments, and – in some cases – no access to a dentist at all. For practice managers, it means a daily struggle to fill empty clinical slots, particularly when staff call in sick or patient lists suddenly swell. The reality is that in many surgeries, the problem is not only about recruiting dentists – it is about keeping the chairs occupied day-to-day.
Locum dentists – clinicians brought in on a temporary basis – play a vital role in keeping services running. Yet sourcing reliable, last-minute cover through traditional recruitment agencies can be slow, opaque, and costly. Many recruitment agencies still rely on outdated methods, including manual phone calls, limited out-of-hours options, and a “we’ll see what we can do” approach that leaves dental practices waiting for solutions to their urgent recruitment needs. Without real-time visibility of who is available, practices risk cancelling patients, disrupting continuity of care, and losing income.
Dubbed the “Uber of dental locuming,” Airlocum connects practices directly with verified locum dentists and hygienists in their area. The platform allows managers to log in, browse clinician profiles, check availability and rates, and confirm bookings – often within 15 minutes.
With over 1,300 practices already onboard (a figure that continues to grow month-on-month), Airlocum has rapidly overtaken many traditional agencies in speed, transparency, and cost-effectiveness.
For Suzie Lovick, Operations Manager at Banning Dental Group, the difference has been transformational: “Airlocum has genuinely changed the game for us. It’s not just a platform – it’s a solution shaped around the realities of running a fast-paced dental group. We can see exactly where the usage has been, who has covered the shifts, and the associated spend. We only use Airlocum now.”
The comparison with Uber or Airbnb is more than a marketing tagline. Just as those services replaced phone queues with instant, on-demand access, Airlocum provides real-time control over staffing, clear digital records, and secure communication. This shift not only saves time, but it also reduces the operational risk of cancelled patient sessions.
For locum dentists, the benefits are equally significant. The British Dental Journal notes that flexibility and digital convenience are now among the top career priorities for early-career dental clinicians. Airlocum’s model offers autonomy over work choices, direct negotiation on
rates, and clarity on job details – features that are often absent in the traditional agency process.
In the first half of 2025 alone, Airlocum processed more than 9,500 bookings, with nearly one-third of those being same-day cover requests. The platform is increasingly integrating with other digital systems used by practice groups, from diary management tools to compliance documentation and payroll reporting.
This is where the model’s relevance to the public sector becomes clear. As dentistry moves towards larger, consolidated practice groups – some operating NHS contracts at scale – centralised, tech-enabled management systems are becoming essential. Platforms like Airlocum fit neatly into this infrastructure, offering data insights into staffing trends, cost control, and operational efficiency.
For commissioners and policymakers, the use of innovative recruitment technology in the dental sector demonstrates how real-time staffing models could help reduce missed appointments and patient backlogs across other healthcare settings, while also providing a framework for integrating digital platforms into NHS contractual arrangements to ensure that both urban and rural practices benefit equally.
While dentistry has traditionally lagged behind other healthcare sectors in adopting technology, change is accelerating. From AI-assisted diagnostics to remote treatment planning, digital tools are beginning to reshape both patient care and operational resilience.
Locum-matching platforms are an essential part of this shift. They do not replace clinicians, but they ensure that those clinicians are in the right place, at the right time – when dental practices need them. For patients, that means fewer cancelled appointments and more consistent access to treatment. As NHS dental services are already overstretched, the ability to secure recruitment cover within minutes could mean the difference between keeping a surgery open or closing its doors for the day.
For the public sector, the lesson is clear: when workforce shortages meet patient need, technology can bridge the gap quickly, transparently, and cost-effectively. Where every available appointment slot matters, this innovation may be the key to keeping NHS dentistry accessible for the communities that need it most.
Cancer patients will benefit from the potential for faster diagnosis and better access to specialist opinions, following the go-live of a digital pathology solution across five NHS sites in Devon and Cornwall.
Technical and clinical deployment of the pathology module of Sectra’s enterprise imaging solution has now taken place at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – Exeter, with more laboratories soon to follow in Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust – North Devon, and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust.
A period of clinical validation will take place over several months, before digital reporting becomes mainstream, with a move towards replacing glass slides and microscopes with high resolution digital images, and the modern tools to transform how in-demand pathologists work across the region.
The solution will progressively replace the need for pathologists to interact with glass slides, which have historically been packaged and transported when second opinions are needed. The new approach will allow pathologists to save precious time preparing for, and showing areas of concern, during multi-disciplinary team meetings.
It will also mean that pathologists can work more flexibly, being able to report or provide specialist opinions on pathology images from anywhere in the region without delay and being able to work from home.
Steve Blunden, Peninsula Pathology digital pathology lead, said: “We owe it to people who get cancer to enhance how we deliver our services and allow busy pathologists to collaborate to provide timely, efficient and accurate diagnosis. This is what digital pathology is all about.
“For many cancer types, there is often a golden window from tissue diagnosis to starting surgery or chemotherapy to ensure efficacy of the treatment regimens. Digitising pathology will enhance our ability to deliver treatment to patients in a timely manner, helping to reduce recovery periods and improve outcomes for patients.
“Any patient in Devon and Cornwall should expect their biopsy to be reported by the most appropriate pathologist wherever they sit in the region, and to have their report delivered back into their host organisation system so they can be told if they have cancer and start any necessary treatment in a timely way.”
The new solution will not only benefit cancer patients, but everyone who has a specimen taken and waits for the result. Using digital pathology also creates the potential for diagnosis to be delivered sooner.
Known as the Peninsula Pathology Network, the region is the latest in the UK to deploy the Sectra imaging solution, which has been widely used in NHS hospitals for many years to analyse and report on diagnostic imaging.
Dr Tim Bracey, a consultant pathologist at Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, and clinical digital lead for the Peninsula Pathology Network, said: “My colleagues are very eager to use digital pathology in their diagnostic work. Mature technology will help to change how we collaborate across the region and facilitate home working which will help to recruit and retain scarce professionals in the area.
“Using digital pathology is not only convenient – it is essential for expert review. Viewing very high-quality images, very rapidly, from any part of the region, will help specialists and generalists to maintain and raise each other’s standards. I expect that the quality of service will increase throughout the region, where reporting and review will be much more seamless.
“The potential for AI to reduce time-consuming, laborious work, will also give pathologists more time to do the interactive part of the specialty, to provide prognostic and predictive information to patients ourselves, as the experts, helping to convey the complexity of information. It also opens new possibilities around accurate grading of cancers, to predict morphological subtypes and appropriate drug therapies, and to triage material to be tested in a particular way, rather than testing a tumour for every mutation.”
Jane Rendall, UK and Ireland managing director for Sectra, said: “Devon and Cornwall is a strong example of how a region can continue to break down geographical barriers through digital pathology for the benefit of patients. Hospitals and laboratories across the network will become even closer through the ability to share images seamlessly. This offers the potential to redesign workforce structures and to enhance access for patients.”
The government’s plan for the NHS is a huge document. Jane Stephenson, chief executive of SPARK TSL, argues the key to unlocking its digital ambitions is to consider what it has to say about the shift from CDs to digital music.
Jane Stephenson
How can trusts and health boards make the same shift from analogue to digital delivery, while lowering costs and improving satisfaction and engagement?
The government has published the 10 Year Health Plan that it says will deliver “radical change” in the NHS and create a more local, more personalised experience for patients.
Fit for the Future is a big document. Online, it runs to more than 160 pages. So, it’s important to find a way in. One of the things that struck me was a panel a third of the way through, which talks about using digital to improve financial sustainability.
This panel says: “In other industries, digital technology has fundamentally disrupted the status quo. Listening to music no longer requires the manufacture of a physical CD, its distribution to shops, or the costs of physical retail space. Higher convenience, at a far low unit cost.”
Built to support digital delivery
Why did this stand out? Well, SPARK TSL was created to bring about exactly this disruption. We set out to deliver wi-fi to areas where it was hard to deploy and to help businesses to use that connectivity to deliver digital services to their users.
We work in marinas, shopping centres, and conference centres; but we have developed a specialist health practice since we started working with a London trust 20 years’ ago.
Almost every hospital trust and health board in England and Scotland now uses SPARK Connect wi-fi, our patient engagement solution, or the bedside units that we acquired with Hospedia towards the end of the Covid-19 pandemic.
We are also starting to see trusts adopt the SPARK Fusion platform that we are promoting into the NHS since acquiring and enhancing it from the Sentean Group in the Netherlands, where it is used by leading hospitals to put productivity and patient apps into the hands of staff and patients.
Analogue to digital, or old tech to new?
This is another reason that panel stood out. It was the digitisation of music, so that it could be burned onto a CD, that paved the way for the streaming services that we use today. But the delivery mechanism moved on.
Back in the day, the Hospedia units were just as revolutionary. They did away with payphones in hospital corridors and TVs that had to be wheeled onto wards, so every patient could watch the same programme.
Today, they have had their time. Since we acquired Hospedia, we have been encouraging trusts and their charities to consider the role of the ‘patient pays’ model and to work with us to provide additional functionality and services that will make the lives of staff and patients better. Now, we are planning to ‘end of life’ the old units next year.
However, as we do that, trusts will be able to use the valuable infrastructure that sits behind them – the trunking, power, and wi-fi services – to deliver entertainment, communication, and information to patients, over modern bedside units, iPads, and patients’ own devices.
So, what strikes me is that one of the big shifts that the 10 Year Health Plan wants to see is from analogue to digital. Yet the NHS has been deploying digital for 30 years and, sometimes, what it has done is get stuck on old technology.
As trusts and their IT departments look to respond to Fit for the Future, they will need technology partners that can not just install new technology but maintain, refresh, and build on it.
By 2035, we know we will have refreshed the iPads that we are putting into trusts now at least twice; and we can predict that we will be running whole new packages of software as staff and patient requirements mature.
Change tech, change relationships
Going back to that panel: the move from CDs to streaming didn’t just change the distribution mechanism for music. It changed people’s relationship with it.
Today, people can compile playlists of the songs that matter to them, and get suggestions tailored to their needs – from working out to relaxing. In the Netherlands, hospitals also use SPARK Fusion to give patients more control over their environment.
They use the platform to run modern nurse call systems that allow patients to indicate what they need before busy staff head for their bedside, ensuring the correct staff member is assigned to the task. They support meal ordering apps that reduce waste by enabling patients to order food that fits with their tastes and condition, thanks to integration with administrative and clinical systems.
They also use SPARK Fusion to provide patients with information about their treatment, discharge and rehabilitation. In fact, patients can download the Fusion app onto their devices and take digital leaflets, medicines advice, physiotherapy exercises and other information home with them.
This helps to reduce the risk of re-admission and helps patients to get the best possible outcome. Which, of course, fits with the other two shifts that the 10 Year Health Plan wants to see, which are from hospital to community and treatment to prevention.
It also fits with the plan’s argument about why those shifts matter, which is that they will improve productivity and deliver more personalised care.
The plan argues that it is “boosting operational productivity” that will enable the NHS to “restore constitutional waiting time standards and deliver increasingly innovative care.” While it is “more precise prevention, and the information and tools that patients need to more actively participate in their own care,” that will reduce demand in the long term.
What I take from this is that trusts don’t just need to go from analogue to digital, or even old technology to new technology. They need to find the technology that will support productivity, excite staff, and engage patients.
At one of the first English hospitals to deploy SPARK Fusion, a survey has shown that 80% of patients are finding it easier to find educational content. The platform is putting information in patients’ hands so they can act on it.
Feedback loops
Speaking of surveys. The 10 Year Health Plan outlines a new role for patient feedback. It says this could be used alongside league tables to support patient choice and that it could influence the rates hospitals are paid for treatment.
Our technology facilitates the collection of patient feedback. It can be used to run statutory surveys and drive-up completion rates. However, that is just a small part of the picture.
The big piece is to seize the opportunities presented by digital to modernise delivery and improve productivity and experience in the process. To do that, trusts and health boards need the right digital partner, with the right technology, and the vision to evolve that technology over time.
That’s what will bring the “higher convenience, lower unit cost” services to the NHS that we have come to expect from entertainment and other digital experiences in our day to day lives.
Neil brings more than 20 years’ international leadership experience across workforce management and talent services. He most recently served as Head of Europe, Tapfin at ManpowerGroup and has previously held senior roles at Geometric Results (GRI), AMS, Pontoon Solutions, and as CEO of Adecco Australia and New Zealand. His career has spanned Europe, Asia-Pacific and Australia, where he has consistently delivered transformation and innovation at scale.
“I am delighted to join the Matrix family,” said Jones. “The broad customer base, impressive product portfolio, technology expertise and strong reputation for delivery give us an ideal platform to grow the business. I am looking forward to working with the talented team at Matrix, and with the Board and our investors.”
Richard MacMillan, Chairman of Matrix, added: “Neil’s proven track record and leadership will strengthen the services we provide to both existing and new customers. His experience and focus will help us build on our strong position in workforce management and pre-employment screening, ensuring we continue to deliver the highest standards of service, innovation and value.”
Dräger, an international leader in the fields of medical and safety technology, will showcase a range of sophisticated capabilities to further the safety, health and wellbeing of defence and security personnel at DSEI 2025.
Technology in operation with smoke/protective equipment for military and safety forces
Leading Dräger’s lineup is the Breathguard 2500, a carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide gas detection device designed for continuous air monitoring when crews are within confined environments, such as military defence vehicles. The Breathguard is customisable with different alarm levels, and is designed to withstand extreme conditions such as shock, vibration, and high or low temperatures with electromagnetic compatibility.
Dräger’s pilot mounted, in mask gas and pressure monitoring system, AviAir, will also be an important feature of Dräger’s stand. Developed to help explain ‘Unexplained Physiological Events’ (UPEs) during flight, the AviAir is designed to monitor pilots at the point of ‘most environmental challenge’, not only monitoring the pilot, but also the physical environment, including aircraft manoeuvres. The aircrew-worn data collection and monitoring device utilises Dräger core gas sensors from Dräger medical devices for Oxygen (PIA) and Carbon Dioxide measurement (ILCA2), in use globally within the medical industry today. Benefits include visualised respiration, identification of trends and learning from cause and effect.
Providing long-duration critical gas detection capability in austere environments is Dräger’s X-GEM. Visitors to the event will see how this intelligent gas detection module has the potential to form the basis for a new generation of gas measurement devices. It can evaluate Dräger’s electrochemical sensors, to provide a digital and easy-to-read total measured value. It has stripped back all the features of a gas detector to purely focus on the measurement functionality, which will allow the device to rapidly integrate into third party systems or bespoke capabilities for Defence & Security.
Attendees will also be able to view ColPro, a Dräger Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) respiratory protection system that safeguards military personnel against CBRN threats. ColPro is designed to produce a positive pressure inside the protected cell, ensuring that contaminated air can’t reach the interior. The device offers effective protection against threats such as respirable dusts, contaminated particles, aerosols, bacteria, viruses, toxins, chemical warfare agents and toxic industrial chemicals (TICs). Dräger tailors the system to the specific application for either stationary or mobile use.
Tom Pearson, Marketing Manager, Engineered Solutions and Government Agencies at Dräger says Dräger is looking forward to an important opportunity to exhibit its capabilities at the pivotal event for the global defence industry: “Our established expertise in medical and safety technology means we have solutions to a vast range of threats and hazards. At Dräger, our openness to new and innovative approaches drives us to apply the latest technology to our devices and leverage a deep understanding of our customers’ needs. DSEI is an important event to share details on our lifesaving technology.”
DSEI UK 2025 takes place on 9-13th September at Excel London.
There’s a phrase Johann Hari uses that resonates deeply with me: our schools have become factories of compliance. I see it everywhere. Young people drilled to tick boxes, to pass tests, to fit into standardised categories. What they’re not learning is how to think, how to imagine, or how to adapt. We are shaping students to survive in systems that no longer exist, rather than preparing them to thrive in the unpredictable realities that lie ahead.
The result? Graduates who are disengaged, employers frustrated by their lack of readiness, and a generation taught to play safe when the world needs them to take risks. It is a crisis we can no longer afford to ignore.
And the urgency is only increasing. By 2030, AI is predicted to replace 300 million jobs, with 41% of companies worldwide planning to reduce their workforce. Think about that. If our schools continue producing risk-averse learners who can only follow instructions, they will be the first to be left behind. The future belongs to those who can do what machines cannot: think critically, create boldly, and connect human to human.
Georgina Badine
I have worked in big corporations and with young people alike, and the gap between what our schools deliver and what our future requires could not be starker. Creativity, the UK’s most powerful export is treated as an afterthought. The irony is unbearable: we are brilliant at creativity, but we fail to teach it.
Sir Ken Robinson once said that schools kill creativity. He was right. We don’t grow into imagination; we are educated out of it. And still, more than 15 years after his words shook the world, little has changed.
Instead, we continue to prize the “right” answer above the right question. We value conformity over curiosity. We produce cautious, risk-averse learners when what the future needs are innovators, collaborators, and problem-solvers.
And we see the consequences everywhere. More than one in ten graduates are unemployed, and many more are underemployed. At the same time, apprenticeships in tech, digital entrepreneurship, and creative industries are growing faster than traditional roles. Yet our schools behave as though the pinnacle of success is simply getting into university.
This is not just an academic failure. It is a social and economic one. The creative industries add more than £100 billion a year to the UK economy and employ millions. Advertising alone brings in billions in exports. Yet if you walk into a classroom today, you will rarely find creativity treated as core. Children who shine in art, music, or design are still told these are hobbies, not careers.
And the human cost is heartbreaking. Parents are told their child is “struggling” because they don’t excel at maths or English, but almost never because the system is failing to recognise their true strengths. I have seen too many children lose confidence before they even have the chance to discover what they might bring to the world.
This is about more than jobs. It is about citizenship. The challenges ahead, climate change, AI, global inequality, cannot be solved by passive learners trained to repeat facts. We need young people who can think critically, empathise deeply, and act imaginatively. If we continue down the path of compliance-first education, we risk raising a generation unprepared for both democracy and the economy.
At Invicta Vita, I have seen what happens when you flip this narrative. When creativity and empathy sit at the centre of learning, something shifts. Young people come alive. They stop asking, “what do I need to do to pass?” and start asking, “what do I need to do to solve this?” They grow resilient, collaborative, and confident.
I know this because I’ve lived both worlds, from the fast moving financial sector to the frontlines of social change. And I am convinced that we are educating for yesterday, not tomorrow.
The good news is that change is possible. We can build schools where creativity is treated like literacy and numeracy: fundamental. We can embrace real-world learning collaboration, experimentation, presentation, digital storytelling, as essential skills. We can acknowledge multiple pathways to success, instead of insisting that university is the only one.
This is not about lowering standards. It’s about raising them to meet reality.
So here is my message: if the UK is to thrive, we must align our schools with our true strengths. Creativity is not a luxury. It is survival. It is the beating heart of our economy, our democracy, and our shared humanity.
Compliance may have served the industrial age. But for our children’s future, creativity is everything. The time to act is now.
Alcidion has announced the addition of three new appointments to their UK-based team, with one internal promotion and two external recruits. Dr Paul Deffley has been announced as the UK Managing Director, with Tracy McClelland and Darren Ransley joining as global Chief Clinical Information Officer (CCIO) and Chief Revenue Officer (UK), respectively.
Dr Paul Deffley has been Alcidion’s Chief Medical Officer since 2022 and will continue in this capacity in addition to taking on the UK Managing Director responsibilities.
Darren Ransley
With 28 years of healthcare experience, Tracy McClelland joins Alcidion with a combination of deep frontline clinical expertise and senior clinical leadership in digital transformation across the UK and Australia. Tracy began her career as a Haematology and Oncology Specialist Nurse, transitioning into a global CNIO/CCIO role in digital health nine years ago.
Darren Ransley brings more than 25 years of experience in enterprise sales, growth and strategy development in healthcare. He has specialised in selling, marketing, and supporting delivery of healthcare solutions and digital health platforms. Darren will lead business development and account management for Alcidion in the UK, supporting the NHS to realise its vision of a digital future.
The appointments build on Alcidion’s established presence supporting the digital capability of the NHS. The Company’s flagship platform, Miya Precision, has been adopted by a growing number of trusts delivering data interoperability and clinical workflow transformation. Miya Precision is known as a highly user-friendly, clinician-focussed platform that supports trusts to streamline patient flow, unify patient records and deliver AI-powered clinical decision support.
Tracy McClelland
The expanded team comes at a unique moment for the NHS and UK market, following the release of the ambitious NHS 10 Year plan and increasing digitisation of healthcare.
Kate Quirke, Alcidion CEO & Managing Director said: “This is truly an exciting time to be working in healthcare in the United Kingdom, and having Paul step into the MD role is great for both our customers and the future of the company. I look forward to having Tracy and Darren’s expertise on board, complementing the established capabilities of our UK and global team. Both will be crucial contributors to how we support our new and existing customers to deliver on the new NHS goals.”
Dr Paul Deffley noted: When we are building and supporting digital solutions for health, it is absolutely critical that we have the clinician’s viewpoint and that level of safety built-in. Tracy’s clinical perspective will be invaluable in helping us build software that truly improves patient outcomes and supports safe, efficient operations. I am also delighted about Darren’s expertise in expanding our reach across the UK and building on the strong relationships we’ve already established in the market.”
Both Darren and Tracy commenced with Alcidion on the 1st September, 2025.
Managing the complexities of council assets and the diverse impact they have on local communities is no mean feat, particularly when funding from central government is only heading in one direction: downwards!
With budget cuts, rising community expectations, environmental responsibilities and evolving legislation – all on top of managing physical assets – it is clear why councils need to invest in more sophisticated asset management processes.
Within a council, there can be many different factors and suppliers at play, sometimes adding unnecessary levels of complexities to any one job. With multiple suppliers, data can become disjoined over time, which can ultimately lead to reactive maintenance, rather than a proactive outlook. Fixing problems is always more expensive in the long-run rather than preventing them from happening in the first place.
Councils have a multitude of assets to monitor and manage at any one time – drainage, parks and grounds, highways, bridges and structures, and more – and understanding the characteristics and patterns of these assets takes time. However, by using centralised data across asset classes can help councils to understand these behaviours, as well as the impact between them.
Ruth Hughes, Leicestershire County Council
Take highways and drainage, for example, in this scenario: A gully along a highway is blocked and there is a weather warning for heavy rain. Overnight, the rainfall causes localised flooding which means road closures and diversions are put in place. A subsequent cold snap causes the surface water to freeze, causing icy road conditions and a deterioration of the road’s surface.
With all assets managed in one system, this risk could have been avoided. Councils would be aware that the gully was prone to blockage and that the road condition in that particular area was already fallible. With this information, a proactive plan could have been put in place to ensure regular clearing of the impacted gullies and a priority level set for resurfacing works on the road.
One system. One supplier.
The shift to greater digitisation in asset management is helping councils to meet these challenges by enabling them to interrogate operations, support financial decisions and deliver cost efficiencies that stretch budgets further, while also benefitting communities.
Brightly’s digital asset management tool, Confirm, is an intuitive, user-friendly and robust system that supports smart management to facilitate local authorities’ service
improvements. It centralises assets to simplify and streamline the processes involved with managing them.
With Confirm, everyone works from the same centralised data across each council department, meaning: one point of data input, one system for the team to learn from, and one place to pull real-time information from.
A customer’s perspective
By using Confirm, Brightly’s customers are benefitting from being able to inform and defend decisions, make budgets work harder for their communities and deliver better services more quickly to councillors and members of the community.
Richard Evans, West Sussex County Council
“We started using Confirm in January 2004. The reason we bought this software was because we were unable to defend an insurance claim, because we couldn’t prove the negative. If you haven’t got the information, it’s very hard to evidence. So, finding bits of paper – When did you inspect? Did you inspect? What did you find? Having it all there you can prove the negatives as well.” – Ruth Hughes, Leicestershire County Council
“Hidden data, or data which is not looked after or is locked away somewhere, is an immature sign in an organisation. So, having a system where it’s easy and possible to put that data in, helps us to quicken up the pace to design schemes, respond to councillors and members of the public, and deliver better services.” – Chris Faires, Hertfordshire County Council
“The mobile, offline working with Confirm Connect is fantastic, in my opinion. It’s key to a lot of our field staff and the efficiencies that we get. There’s no double handling of information, for example.” – Richard Evans, West Sussex County Council
“There isn’t an infinite amount of money or resources, so we need to make sure we’re making the right decisions at the right time to get the most out of taxpayers’ money. By using asset data to make decisions, we’re providing the best value to the community.” – Shaun Taylor, Bristol City Council
“We’re a very large council with hundreds and thousands of assets that needed to sit in a proper system. With Confirm, we now have much more granularity and a deeper understanding of our assets. We can see an asset issue right from the time it gets reported to the minute it gets completed. This system enables us to properly account for what’s happened to our various assets right across the network.” – Carol Valentine, Kent County Council
ByGary Haynes, MD of Voicescape, the UK’s leading provider of resident engagement solutions for housing associations and local authorities
Gary Haynes
We now know that 60% of the 300,000 affordable homes to be delivered in the £39bn housing programme pledged in last month’s Spending Review will be earmarked for social rent.
It marks a landmark moment for social housing, with the government signalling its recognition of housing as a critical driver of economic growth, and a lifeline for communities.
The commitment will empower social landlords to pursue more ambitious, long-term development strategies. More importantly, it promises better living conditions for hundreds of thousands of people while revitalising a sector that has been in decline for decades.
Yet delivering on this ambition will be no small feat. To put it in perspective, the 180,000 social rent homes required represent a sixfold increase on the number delivered in the decade to 2024. Achieving this will demand a scale of housebuilding not seen since the post-war era.
A challenging period
And social landlords must deliver this expansion amid a perfect storm of challenges; the cost-of-living crisis, Universal Credit complexities, and rising arrears – with 9% of tenants already behind on payments and another 70% at risk.1
Meanwhile, the sector itself faces mounting financial pressures. Debt levels are projected to reach £120bn by 2026, driven by rising repair, maintenance, and decarbonisation costs, alongside refinancing needs.2
Add to this the imminent Decent Homes Standard updates and the Renters’ Rights Bill, and it’s clear that regardless of the significant capital expenditure pledges, in the day-to-day
social landlords will be required to achieve more with less, under greater scrutiny than ever before.
None of this will surprise industry readers, nor should it suggest reluctance to embrace the Government’s plan. This is a transformative opportunity. But continuing with business-as-usual approaches won’t suffice. To manage expanding responsibilities, and seize new opportunities, the sector must continue to innovate.
The potential of digital transformation
Digital transformation will be key to sustaining this affordable housing agenda. Only through technological innovation, particularly AI, can the sector revolutionise service delivery to enhance quality while driving long-term efficiencies as numbers of residents increase.
AI’s potential spans arrears management, compliance, customer satisfaction, and income recovery and leading providers are already proving its value. For example, Housing Association Thirteen Group cut manual rent-arrears actions by 65% using the AI-powered Caseload Manager solution, freeing staff to focus on complex cases and personalised support.
The scope for automation extends further. Another of our solutions is designed to reduce the costs of no-access appointments for repairs, maintenance and compliance reporting, for example. This system saved Platform Housing Group over £70,000 in just six months across one business function, for example, while also making a marked improvement in customer engagement.
Collectively, embracing automation across organisations and teams could free up vast amounts of time, all of which can be put to better use.
Indeed, AI-enabled systems won’t replace human roles in social housing – one of the early concerns about welcoming such technologies into the sector too quickly. Rather, the optimal role for these technologies is in supporting and enhancing human expertise, taking care of repetitive tasks while allowing operatives to prioritise critical cases, make informed decisions, and deliver better services when and where they’re needed most.
Embracing the opportunity
As the sector scales up to meet its targets, such innovations must become the norm. That’s why we also welcome the Chancellor’s £2bn commitment to ‘homegrown AI’ as a tool to ‘solve challenges’ in the Spending Review.
Social housing is a prime example of how AI can tackle significant national challenges. We’re optimistic that the combined outcomes of the Review will act as a catalyst for accelerating tech-enabled service delivery for communities and social housing providers across the UK.
Joseph Rooke, Director Risk Insights (Insikt Group) at Recorded Future
High-profile cyber-attacks have shaken the private sector in recent months, with their devastating consequences dominating headlines. But while commercial businesses have been in the spotlight, organisations across the public sector are now asking a critical question: could we be next?
Joseph Rooke
Unfortunately, and perhaps inevitably, the answer is likely yes.
The UK Government has acknowledged that schools and hospitals are “very likely” to be targeted by cybercriminals. It has also warned that major public bodies, such as the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, are not adequately prepared for a cyberattack that could contribute to a national crisis.
Cyber threats are not a new challenge. The public sector has long been vulnerable, and the risks are growing. The potential consequences are severe, ranging from the erosion of public trust and regulatory penalties to political fallout and national security concerns.
So, what threats is the sector up against, and what can public sector organisations do to protect themselves?
Why is the public sector being targeted?
Public sector institutions such as schools and hospitals are becoming increasingly attractive targets for cybercriminals. These organisations manage vast amounts of sensitive data – including personal information, intellectual property, and critical research – while also delivering essential services that the public depends on daily.
This combination makes them uniquely vulnerable. Any disruption to education or healthcare systems creates immediate public pressure, a fact that attackers are quick to exploit to extort payments or gain publicity.
Yet despite the high stakes, many of these institutions often continue to rely on outdated infrastructure and legacy IT systems. Cybersecurity budgets are often limited, and dedicated security teams are scarce or non-existent. These vulnerabilities, when taken together, make public sector organisations low-hanging fruit for increasingly sophisticated cyber threats.
Ransomware, DDoS, and supply chain attacks: today’s top threats
As technology continues to evolve, so too do the tactics employed by cybercriminals. Public sector organisations are increasingly in the crosshairs of sophisticated cyber threats, and risks are not only escalating in volume but in their potential impact on public safety, trust, and national security.
Ransomware: a tangible and costly threat
The National Crime Agency (NCA) and National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) deem ransomware as the greatest of all serious and organised cyber crime threats and a risk to UK’s national security. By infiltrating systems through malware, cybercriminals gain unauthorized access, often encrypting or exfiltrating sensitive data. They then demand ransom payments in exchange for restoring access or withholding the publication of the stolen information – sometimes threatening to leak it on the dark web or release it publicly.
The real-world consequences of such attacks are becoming alarmingly clear. A recent example is the ransomware attack on Synnovis, a pathology service provider used by the NHS. The breach led to delayed blood test results, postponed surgeries, and serious disruption to patient care. This underscores the reality that ransomware attacks on the public sector can have life-or-death implications
DDoS attacks: crippling public access
Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks, which involve flooding an organization’s servers with traffic from multiple sources, continue to be a favoured method for causing widespread disruption. The goal: to crash systems, deny access, and generate chaos – especially during critical periods.
In the 2022 U.S. elections, political websites experienced a staggering 400% increase in weekly DDoS attacks. One notable incident saw Mississippi’s election website temporarily taken offline, an attack claimed by a pro-Russian hacking group. These disruptions erode public confidence and highlight the geopolitical motivations behind many cyber threats targeting the public sector.
Supply chain vulnerabilities: an expanding attack surface
As public sector organizations increasingly rely on complex, interconnected supply chains, they also inherit the cyber risks that come with them. Emerging technologies such as IoT, AI, and cloud-based platforms are transforming operations – but they’re also creating new entry points for threat actors.
These extended networks mean that a single weak link, often a third-party vendor, can expose an entire system. The larger and more fragmented the supply chain, the broader the attack surface, making public sector bodies more vulnerable to attacks that could disrupt critical operations, delay services, or compromise sensitive data.
Organised cyber gangs and State-backed hackers: know your enemy
The most prevalent cyber threats today come from organised criminal groups. These hacker collectives operate like professional businesses, with defined hierarchies, specialised roles, and clear objectives. Their motivations are typically financial gain or notoriety, often achieved by stealing valuable data or disrupting operations to pressure organisations into compliance.
However, an even more insidious threat comes from state-sponsored actors. These attackers are either directly employed by nation-states or indirectly supported through funding and infrastructure. Unlike financially motivated groups, state-backed hackers pursue strategic national objectives – such as cyber espionage, surveillance, or critical infrastructure disruption.
State sponsored attacks in action
This threat is far from hypothetical. In 2024, a Chinese state-sponsored group known as Salt Typhoon infiltrated major global telecommunications providers, gaining access to the communications of senior U.S. government officials in Washington.
A recent example includes North Korean threat actors applying for remote jobs in foreign companies, using AI tools to mask their identities and infiltrate critical infrastructure. This evolving tactic, known as an ‘insider threat,’ presents a growing risk to organisations across both public and private sectors.
As geopolitical tensions continue to rise, these types of attacks are expected to become more frequent. Cyber warfare offers governments a low-cost, low-risk alternative to conventional conflict – a way to weaken adversaries, gather intelligence, or destabilise critical systems without firing a single shot.
How can public sector organisations protect themselves?
Government intervention plays a crucial role in combating cyber threats. In 2024, for example, an international task force led by the UK’s NCA and the US FBI – Operation Cronos – successfully dismantled LockBit, one of the world’s most damaging cyber gangs.
The Government is actively addressing the increasing cyber threats faced by organisations, including those posed by hostile states and criminal groups. The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill – currently progressing through Parliament – places a strong emphasis on combating ransomware. In parallel, the Government has recently concluded its consultation on further ransomware-specific proposals.
But government action alone isn’t enough. Public sector organisations must take proactive, holistic steps to improve their own cybersecurity.
People as the first line of defence
Strong cyber defence starts with people. Awareness and training should go beyond generic modules and focus on real-world threats. While phishing remains a common tactic, attackers are now using deepfakes and AI-generated content to impersonate trusted individuals and manipulate employees. Training must evolve to help staff recognise and report these more advanced threats.
Keeping systems secure
On the technical side, routine patching and timely system updates are essential to eliminate known vulnerabilities. Network segmentation, especially for systems handling sensitive data, can limit the spread and impact of breaches.
Share insights and intelligence
Equally important is access to actionable threat intelligence. Threat intelligence can enable organisations to better understand threats and repel them before they materialise into breaches. Additionally, sharing such intelligence across public sector organisations helps detect patterns, anticipate attacks, and coordinate responses. When agencies operate in isolation, attackers gain the upper hand. But with collaboration and shared situational awareness, the entire sector becomes stronger and more resilient.
Time to act
The public sector faces an escalating and complex cyber threat landscape that demands urgent attention. With attackers growing more sophisticated and motivated, there is no room for complacency. By investing in people, modernising systems, and fostering greater collaboration across agencies, public sector organisations can build stronger defences and reduce their vulnerability. Ultimately, safeguarding critical public services and national security requires a unified, proactive approach that evolves alongside emerging threats. The time to act is now, before the next devastating attack hits.
A World War naval base and a centuries old Swedish ship have both been named as Scotland’s newest Historic Marine Protected Areas.
The Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin confirmed the designation of the two sites off the coasts of Orkney and Shetland to recognise the national importance of the historical marine assets and provide legal protection to ensure their preservation.
The Scapa Flow site off the coast of Orkney has a number of different historic marine assets including the largest concentration of warship wrecks and other wartime artefacts in the UK. It played an important role as a naval base during the two World Wars of the 20th century and was the location of the internment and scuttling of the German High Seas Fleet at the end of the First World War.
Queen of Sweden wreck site
The Queen of Sweden is one of the best-preserved remains of a Swedish East India Company ship located in waters around Scotland. She was built in Stockholm in 1741 to trade with China – the largest ship built for the company at that time – and sank off the coast of Shetland in 1745 during strong winds.
The first Historic Marine Protected Areas were designated by the Scottish Government in 2013 to identify and protect marine historic assets of national importance which survive in Scottish territorial waters. It is a criminal offence to remove, alter or disturb any of the protected sites across the country.
Confirming the designation of the two sites today, during a tour of the Scapa Flow site, Ms Martin said:
“These two new Historic Marine Protected Areas – at Scapa Flow, and the Queen of Sweden wreck site in Shetland – are important additions to our network of Historic MPAs, which protect the most significant wreck sites across Scotland’s seas.
“The designation of these sites recognises their national value and will help to ensure that future generations can continue to explore, learn from, and be inspired by Scotland’s underwater heritage. I’m grateful for the support from local authorities, heritage bodies, and marine industries in bringing these designations forward.”
Director of Heritage at Historic Environment Scotland Elizabeth McCrone said:
“We are delighted that Scapa Flow and the Queen of Sweden have been designated as Historic Marine Protected Areas. These sites are nationally important parts of Scotland’s maritime history and this recognition will ensure they can be protected and enjoyed responsibly for generations to come.”
Orkney Islands Council Leader Heather Woodbridge said:
“Wrecked vessels, including those of the German High Seas Fleet, are a significant heritage asset and attract visitors from all over the world, contributing to the economy of Orkney. Sadly, the condition of the wrecks is deteriorating, and these important remains will not last forever. Officially recognising and protecting these sites is therefore vitally important to maximise their longevity. This Historic MPA will ensure these irreplaceable assets are protected from future human damage or disturbance while still allowing for responsible access, research and education where appropriate.”
Shetland Islands Council Leader Emma Macdonald said:
“We welcome this Historic MPA designation, which will help preserve an important part of Shetland’s maritime heritage. The Queen of Sweden is one of the best-preserved 18th-century trading vessels, lying in shallow waters and popular with local divers. This designation will provide her with greater protection while ensuring she remains accessible to the diving community.”
Since the early 2000s, the global medical tourism industry has grown at a remarkable pace. Once accessed by the wealthy seeking luxury treatments abroad, it is now a mainstream option for many UK citizens – particularly in the field of elective cosmetic procedures such as breast implants, dental veneers, and hair transplants. Lower costs, faster treatment timelines, and glossy marketing campaigns have driven a surge in outbound medical travel. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 431,000 UK residents travelled abroad for medical treatment in 2023 – an increase of more than 180% since 2016.
But while the demand for overseas cosmetic treatment is rising, so too are the risks. Behind the allure of cheap procedures lies a growing and dangerous regulatory gap – one that threatens individual patient safety and places a growing burden on the NHS.
The current absence of a UK-specific regulatory framework for outbound medical tourism means individuals are often left exposed to poor clinical standards, inadequate pre-operative assessments, insufficient insurance coverage, and minimal – if any – aftercare upon returning home. In far too many cases, UK patients are receiving treatment from unverified clinics abroad that fail to meet basic standards of care. The consequences are serious and sometimes fatal. During a parliamentary debate in March 2024, it was revealed that at least 28 UK citizens had died after undergoing cosmetic procedures in Turkey between 2019 and 2024. These tragic outcomes are not isolated incidents. Complications range from infected wounds and thrombosis to sepsis and life-threatening surgical failures – all of which frequently require emergency NHS intervention.
We must be clear: the problem is not international healthcare itself. Many overseas providers like Longevita deliver high-quality treatment, and patients have the right to seek care across borders. But the lack of coordinated, enforceable regulation for UK medical tourists has created a vacuum – one in which unqualified clinics, misleading advertising, and unsafe practices can thrive.
To address this growing issue, I have written a White Paper which proposes a robust five-pillar framework to protect UK patients and reduce the cost to the NHS. At the heart of this plan is the creation of an independent UK Medical Tourism Accreditation Association (UKMTAA), a regulatory body that would oversee, accredit, and monitor international providers marketing to UK patients.
The UKMTAA would introduce a national accreditation system for overseas clinics offering services to UK consumers. This would establish clear clinical governance, safety protocols, transparency requirements, and continuity of care. Providers that meet these standards would be eligible for UKMTAA certification, allowing patients to identify reputable clinics and avoid unsafe or unscrupulous operators.
In addition to accreditation, the White Paper calls for mandatory medical tourism insurance for UK patients travelling abroad for treatment. At present, patients often rely on
basic travel insurance or no insurance at all – leaving them unprotected if complications arise. Statutory insurance would ensure coverage for surgical risks, emergency repatriation, and essential post-operative care, reducing pressure on NHS resources.
Another critical element of the proposed framework is the introduction of a UK-based aftercare pathway. Many overseas clinics discharge patients within 24 – 48 hours of surgery, leaving them with little support if complications develop. An integrated system that connects returning patients to domestic healthcare providers would enable earlier intervention, reducing the risk of escalation and long-term recovery needs. This would also provide much-needed clarity for NHS clinicians managing overseas complications, who currently face fragmented and inconsistent information from unaffiliated providers.
The White Paper also calls for stricter advertising standards. Social media, influencer endorsements and unregulated online platforms have become the primary marketing channels for overseas cosmetic clinics. Many adverts promote unrealistic results, conceal risks, and present misleading pricing structures. This must change. The UK should work with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) to create advertising regulations for medical tourism that mirror those in place for domestic healthcare marketing. Clinics should be required to disclose outcomes data, staff credentials, and the risks of procedures as part of any promotional activity.
Finally, a national campaign to educate the public about the risks and responsibilities associated with medical tourism is urgently needed. Patients deserve to make informed choices about their care. This includes understanding the importance of checking provider credentials, seeking proper insurance, and planning for aftercare.
The current unregulated environment for UK citizens seeking cosmetic procedures abroad poses unacceptable risks to both individuals and the NHS. By introducing a national accreditation body, mandatory insurance, coordinated aftercare, tighter advertising rules, and better public education, we can ensure safer outcomes, preserve NHS resources, and foster a more transparent international healthcare market.
Medical tourism is here to stay. But it must be made safe, accountable, and fair. As Parliamentarians, you have the power – and the responsibility – to legislate for the protection of UK patients, and to ensure that the pursuit of affordability does not come at the cost of lives.
· Former US State Department and military veteran, Richard Donnellan joins mission-critical technology company, Quantum Trilogy in a crucial public sector and private finance relations function
· Appointment comes following decades of business success across energy, finance and defense sectors
Quantum Trilogy, a technology company providing mission-critical, agile solutions to urgent government needs, has announced the appointment of Richard Donnellan as Chief Funding Officer.
Richard Donnellan
In his role, Richard will leverage his experience to build and strengthen relationships with the EU, Middle East, NATO, and diplomatic delegates from partner nations, as well as private finance and venture capital institutions. His mission will be to pair funding opportunities with government requirements and to oversee investment negotiations, thereby aiding allied countries in defending their sovereignty. This unique Funding Division forms part of Quantum Trilogy’s groundbreaking governmental offering, which aims to strengthen cross-border relationships and deliver truly bold technological solutions.
Having worked across the energy, finance and defense sectors, Richard is one of the defense industry’s most dynamic corporate assets, bringing fierce negotiation and mediation prowess to ensure fast and secure business growth.
After a successful career in the Parachute Regiment and the US State Department, Richard founded and led businesses in post-conflict regions such as Iraq, Afghanistan and West Africa where he focused on procurement and energy. He led those businesses through two funding rounds from venture capital to private equity, driving expansions in the Middle East as well as expanding into other sectors. This success resulted in a turnover of over $300 million, all whilst safely employing over 1,000 staff. Through this experience, Richard has established and built an excellent network through engagement with governments firstly in the Middle East and Africa, and subsequently in South America.
“Richard brings a vast amount of experience and expertise to a crucial role within our company,” said Alain Obadia, CEO at Quantum Trilogy. “As we continue to build on our mission to drive innovation in the defense sector, he perfectly bridges the intersection of corporate and public sector relations.”
Richard Donnellan commented, “When I was approached by Quantum Trilogy, I was immediately attracted to the company’s fast-paced, innovative approach to transforming the industry.”
“We live in a very important time for defense, where technology is advancing at a rapid rate. It’s an exciting time to be part of this change and to help drive the industry forward every day.”
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