There is considerable excitement about the potential of AI to deliver more accessible, efficient, and high-quality healthcare; alongside concern about data privacy, bias, and how these new tools will be used in clinical practice.
The key to realising the benefits and addressing the concerns is the adoption of standards for the development and implementation of AI by manufacturers and their customers. And the good news is that standards are both available and developing rapidly, says Dean Mawson, clinical director and founder of DPM Digital Health Consultancy.
There’s considerable interest in the potential uses of AI in healthcare at the moment; but there is also concern about the possible risks that it could pose.
Challenges include questions about data privacy and algorithmic bias, how we can make sure that AI tools are subject to robust validation and testing processes, and how to make sure they are used safely in a clinical setting.
Dean Mawson
To address these issues, manufacturers will need to be transparent about their data models and the way their algorithms are trained and validated. There will also need to be more education and training for the people who procure and use these tools.
Building trust
However, that will only take us so far. Manufacturers are, understandably, keen to protect their intellectual property – and some AI operates as a ‘black box’ around which we can only see inputs and outputs.
At the same time, busy healthcare organisations, clinicians and patients need to understand the fundamentals, but are never going to be experts in such a complex area. So, how do we secure the adoption of AI in this environment, and make sure its risks are properly managed?
The key is going to be ‘trust’ which the Oxford English Dictionary defines as: ‘a firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something’. And one way in which other sectors, from airlines to engineering and med tech, build trust is through regulation.
Few people in the world really understand how a plane is built or a nuclear power plant operates. Instead, we trust they are safe because they are highly regulated, and operate to well understood, international standards.
Standards for AI in healthcare
Since the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw a rapid acceleration in the take-up of health tech of all kinds, there has been growing interest in standards for AI in healthcare.
In the UK, the starting point is DCB0160 and DCB0129, which date back 15 years to a programme to encourage health tech vendors and their customers to take a ‘safety approach’ to the design, development, deployment and use of digital health systems.
DCB0160 requires trusts to risk assess any customisations and reconfigurations, to determine whether they are good to go live and DCB0129 requires vendors to carry out a risk assessment on their product.
Both should be very familiar, as compliance with these standards is mandatory under the Health and Social Care Act 2012. Then, we have BS ISO/IEC 30440 and BS ISO/IEC 42001.
These are international standards developed by experts from 50 countries, led by the British Standards Institution, and they provide a validation framework and a management system for AI in healthcare.
BS ISO/IEC 30440 is designed to help manufacturers to risk assess medical technology using machine learning and to mitigate any hazards found. While BS ISO/IEC 42001 is designed to help organisations to create a management system to implement and govern this technology effectively.
User friendly – up to a point!
The BSI and its experts have worked hard to make these standards user-friendly. For international standards, they are written in lay-person’s terms and come with examples for some of the clauses, indicating how to apply them.
Even so, it’s been recognised that adopting these standards is not straightforward, and the University of York has been commissioned to develop a safety assurance framework to help manufacturers and deploying organisations.
This is underpinned by an established process known as the assurance of machine learning for use in autonomous systems, or AMLAS. Effectively, the University is working out how to apply this to healthcare.
Challenges to using standards in practice
So, we have some standards for the development and deployment of health IT systems generally and AI tools specifically, and the start of a structure for applying them, but there’s no doubt that we are at the start of a journey.
As we learn more about AI in healthcare, we’re going to need to revise the standards and review our governance arrangements; and that’s a positive; it’s how we move forward.
Despite this, there are obstacles on the road. Because these standards support a safety approach, they apply to both manufacturers and healthcare organisations (and also clinicians and patients, who have their own part to play in using and interpreting these tools safely).
In theory, that means the cost of compliance should be borne by both manufacturers and users; but in practice there is considerable push-back from healthcare organisations against being asked to pay for something that is not mandatory.
Mandation may be coming. The UK government has a roadmap for the development of an effective AI assurance ecosystem, and the healthcare AI standards are part of it.
The EU has also adopted landmark legislation to create a legal framework for the development and adoption of AI, that covers data quality, transparency, human oversight, and accountability; and manufacturers who operate beyond the UK are not going to be able to ignore it.
Time for a proactive approach
We also need to make sure that healthcare organisations are proactive about using these standards and set-up to work with them.
That means making sure they have well trained, competent, clinical safety officers in place, but also making sure they are working within safety management systems that include everyone, from board to ward, in the design, development and deployment process.
I’m planning to write more about this later in the year. Meantime, the key point is that this is all about trust. If we want to build a healthcare AI industry in the UK, we need trust. If we want organisations (and the clinicians working in them, and the patients relying on them) to benefit from that industry, we need trust.
Raising awareness of the standards that are available for the development and adoption of digital health systems and AI tools is vital because they give us a structure and process on which to build that trust.
Everybody can see what has been done to make sure the development and deployment of these new technologies is ethical and clinically safe, and that will build confidence in the ability of AI to deliver a more accessible, efficient, and high-quality NHS.
Dean Mawson: Is a registered nurse working in London with an interest in clinical safety going back almost two decades. He is clinical director/founder at DPM Digital Health Consultancy, a company that providers regulatory compliance services to digital health manufacturers and health organisations.
NHS trust is adopting new recruitment software to streamline processes, improve experience for managers and candidates, and address equality, diversity and inclusion
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust is working with Oleeo to help to support its recruitment processes and deliver a better experience for recruitment managers and candidates.
The trust, which employs 14,000 people across two acute hospitals, 13 community hospitals and a range of community, primary care and mental health services, is planning to go-live with the new recruitment, applicant management, and reporting software in May.
This will help managers to use the system to recruit around 1,800 people every six months by creating job adverts that work for a diverse pool of potential applicants, including more personalised information for candidates, and creating better data on what is working.
Iain Reed, who works for the recruitment team at Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, explains: “Like other NHS trusts across the country, we face an ongoing challenge in recruiting the nurses and other colleagues to meet the demand for our services.
“We want to change the way we approach recruitment and we’re pleased to be working with Oleeo to develop some really innovative ideas to achieve this.
“Using Oleeo’s ATS software means we will be able to send candidates a video to show them all the things that are great about working here. We also want to improve equality, diversity and inclusivity across the trust.
“The new system will give us better data on which groups we are recruiting from, as well as automated features, to make sure that our managers are supported in writing adverts that don’t inadvertently exclude anyone from the hundreds of career paths we have to offer.”
Oleeo was founded in 1995, and it now delivers technology and talent acquisition support to more than 400 employers globally.
In the UK public sector, its software is used across central and local government and by 70% of police forces. Oleeo is also working with four NHS organisations, making Somerset NHS Foundation Trust its fifth health service client.
Samir Khelil, director at Oleeo, said: “As a company, we have been doing what we do for 27 years, and that is helping to transform the way that employers recruit. We want to do the same for the NHS, working with organisations like Somerset that want to collaborate with us to adjust the status quo.
“We don’t just want to work with people who want to keep doing things the same way. We want to transform what they do, and Somerset are completely aligned with achieving this.”
The Oleeo software will enable the trust to speed up recruitment by automating aspects of the recruitment process and giving managers and candidates access to dashboards that show where responses or checks need to be completed.
Taunton, Somerset
The trust was also looking for more flexibility to adapt the system for its needs, for a better user experience for managers and candidates, for better data, and for better support for its diversity, equality and inclusivity team.
The Oleeo solution has diversity built into its product stack, from a tool to pick up terms that could have an adverse impact on applications, to reporting tools that can help recruitment teams identify groups that are not coming forward in response to ads and adjust processes in response.
Iain Reed added: “There are around 350 different careers paths at our trust, from doctors, nurse and allied health professionals, to porters, cleaners and clinical coding and many in between.
“We put a lot of emphasis on training because we don’t want to lose good colleagues, but that makes it extremely important to get that initial recruitment right and that is what Oleeo will help us to do. We absolutely have the ambition to say: this is the way everybody should recruit to the NHS.”
Oleeo’s off the shelf solution is fully integrated with the NHS Electronic Staff Record and with NHS Jobs, and the company is keen to work with NHS customers as they come on board to create additional features to support them.
We need to focus on solving the right problems with technology, and facilitate better conditions, in order to improve smart healthcare adoption at scale in the NHS, writes Dr Paul Deffley, chief medical officer for Alcidion.
Where would you position the NHS in relation to other countries, when it comes to the adoption of innovative technologies to support patient care?
Dr Paul Deffley
Recent research from Newsweek and Statista, which ranked the world’s top ‘smart hospitals’, placed its first NHS trust at position 72 on the list.
This finding caught the attention of delegates at March’s Digital Health Rewired 2024 conference, who were surprised by the extent of the seemingly faster pace of smart technology on the other side of the Atlantic.
Notably, led by the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic, and Massachusetts General Hospital, more than 100 US healthcare organisations hold a heavily dominant presence on the list of 330 hospitals. So why have they been successful, and should this mean anything to the NHS?
An opportunity to reflect and learn? Moving beyond pockets of innovation
Newsweek’s global ranking is of course only one piece of research, unlikely to comprehensively represent technological deployments at every level of healthcare.
Although a further 21 UK sites receive mentions further into the ranking, I would suggest that there are great examples of smart healthcare in the UK, to which the league table doesn’t do justice.
Yet adoption of many innovative technologies that can positively impact patient care, still tends to happen in pockets in the NHS, often in the form of pilots that struggle to scale and deliver impact more broadly.
There has been much purported around the role of smart healthcare for decades – a promise that still holds much excitement. But progress at-scale often remains hindered.
As someone who has worked in clinical leadership and CCIO roles in NHS providers, commissioning and system transformation, before working directly in the health tech industry, I remain passionate that obstacles can be removed and sizeable benefits consistently realised.
With that in mind, Newsweek’s research offers a reflection point on ways to boost effective use of innovative technologies available today to the NHS, by understanding what has worked for peers around the world.
What are the barriers we need to overcome?
Heart failure is one clinical priority that could be better served by smart technology. Evidence, that has now existed for many years, has shown that remotely monitored heart failure patients realise better outcomes.
In many cases patients on remote monitoring pathways are less likely to be admitted to hospital, more likely to comply with medication, and can be less likely to suffer complications or death as a consequence of heart failure.
Yet, many patients in the UK still have no access to remote patient monitoring, despite an urgent push for such approaches during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The problem in creating ubiquitous access to such services is not the technology itself, or evidence of efficacy – both of which can be surfaced. So, what is needed?
Back to our smart hospital exemplars – whilst highlighting AI, robotics, digital imaging, and telemedicine as standout areas hospitals have excelled in, the ranking doesn’t detail recipes for success.
Speculatively though, a panel discussion I was involved with at the Rewired conference, suggested possible answers, that might lend lessons for better adoption in the NHS.
Are we solving the right problems?
Dr Lia Ali, a clinical advisor to NHS England’s Transformation Directorate, told the conference that for smart health tech to be successful, it first needs to solve a problem.
This might sound obvious. However, technology vendors often still build functionality without understanding the problem they are trying to solve.
In the US, many smart hospitals are likely to have been successful because they have used technology to respond to a problem that has both a patient and commercial level benefit. These are in essence commercial organisations that need to manage profit and loss sustainably. Failure to do so can have significant impact, or worst-case scenario they might cease to exist.
That is not to say they aren’t driven by patient outcomes. But this overt commercial driver means that hospitals are often willing to take organisational risk and invest to achieve new models of care that can and have unlocked benefits.
This is less inherent in NHS behaviour. However, a different version of the same driver facing NHS organisations is productivity.
Karen Kirkham, chief medical officer for Deloitte, told the conference that demand continues to outstrip capacity, and that investment in traditional models of care will not meet rising pressures. This is a global phenomena, irrespective of funding models.
A commercial message might not land well within a social institution like the NHS. But it ultimately has the same need as US counterparts: to effectively manage increasing demand within a constrained resource environment without compromising patient safety.
Smart health tech needs to deliver on productivity if we are to see increased uptake in the UK. That might mean enabling earlier intervention, either within a hospital or a healthcare system, to reduce risks of complication, and prevent patients presenting with more severe and demanding conditions downstream.
It might mean investment in patient flow – again within hospitals and across settings. A recent flow deployment in Australia saw a 13% reduction in length of stay – solving problems for busy clinicians, for patients who want to be at home, and for stretched healthcare systems that can gain new intelligence on where they need to deflect pressures and improve support.
It might mean rethinking virtual care and remote monitoring, and remodelling pathways to improve our ability to manage risk in the community.
And it might also mean addressing common causes of inefficiency and patient safety concern. For example, technology has recently been launched to address a widespread systemic problem of volumes of patient results not being acknowledged – with implications for delayed care and ineffective use of billions of pounds worth of tests.
Creating the environment for smart healthcare
Creating the right conditions for success also means recognising that new approaches take time.
I’ve practised as a doctor for more than 20 years. I understand the tremendous value in just seeing patients: pattern recognition, observing them, witnessing behaviours from the moment they leave the waiting room.
In a new virtual care environment, we don’t have face-to-face collaborative conversations with patients to guide judgement. If we ask doctors to make decisions on remote monitoring data and patient reported surveys – that is significant change.
We design these approaches for good reason, but we cannot underestimate the transformation that goes alongside it. We need to make sure that we do not over focus on the technology, and leave people behind: both staff and citizens.
Expansion is more like gardening than blueprinting
Advancing from a sea of pilots to widespread mainstream adoption of smart tech is also about more than blueprinting.
Successful smart hospitals are not just a process to be transferred: a desire to cookie cut, to blueprint and scale, will fail unless we observe the true breadth of elements needed.
We need iterative approaches, and clinical leadership to articulate change and overcome bumps and challenges.
Effective technology adoption means listening to the problems of patients and of clinical teams, who might not be interested in the lofty ideals of smart healthcare.
For successful adoption, there is a need to observe, monitor and treat smart healthcare as a living programme. Just as different approaches to gardening work in one location but not another – in healthcare we are dealing with unique environments that must be understood.
As the North West of the UK sees more regeneration and development, groups like Integritas Property Group (IPG) are offering a beacon of sustainable development in recently undeveloped cities; sharing a commitment to building communities that not only thrive in the present but also for generations to come, instilling a sense of confidence in the long-term sustainability of their projects.
The heart of ethical development lies in a process that ensures every aspect of its projects embodies sustainability, from conception to completion. Liverpool, a city currently undergoing significant development and redevelopment, is a prime example of how developers can contribute to the creation of thriving communities. Ethical developer Integritas Property Group, with several projects in the city, strategically integrates sustainability strategies into every phase of development. This approach, starting with the careful selection of project sites and active engagement with local stakeholders, fosters a sense of community ownership from the outset. Through comprehensive environmental impact assessments, developers can evaluate potential consequences, paving the way for informed decision-making.
For ethical developers, sustainable principles guide every decision, with a particular focus on building design. Residential buildings and renovation projects are all centred around sustainable design and construction, adhering closely to established guidelines. Energy efficiency is a top priority, with features such as insulation, triple-glazed windows, and LED lighting, all contributing to a reduced environmental impact of development. These features not only benefit the environment but also enhance comfort and affordability for residents, making sustainable living a reality.
The commitment to renewable energy is also high on the agenda. Integrated solar panels and heat pumps will be installed across properties to reduce the carbon footprint and future-proof the developments against rising energy costs. Unlike fossil fuels, which are subject to price fluctuations and geopolitical risks, renewable energy sources offer long-term price stability. Investing in renewable energy systems for new buildings can provide a hedge against future energy price volatility, offering predictability and financial stability over the building’s lifespan.
Sustainable building materials, of course, play a pivotal role in the projects, as a focus on low-carbon materials, sustainably sourced timber, and recycled metals lessens the environmental impact of such big projects and construction. By prioritising the use of more ethical materials, it can be ensured that these buildings promote not only environmental sustainability but also occupant health and well-being. Sustainable building materials are typically designed to be durable and long-lasting, with properties that resist degradation, rot, and pests. Investing in high-quality, durable materials can prolong the lifespan of the building, reduce maintenance requirements, and minimise the need for frequent replacements, saving both time and money in the long run.
Water management and conservation are equally important, with innovative strategies like rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling minimising consumption. Installing water-efficient fixtures helps empower residents to play an active role in conservation efforts, fostering a culture of sustainability within communities. Compliance with these regulations is essential for avoiding penalties and legal liabilities. Implementing robust water management practices can help buildings meet regulatory requirements and demonstrate environmental responsibility.
The commitment to sustainability doesn’t end with new construction; developers are now also recognising the potential for impact in existing buildings, where thoughtful retrofitting can unlock significant energy and cost savings. Through comprehensive audits and tailored plans, new life can be breathed into older structures, bringing them in line with modern sustainability standards. This can be done with cutting-edge technology, such as improved insulation and window replacements to smart heating controls and renewable energy systems. If leveraging the latest innovations, building construction can maximise efficiency and minimise waste, ensuring that communities remain at the forefront of sustainability long into the future, providing a sense of reassurance and confidence in the long-term commitment to sustainable development.
The sociability impact can also be around supporting employment and the level of influence that a development has on a community. Based in Liverpool, Integritas Property Group, is committed to sourcing local workers and companies to work on these projects. This not only enhances the employability level of the area, giving locals employment for the duration of projects (which can range from one year to five years plus), but when creating many communities across a city, this is then creating a whole new employment pool for the area, offering local people ongoing work as more project and more communities under the brand develops.
An ethical approach to building and development is a great way to build new communities, and this can be defined by a commitment to sustainability and social impact. Whether this be from the careful selection of project sites, the integration of renewable energy, or the retrofitting of existing buildings. Through innovation, collaboration, and a relentless pursuit of excellence, projects like these are shaping communities and will continue to benefit areas for years to come.
As a project-management training and software company, working within central and local government, social housing and with SMEs, we see organisations faced with similar challenges and having to deal with the same issues, again and again. These include a disjointed approach to delivering change and transformation projects, people working in silos and inconsistency in the way projects and new tech are introduced into everyday work.
In few sectors is this truer than in local government. With increasingly stringent regulatory standards, the recent council elections and a possible new national government just months away, the need for effective project delivery and change management is a top priority.
By following some key principles, investing in people and using strong software solutions, many common project-management challenges can be overcome. Projects can realise the true potential their creators had in mind for them, they can save time and money, boost staff engagement and efficiency, and deliver better outcomes for the public.
We have recently completed a huge piece of work for a local authority based in the North West, who were embarking on a Cloud- migration programme. Firstly, they engaged us to review the project. They then asked us to help design and support the implementation of a new target operating model. This involved the establishment of new ways of working and crucially setting up a PMO to support the delivery of the council’s strategic plan. We trained the team in project management fundamentals, sharing our knowledge and providing tools to ensure that future projects are delivered efficiently and result in the best outcomes for the council and the public. Our work with the council has been a very good example of how to establish excellent project-management practices in local government and other organisations.
An important place to start, for an overall idea of your ability to deliver projects, is an in-depth governance review. It’s important to look at issues such as the way projects are established, managed and closed out, as well as how staff communicate, ownership and accountability within projects, and measuring and realising the benefits and outcomes that are expected to be delivered.
It’s vital to look at your team’s skills to make sure they are able to not only work on a project, but implement the outcomes on an everyday basis. We look particularly at project managers’ skills and how they are able to communicate the aims and actions needed for a successful result. We also look at staff perception of projects, to make sure it aligns with senior leaders’ visions.
Our analysis of all these issues combines to give our clients a holistic view of whether their projects are achievable or in trouble.
It’s also crucial that there is a clear business case for doing a project, with a golden thread back to organisational objectives. This ensures alignment and makes sure time and resources are used effectively, not wasted, and that the project remains on a critical success path.
Organisations must always look for the points at which a new project may overlap with other pieces of work or affect existing processes. You should ensure that there is good engagement between key stakeholders and so that no one is left confused or disgruntled and economies of scale can be achieved.
One of the key problems we see, particularly when helping with a technology project, is that outside companies often have their own methodology and project managers and are very focused on simply installing a piece of tech or other solution in an organisation. What gets missed is engaging the workforce on the benefits of the new tech and training them to use it. It’s a mistake to simply get IT teams to sort out a project and the tech provider to deliver it, without much other joined-up company thinking. If the staff aren’t ready for it or fully onboard with it, it is likely to be a massive failure.
Another vital aspect of project management, that many organisations don’t fully get to grips with, is transitioning the project into business as usual. If a new project feels dumped onto employees, without careful and transparent integration, it creates chaos, duplication of effort, people not working as a team and pointing the finger at each other, when things go wrong. Suppliers, too, must be fully made aware of how a new way of working fits in with them.
Working with clients we can tie all the various factors together to make sure that any project has a high success factor within any public sector organisation.
After the implementation of the new target operating model for our council client, our training has equipped the team with the key tools needed to self-manage projects sufficiently going forward. These include stakeholder mapping tools, planning tools, budget trackers and risk and issues management tools.
Public sector organisations need to make sure that everyone involved in the delivery of projects is trained in a methodology, like Flowlio’s, so they don’t work in silos, overlapping and bumping up against others’ efforts and creating risk for an organisation and the people they employ and serve.
Flowlio’s Ofqual government-accredited training course and our new end-to-end SaaS solution give people an overview and visibility on projects, right across the board. There are no hiding places for people not performing or engaging with an initiative.
People must have the right tools to develop and implement projects. They need to be prepared for any potential changes in work methods. Giving staff the tools they need to deliver successful projects is vital, we’ve seen many projects fail due to inadequate systems and information not being available, poor audit trails and single points of failure. It’s important to get access to the right information, in one place, and have a high-level overview and a detailed view of project performance. Our SaaS solution provides just that and more, it’s an enterprise-wide solution with end-to-end workflow and alerting, enabling teams to deliver joined-up change projects.
Having the right tools and systems enable people to do things quickly, because they strip out bureaucracy. They help avoid mission creep and allow project teams to deliver and close projects effectively. Our portfolio manager and performance dashboards provide visibility and transparency of project performance, helping senior leaders to make informed decisions, and Flowlio’s benefits recognition tool clearly shows senior leaders the worth of an initiative.
Project management can be a costly headache in large, complicated public sector bodies. But with software and training solutions from companies like Flowlio, it doesn’t have to be.
For more information about Flowlio’s project-management SaaS, training solutions visit www.flowlio.co.uk
Lincolnshire County Council (LLC) needed to improve and expedite its operational and financial highways management processes, from initial defect reporting through to completion confirmation of the final repair.
Over five years, the council saved more than £1.5m after using Confirm to replace old office systems.
The council also saved more than £3m of non-cash related savings due to improved efficiencies of its operations.
The use of Confirm Connect enables highways inspectors’ maintenance teams to spend longer in the field, without returning to the office between jobs to complete paperwork.
Case study:
Highways Officers can allocate resources to each reported issue while having insight into ongoing and future projects.
Lincolnshire County Council has reported both time and resource savings when carrying out maintenance and repairs since adopting the new reporting system, from Brightly, a Siemens company.
Richard Fenwick
The enquiry form system, within Brightly’s Confirm asset management solution for local government, allows Highways Officers in Lincolnshire to address reports made by the public by creating forward planning briefs (FPB).
FPB lists are automatically updated in the system, which streamlines the resource management process and ensures that issues are resolved in a timely manner.
How it works
Members of the public in Lincolnshire are able to report road-related issues – for example, potholes, flooding or a fallen tree – to the council. Highways Officers in Lincolnshire County Council can then create FPBs to set up a job for each reported issue. FPBs enable job timeframes and budgets to be allocated to a job and the system issues task orders to contractors who will execute the repairs. FPBs also enable the council to efficiently store vast amounts of information about jobs in a centralised system, including where and when they are taking place, and the completion status.
Richard Fenwick, Head of Highways Asset Management at Lincolnshire County Council, explains: “When a job gets raised, we calculate target costs for our service team. When the job is completed, we can look back and compare the estimate against what it ended up costing.”
He adds that when a FPB has been set up, an action officer (for example, a Highways Officer) is assigned, and they can set and update the job status according to its progress.
Confirm’s enquiry form system allows jobs to be viewed and filtered according to their status, date, priority level and electoral division, and it provides a visual map view showing the location of upcoming projects. Job information, as well as the map, can be viewed by all users of the system within the council, for example, Highways Officers. It can be shared with teams within the council who are not linked to the highways management team, as well as external parties, such as contractors, thanks to Confirm’s capability to integrate with numerous other software such as Power BI.
New and improved approach
Lincolnshire County Council started using Confirm for its asset management in 2010 and a few years ago, it rolled out the FPB system to centralise information about ongoing and future jobs, as well as improving collaboration.
Fenwick explains: “Before we started using enquiry forms for our ongoing and future schemes, job information was stored in spreadsheets – typically one per team. This meant that within a certain area, the Programme Leader for carriageways, the Surfaces Treatments Manager and the Highways Manager would each have a spreadsheet of schemes. If a local manager wanted to know what was happening in that area, they would have to ask and review each of those spreadsheets.”
The new approach, he says, is more efficient and consistent, saving the council more than £1.5m over five years.
It ensures that only one job per issue is reported, rather than duplicates. For example, if a pothole is reported and an FPB is created for it, officers and contractors will see it in the system and will be aware that it’s being resolved.
“The more areas using one source of truth, the better,” says Fenwick.
Efficiency first
The new system hugely saves on time, because officers and/or contractors in the field can view and update jobs on-site – with a phone or tablet, for example – and seamlessly move between jobs, rather than having to report to an office after each one to update relevant paperwork. The map view also enhances the logistics of repairs by enabling jobs to be addressed in order, based on proximity. For example, pot holes can be repaired from East to West of a route, rather than in no particular order.
Fenwick says: “We’ve had examples of people reporting a pothole in the morning and it’s been repaired before the end of the day. In cases like that, a Highways Officer was working in close proximity to the reported issue; they’ve been instantly notified of it and have been able to take care of it later that day.”
Fenwick says a key benefit of Confirm is its capability to be tailored to meet the needs of Lincolnshire County Council’s highways management team. Indeed, this particular system was purpose-built to enable better monitoring of current and future jobs, as well as related resource planning, yet other local authorities in the UK are using the software differently.
Fenwick says: “It’s a tool that is flexible enough to be shaped around the needs of us and our contractors. It’s a comprehensive, data-driven solution with a user-friendly interface that enables information to be viewed and extracted easily.”
Looking forward, Lincolnshire County Council is working with Brightly to enhance the system by enabling it to show logged jobs as far three years in advance. This will enable Highways Officers to better manage their resources – including budgets – across longer time periods.
Ultimately, by continuing to respond to reports in a timely and cost-efficient manner, Lincolnshire County Council is further improving the public’s trust in its capabilities, while a facilitating safe, thriving community.
Do you want to revolutionise your asset management? Click hereto learn more
OggaDoon, the leading Bristol-based PR agency, has shared highlights from their time working with the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and Logiq Consulting where they provided marketing and PR services to launch Secure by Design, UK Defence’s new approach to cyber security risk management. The collaboration saw OggaDoon research and produce a complex marketing and communications strategy to initiate cultural and behavioural change. This was followed through execution across the MOD generating substantial awareness and recognition and recall of Secure by Design, as project teams and leads adopted the new approach to reduce cyber vulnerabilities and increase resilience to attacks.
Secure by Design in Defence is the latest element in the UK Government’s adoption of early cyber risk identification and protection across its departments. For UK Defence and its supply chain, this heralds a purposeful shift from accreditation to ongoing self-assessment, moving cyber risk management into daily habitual activity. Secure by Design in Health, Secure by Design in Consumer Connectable Products and Secure by Design in the Cabinet Office are Government-led programmes that build towards a cyber-secure future for the UK.
OggaDoon was appointed in early 2022 to build a marketing programme that would reach people across all levels by utilising a multi-channel, multi-layered approach using shared key messages adapted to segmented audiences. With the MOD being a complex organisation with many levels and a myriad of stakeholders, information needed to be clear in catering to both military and civilian personnel to deliver awareness of this transformational shift in the organisation’s approach to cyber security.
Running alongside the development of the Secure by Design process, tooling and governance led by Logiq Consulting, the marketing communications plan was curated with audience engagement, research and testing over 15 months before the launch in July 2023. The launch and subsequent campaign combined strong, persistent internal communications and marketing, with external PR and media coverage as well as third-party event participation.
Internal to the MOD’s large headcount, OggaDoon, supported by Logiq Consulting, delivered regular communications including Lunch and Learns, Defnet articles, Secure by Design portal content, and weekly and monthly newsletter contributions. These were augmented with Defnet blogs, Town Hall sessions, an MOD-wide All Hands briefing, an All Questions session, an episode for the Cyber Confident podcast, 5+ case studies, 5+ fact sheets, 12+ articles for internal magazines/platforms, participation in internal cyber and security days, and a MODNET splash screen amongst other activities. OggaDoon was instructive in the inception of the Secure by Design portal (produced by Logiq Consulting). The Bristol PR firm also created the Secure by Design Working Comms Group which brought together communication leads from across the Frontline Commands and Top Level Budget holders.
Caroline Macdonald, CEO of OggaDoon, said:
“We used our experience of working with complex organisational structures to deliver effective marketing and communications for the launch of Secure by Design. It was a complicated process, keeping in mind the multiple organisations within the MOD and the sheer number of people employed.
“Following the initial launch, we continued to maintain the concentrated awareness marketing as we progressed throughout the organisation. At the same time, we started to deliver specific messaging about the finer details of Secure by Design, while adapting our content to suit the type of audience groups we were targeting.
“It’s been fantastic to see MOD teams and the UK Defence supply chain across all levels embrace this dynamic change. For over 15 years, we have helped public sector organisations and primes to implement change management using effective marketing and communications that connect with their intended audiences. Sometimes it can feel like an impossible task, yet it is achievable with good planning and steady execution.”
Following the official launch in 2023 for all new projects, Secure by Design is now embedded into the organisation with the transition ongoing until 2026. As of March 2024, over 200 projects have registered and started this adoption. The MOD is recognised for Secure by Design by the supply chain and other public sector departments as leading the way. 1,500 people attended the Lunch and Learn sessions to learn more about Secure by Design principles. In terms of PR, the content generated 20 articles, equating to 1,000,000 total monthly unique users. Now, it is part of the discussion with everyone talking about it.
More than 2,000 devices reported lost or stolen across seven government departments in 2023
Apricorn, the leading manufacturer of software-free, 256-bit AES XTS hardware-encrypted USB drives, has today announced findings from annual Freedom of Information (FoI) responses into data breaches and device loss within government departments. The results highlight an alarming number of customers potentially affected by breaches declared to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) by the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) during 2023.
HMRC noted that the number of customers potentially affected by the 18 breach reports on notifiable incidents disclosed to the ICO totalled 10,209. This is concerning given the sensitivity of the data that HMRC houses which ranges from personally identifiable information (PII) to financial data concerning tax, benefits and pensions which could pose a significant risk if it should fall into the wrong hands.
Worryingly, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), which declared 19 breaches in 2021 and just nine in 2022, disclosed a colossal 278 breaches in 2023. This marks a huge increase on previous years and implies that standards are slipping and that there’s work to be done in securing data.
Other departments disclosing data breaches included the House of Commons which experienced 41 data breaches in total and the House of Lords which disclosed eight Near Misses (where there may be no evidence that data has been accessed inappropriately) Losses and Breaches. Of these eight incidents, one was recorded as a Loss and one as a Breach.
“Government departments will inevitably fall victim to data breaches due to the valuable data they handle, but it’s positive to see these breaches being rightfully declared to the ICO. However, the effects and repercussions for the government departments and their customers could be hugely detrimental. With so much at risk, a back-to-basics approach may well be required to establish how so many breaches are slipping the net”, said Jon Fielding, Managing Director, EMEA Apricorn.
Breaches aside, of the 15 departments questioned, nine declared the loss and theft of multiple organisational devices. The HMRC again tipped the scale, having reported 1015 lost and stolen devices, including 583 mobiles, 428 tablets and four USBs. Somewhat more than the 635 that went amiss in 2022, 346 in 2020 and 375 in 2019. A significant number of the reported phone losses were, however, the result of an internal audit of legacy phones that had been replaced with newer models.
Amongst others, the Ministry of Justice misplaced 653, the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero – 122, the Department for Education (DfE) – 78, Home Office – 153, House of Commons – 65, and Department for Science, Innovation and Technology – 54.
“The number of devices being lost or stolen within these departments is huge and whilst they are all encrypted, it’s important that they have robust back-up plans in place. This is particularly prudent in the throes of a ransomware attack which is highly plausible with such sensitive data at play. Ensuring they have at least three copies of data, on at least two different media, with at least one copy held offsite is a must. Equally, the recovery process must also be rigorously and regularly tested to ensure full data restoration can be achieved effectively,” added Fielding.
An HMRC spokesperson told GPSJ: “Security and privacy are at the heart of our work as we deal with tens of millions of customers every year.
“We take quick action to deactivate any lost or stolen devices and investigate all security incidents, taking steps to reduce future recurrences.”
Background
All HMRC standard issue devices are encrypted to HMG standards, and they are all deactivated remotely once they have been reported lost or stolen.
We constantly monitor and review our security measures, strengthening them where required.
Furthermore, HMRC staff are required to report all lost or stolen HMRC IT devices as security incidents and all security incidents are investigated. After the loss / theft has been reported, IT devices are sometimes subsequently located and recovered.
About the FoI Requests
The research was conducted through Freedom of Information requests submitted through Whatdotheyknow.com. The requests, submitted between February and April 2024, along with the successful responses can be found here.
ScottishHealth Secretary announces additional £100,000 for the initiative.
A programme which uses football to promote mental health and wellbeing has received additional funding from Scottish Government.
The Changing Room – Extra Time initiative has been awarded £100,000 for a fourth year.
It builds on The Changing Room – a 12-week programme which takes place at football stadiums across Scotland and supports men to open up as they participate in walking football games, stadium tours, pitch-side walks and talks from a motivational speaker.
Extra Time aims to give people the chance to speak in more depth about their mental wellbeing and explore areas which are giving them particular challenges or concerns.
The programme is delivered by SAMH (Scottish Action for Mental Health) in partnership with the SPFL Trust and associated community trusts at Aberdeen (AFC Community Trust), Rangers (Rangers Charity Foundation), Heart of Midlothian (Big Hearts) and Hibernian (Hibernian Community Foundation) football clubs.
Health Secretary Neil Gray, who visited the initiative at Pittodrie, home of Aberdeen FC as part of Mental Health Awareness Week, said:
“We know that it’s never been more important to look after our physical and mental wellbeing. It is pleasing to see this initiative go into its fourth year and to hear that is really is making a difference to people’s lives.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to talk about how we are feeling and this project has really helped people open up about their mental health.”
Billy Watson, Chief Executive at SAMH said:
“The Changing Room – Extra Time project changes lives. It builds confidence, helps get relationships on the right track and it has even saved lives.
“Football and mental health are a great match. What this project shows is that football fans are not just comfortable talking about their mental health, they’re really keen to do so – as long as it’s in the right place. The Changing Room – Extra Time is the right place and we’re really grateful that the Scottish Government has agreed to continue to fund it.”
Kyle Hewitt, 37, from Dyce attended Changing Room Extra Time at Aberdeen FC and said:
“I grew up aware of mental health and its potential impacts on people and those around them because of my own experience. But sometimes I didn’t feel like I had the ability to face the world. I had low moments as a parent and a husband, I wasn’t always nice to be around and I could be hyper-critical of myself.
“Then I embarked on a journey through Extra Time with like-minded men and amazing facilitators from SAMH. I realised I had been deflecting, avoiding and bottling things up. I was able to give myself credit for what I was doing. I also became more resilient and better at creating positive habits and finding ways to change my outlook and mind-set. I have thrived as a result.”
Aberdeen Community Trust Chief Executive, Liz Bowie said:
“We are delighted to deliver the Changing Room Extra Time programme at Aberdeen FC Community Trust, working in partnership with SAMH and the SPFL Trust. We have learned so much through the support of SAMH, which has ensured that our staff are appropriately trained and mentored to provide excellent support to the men who participate in this initiative. We have seen amazing results and crucially have watched strong, supportive networks build amongst the participants which extend well beyond the term of the course itself. Football is a force for good and is so powerful in encouraging men to talk and open up to each other in support of their mental wellbeing.”
FourNet becomes the only partner in the UK to earn the top tier accreditation
Digital transformation and customer experience experts, FourNet, have been awarded Platinum Status by NICE, one of the world’s leading CX AI providers.
FourNet is one of just four Solution Providers this year, and the only partner in the UK, to earn the top tier accreditation, which is part of NICE’s Partner Programme.
Globally, only 14 companies across all partner types have reached NICE Platinum Status this year.
“Being a Platinum Partner brings with it a range of positive benefits for both our companies. We look forward to continuing to grow together, and to benefit our customers as a result.”
“Our partnership with FourNet is a great example of what it means to partner for success. Working with FourNet to deliver best in class solutions brings benefits for both of our customer bases,” said Darren Rushworth, President, NICE International.
“We are thrilled to be able to award them with Platinum Partner status, which is a significant milestone.”
Both businesses have recently been engaged in a customer experience project for UK dementia charity, Alzheimer’s Society, which is expected to transform the organisation’s dementia support services and fundraising capabilities.
“Achieving Platinum Status is a very strong indication of the incredibly important working partnership FourNet has with NICE,” said Richard Pennington, FourNet CEO.
The contact centre solution has been tailor-made to ensure best-in-class support for people living with dementia, with key input to the design from people with lived experience through Dementia Voice, Alzheimer Society specialists and their Dementia Friends programme.
Award-winning FourNet is one of the fastest growing privately owned technology companies in the UK, providing communications, cloud, contact centre, managed service and secure infrastructure solutions to a broad range of enterprise and public sector organisations.
With offices in Manchester and Derby, FourNet works with some of the most critical and secure organisations in the UK, including more than 30 UK Government departments and agencies, as well as emergency services and local authorities.
The Institute of Economic Development (IED), the UK’s leading independent professional body representing economic development and regeneration practitioners working for local and regional communities, has launched its Early Career Network: a dedicated platform to enable those in the early stages of their economic development careers to connect and collaborate.
The network’s mission is to create a pool of resources to help members’ progress their careers and build their knowledge of the opportunities available within the economic development industry via networking events, accessible channels of communication, and other activities including talks with experts on economic development.
As well as a dedicated on LinkedIn group, meetings will typically run on a monthly basis and take place online. These meetings will be accessible via a link shared exclusively to members in the network’s WhatsApp group chat, and include:
‘Talks with experts’ – a series of interview-style sessions with speakers from the economic development sector, as suggested by members of the network.
Spotlight sessions – where members of the network take time out of the meeting to explain and describe what their day-to-day roles consist of, as well as sharing industry and events information. This will allow for networking and further understanding of the opportunities within the sector.
Bi-weekly admin meetings – run by a core group of five volunteer members, these meetings will take place to enable the ongoing running of the network and for members to touch base if they would like to. This group, which will rotate, will also own communications platforms and publish content.
Micaela Benvenuto, an Economic Development Consultant at Mickledore, is one of the volunteer members driving the network.
“We are really excited to launch the Early Career Network, which brings a valuable opportunity to connect with others in the early stages of their economic development career, and already we have 40 members,” she said. “Not only will members gain on-the-ground industry insights from other members, they will be able to expand their professional network which could lead to new business partnerships and/or potential career opportunities. Members can also build their personal brands and professional credibility by being a part of a network affiliated with a well-renowned organisation such as the IED.
“From my perspective, it is helping me to explore different areas of economic development and connect with peers of the sector to understand how we can better partner up to intervene in ways that may produce positive outcomes.”
The network is open to anyone who is a member of the IED and in their early stages of their economic development career or aspiring to join the sector, including students. Those who do not hold an IED membership but are interested in joining the network are encouraged to communicate with admin@ied.co.uk and attend one of the network’s meetings and/or be co-opted into the group for an agreed period of time.
Claire Hill, Economic Growth Officer at West Lindsey Council, told GPSJ: “Having worked across the private, not-for-profit and public sectors, I have arrived in economic development later than others. The professional networks I have already established are outside of this area of work. The Early Career Network therefore seemed an ideal opportunity to connect with others in a similar position, and further my understanding of the wider work happening in this field.”
“I am excited by the opportunities this network brings, especially in terms of learning from my industry peers and staying up-to-date with the latest developments,” added MartinOwen, Planning/Regeneration Consultant at BE Group.
IED Executive Director Nigel Wilcock commented: “The Early Career Network is a fantastic initiative to unite professionals in the early stages of their career across the economic development sector. It is built very much on the principle of co-creation between members of the network, and we are excited by its potential to inform and inspire the progression of up-and-coming economic development professionals.”
More information about the Early Career Network, and its membership, can be found here.
With nearly 1,400 IED members overall, professionals are drawn from the public sector (local authorities, universities and government departments) and the private sector (consultancies supporting economic development in its widest sense). For higher education the IED offers student membership for full or part-time students working towards a qualification in a relevant discipline but who are not in employment.
Procurement organisation and social enterprise Fusion21 has announced the renewal of its national Materials Supply and Associated Services Framework, worth up to £250 million over four years, and is now inviting bids from interested suppliers providing regional or national coverage.
Designed to supply construction materials to housing providers, as well as the wider public sector, managing the delivery of repairs and maintenance works, the framework can accommodate multi-year contracts and will provide access to all goods required throughout the property life cycle.
Offering innovation in technology and service delivery solutions, and a new lot for ‘Adapted and Accessible Living’, the framework will assist members in achieving greater operational efficiencies, in addition to improving first-time fix performance.
Split into a total of 6 lots, the structure is:
Lot 1 General Building Materials
Lot 2 Electrical
Lot 3 Plumbing and Heating
Lot 4 Managed Services
Lot 5 Kitchens
Lot 6 Adapted and Accessible Living
Peter Francis, Group Executive Director (Operations) at Fusion21 told GPSJ: “In response to member and supplier feedback, our streamlined offer launches in September 2024, enabling the housing and wider public sector to manage built assets effectively, while enhancing business performance.
“The renewal of the framework includes both energy-efficient and net-zero products and can implement contracts that support innovation and net-zero ambitions, having a positive impact on communities and the wider environment.
“Providing a compliant framework, the refreshed offer has a variety of cost models and flexible call-off options and as with all of Fusion21’s frameworks, the Materials Supply and Associated Services Framework will help members to deliver social value they can see in communities, aligned with their organisational priorities.”
Tender applications are welcome from interested organisations that meet the criteria set out in the tender documentation, now available on the Delta e-Sourcing Portal via the following link: hubs.li/Q02wm2190
The submission deadline is Friday 14 June 2024 at 10am.
UK trade association AXREM and health tech specialist agency Highland Marketing have formed a new partnership, to help support a sector that serves vital healthcare services.
Sally Edgington
AXREM represents member companies that collectively provide UK hospitals with most of their diagnostic medical imaging technology, and radiotherapy equipment.
Mark Venables
The association has seen substantial growth in recent years, with membership also including suppliers of health IT, AI and care equipment such as patient monitors. AXREM helps to facilitate cross industry dialogue on key issues affecting the sector.
Highland’s team has extensive experience building brands and telling stories for health technology providers of all sizes. It has generated substantial media attention for the sector and has created countless headlines that demonstrate the positive impact of technologies within healthcare.
Highland Marketing has become highly regarded as a champion of the health tech sector for more than two decades. The agency provides a full range of communications, content, marketing, research, and consultancy services, complemented by an influential advisory board with NHS CIO, CNIO and CCIO experience.
The new partnership will help to combine and leverage expertise across the two organisations, including the delivery of a webinar series around marketing best practice in the industry for AXREM members.
Sally Edgington, AXREM’s CEO, said: “Our members work closely with radiologists, radiographers, oncologists, and many other healthcare professionals throughout the UK to deliver technologies that make a meaningful difference to patient care. They have a powerful story to tell, and a great deal of expertise in areas of healthcare that are currently undergoing significant transformation. I look forward to working closely with Highland Marketing, who will no doubt have many valuable insights to share with our membership.”
Mark Venables, CEO for Highland Marketing, said: “The UK’s health tech sector is a thriving marketplace that plays a significant role in supporting the NHS and UK healthcare more widely. AXREM has built a strong reputation and represents a focussed and important part of that market – which we have already been fortunate to support. We look forward to collaborating and sharing expertise to help to spread the story even further.”
Ahead of the BBQ and campfire season, Bar-Be-Quick, the UK’s pioneer of the instant barbecue, has created a nationwide BBQ and Campfire Safety Code to ensure people can enjoy cooking outside safely.
Local Authorities across the country have their own legislation to deter people from using barbecues or campsites in areas of high risk—for example, moorland. In recent years, due to climate change, the UK has seen hotter and drier summers, which have been a tinder box when people think they know about fire safety but are unsure about best practices.
Caroline Morris from Bar-Be-Quick says, “Outdoor living is super popular in the UK—in recent years, there has been a boom in consumer spending on little outdoor havens for entertaining and living. Whilst we want people to enjoy outdoor dining, it is all of our responsibilities to equip the consumer with the education needed to minimise error.”
Preventing fires from BBQ and campfire use is crucial to ensuring a fun and worry-free experience. Bar-Be-Quick has launched a BBQ and Campfire Safety Code this month to educate people across the UK about the dangers of using instant barbecues and campfires in the countryside or a park, on a beach—and even at home.
The Bar-Be-Quick BBQ and Campfire Safety Code is available to consumers on its packaging, website and social media channels. A PDF copy is also downloadable for its website [insert link] for local authorities to post on websites and community notice boards.
BBQ and Campfire Safety Code
Choosing the Right Spot for Your BBQ or Campfire
Identifying an appropriate location is vital for the safe enjoyment of BBQs and campfires. Ideally, choose a level area, ensuring it has no potential fire hazards such as dry grass, bushes, or low-hanging branches. Proximity to flammable materials can quickly escalate a controlled fire into a dangerous situation. If your chosen venue has designated BBQ spots, it’s important to utilise these facilities, as they are designed to mitigate risks associated with open fires.
Adhering to any local regulations or signage regarding fire use will also help prevent accidental damage to natural surroundings or incurring penalties.
By selecting an optimal spot, you contribute to the safety and enjoyment of your outdoor cooking experience.
Preparing for Safe BBQ Use and Campfire Management
Before lighting your BBQ or campfire, taking precautionary measures is essential to prevent potential fires. It is recommended that emergency extinguishing methods be used at hand, such as a bucket, bottle of water, or fire extinguisher. When using a disposable BBQ, it is crucial to place it on a stable, non-flammable surface and to follow the provided safety instructions. Avoid using accelerants like lighter fluid, which pose a significant risk of causing uncontrollable flare-ups. Additionally, ensuring your cooking area is free of debris and combustible materials will protect against unexpected fires. These preparatory measures are essential in creating a safe environment for outdoor cooking adventures.
Lighting Your BBQ or Campfire Safely
Approaching the task of lighting your BBQ or campfire with caution is essential. Use extended matches or a specialised BBQ lighter to initiate the flame, ensuring your face and hands are kept at a safe distance to avoid burns. If constructing a campfire, start with smaller kindling and progressively add larger logs as the fire stabilises, building it up slowly. Never leaving the fire unattended once lit is important – vigilance is critical to a safe barbecue or campfire experience. Moreover, maintaining a perimeter that keeps children and pets well away from the heat source is a crucial safety measure.
Monitoring and Controlling the Fire
Vigilance is crucial once your barbecue or campfire is alight. Continuously monitor the flames, being prepared to adjust the air reaching the fire to keep it under control. It’s essential to resist the temptation to overload the campfire with excess fuel, as this can rapidly escalate into a dangerous situation. When the flames become unexpectedly vigorous or show signs of spreading, it’s essential to act swiftly, utilising water or a fire extinguisher to douse them. This proactive approach ensures that the fire remains manageable throughout its use, contributing significantly to a safe and enjoyable outdoor cooking experience. Remember, effective fire control ensures your safety and the surrounding environment, helping to prevent the increased risk of fires during hot weather.
Extinguishing Your BBQ or Campfire Properly
Ensuring that your barbecue or campfire is entirely extinguished is crucial in practising safe BBQ use and preserving the natural environment. Begin by allowing the flames to reduce to a low glow, which indicates that the fire is nearing a state where it can be safely managed. Proceed to gently douse the embers with water, doing this slowly to avoid creating steam or scattering ash. Stirring the ashes thoroughly is essential, exposing any hidden pockets of heat that could reignite. Add water and stir until you are confident that the embers are cool. It’s essential to ascertain that no warmth emanates from the remains, as even the slightest heat can be a catalyst for another fire. Before leaving the site, ensure that all residual materials are disposed of appropriately, according to local guidelines, to mitigate further environmental risk. Most instant barbecues are recyclable and reusable.
Leaving No Trace Behind
Ensuring that the picnic areas remain as clear and tidy as when you arrived is a crucial aspect of responsible outdoor cooking. Any refuse generated from your BBQ or campfire activities, including food remnants, packaging, and disposable BBQs, should be cleared away. Proper disposal of leftover charcoal or ashes is equally important; they must be cooled thoroughly before being safely discarded to prevent any risk of reigniting.
It’s essential to take any rubbish with you until you find disposal facilities, as leaving rubbish behind detracts from the area’s natural beauty and could contribute to environmental damage or pose a fire hazard.
By adopting a conscientious attitude towards cleanup, you safeguard the environment and ensure it remains enjoyable for future visitors.
Practising this BBQ and Campfire Safety Code will ensure outdoor eating can be done safely while minimising our impact on the environment. This will allow us all to enjoy outdoor living without a detrimental footprint.
With Mental Health Awareness Week started, senior leaders and mental health experts have joined forces to launch the Trauma Toolkit for Teachers, a comprehensive resource aimed at helping schools support students through trauma-informed teaching strategies.
With a staggering 500,000 children in the UK currently waiting for mental health support, the need for early intervention and trauma-responsive approaches has never been more critical.
Erin Docherty, National Mental Health Lead for Oasis, highlights the importance of early intervention and trauma-responsive approaches, quoting Desmond Tutu: “We must move from being trauma-informed to being trauma-responsive. Early intervention is crucial at every level. It’s the difference between securing a life where young people thrive as opposed to watching them just survive.
Patrick Ottley-O’Connor, Leadership Consultant & Coach, echoes this sentiment “We must encourage, engage & empower all children & young people to see and own their own mental health & wellbeing reality, before finding solutions (with support) and then taking action to improve things for themselves to build positive emotional, social, communication, and thinking skills and behaviours to adapt.”
The Trauma Toolkit for Teachers aims to address the pressing need for support in schools by providing educators with practical strategies and resources to recognise and respond to trauma effectively. Laura Tristram, drawing from her experience as a teacher and mother, spearheaded the initiative to empower teachers to foster resilience and wellbeing among their students.
Laura, Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead at Lumii expressed concern over the increasing mental health challenges faced by young people, particularly in the post-pandemic era. “We must move from being trauma-informed to being trauma-responsive,” she said, “Early intervention is crucial at every level; it’s the difference between watching young people just survive or thrive.”
“Trauma is like being chased by a tiger; our goal is to equip teachers with the tools they need to understand, recognise, and adapt their teaching to support traumatised students effectively,” added Laura.
With contributions from professionals in the field, The Trauma Toolkit has developed in collaboration with leading experts, including Laura Tristram, Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead at Lumii, Emma Loker, Adolescent Psychotherapeutic Counsellor, and Erin Docherty, National Mental Health Lead for Oasis Community Learning, Cathy Davies, Executive Headteacher, Rachel Jones, Headteacher andAndrewCowley, Wellbeing educator, speaker and author, offers insights into understanding trauma, recognising its signs, and implementing trauma-informed practices in the classroom.
The Trauma Toolkit for Teachers addresses the intersection of trauma and learning differences, provides strategies for educators to create safe and supportive learning environments, and emphasises the role of trauma-informed teaching in enhancing academic success and emotional wellbeing.
The Trauma Toolkit for Teachers is a collaborative effort aimed at equipping educators with the knowledge and resources to support students’ mental health and wellbeing effectively.
For further information or to download the Trauma Toolkit for Teachers, please visit:
Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust has successfully implemented Alcidion’s Miya Precision platform to streamline bed management workflow across seven community hospitals in Worcestershire. The trust delivers community nursing and therapy services within the county, as well as being the main provider of mental health and learning disability services across Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
The trust recognised the need to transform bed management processes within its community hospitals by implementing an electronic patient flow solution to reduce the volume of manual administration tasks, such as phone calls and emails. The implementation of Alcidion’s patient flow solution gives the organisation a real-time view of bed capacity, pending discharges, and discharge activity tracking to coordinate and support a safe and effective discharge process.
The trust is pursuing a staged approach to this transformation, starting with the implementation of Miya Precision, which will provide a trust-wide orchestration layer, seamlessly integrating clinical and patient data with its existing PAS system via the FHIR standard.
With this platform in place, phase one focussed on delivering the foundation for a new bed management workflow across community hospital wards. The platform module, Miya Flow, facilitates real-time monitoring of patient movement via electronic journey boards, empowering the trust’s staff to proactively identify bottlenecks. Miya Access was also implemented and takes advantage of clinical data to optimise bed allocation decisions, further enhancing the patient journey.
Kath Stanbra, associate director of County Wide Community Services said: “The implementation of Alcidion’s bed management solution has been positively received by staff working on the wards. A benefit of note has been the real time visibility and enhanced operational oversight of the patients journey from admission to planning a safe and effective discharge.
“The support provided by Alcidion throughout the roll-out has been exceptional. The company’s project manager and team worked in partnership with us to tailor a solution and system processes; resulting in the seamless implementation of our new patient-flow system.”
Phase two, in the planning stage, will optimise and expand on the current functionality to include Miya Command and Alcidion’s Patientrack electronic observation and early warning system (e-Obs). The trust’s vision is to provide a seamless transition for nurses to navigate between Miya Flow and NEWS2 observation capture via Patientrack.
Building off the previously implemented modules, Miya Command displays the expected demand in the context of available resources. This graphical real-time visualisation will immediately highlight potential constraints.
Alcidion managing director Kate Quirke commented, “The transition from manual administration tasks to Alcidion’s Miya Precision has empowered staff with trust-wide visibility into capacity, facilitating proactive bottleneck identification and efficient patient flow management. We are delighted to witness the positive impact of Precision on enhancing patient care delivery at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust.”
By Jan de Graaf (Signify), Francesco Martini (Inventronics) and Carsten Moellers (Green Gems)
Zhaga enables luminaire manufacturers to design serviceable indoor luminaires with replaceable components that prolong their useful life, contributing to a circular economy.
In the pursuit of sustainability, the lighting industry is undergoing a profound transformation, driven by the imperative to embrace circularity. As the world’s demand for energy-efficient lighting solutions continues to soar, the need for serviceable indoor luminaires has never been more pressing. Zhaga, a pioneering consortium, is at the forefront of this paradigm shift, revolutionizing the way indoor lighting systems are designed, manufactured, and utilized.
Zhaga’s mission is clear: to enable luminaire manufacturers to create serviceable indoor luminaires with replaceable components, thus prolonging their useful life and contributing to a circular economy. This commitment to serviceability aligns seamlessly with the ethos of the Right to Repair movement, which advocates for the repairability of consumer goods across various industries, including lighting.
Zhaga Book 26
Legislators and decision-makers worldwide are recognizing the pivotal role of serviceability in advancing the circular economy. For example, in Europe, the “Single Lighting Regulation” is in force, setting product design requirements pushing the move to a circular economy. The published provisional agreement of the” Ecodesign for Sustainable Product Regulation (ESPR)“ looks to require that lighting products be designed to not only be more reliable, with a longer lifetime and contain more recyclable material, but also be easier, upgrade and repair. Additionally, it is expected, the future review of the so called “Single Lighting Regulation”, will set additional resource efficiency requirements for lighting products, concerning the removability and exchangeability of light sources and control gears.
Enter Zhaga’s concept of ‘circularity lighting’—a holistic approach that emphasizes enhanced serviceability through modular design and standardized component interfaces. Zhaga achieves this through a series of specifications known as ‘Books,’ each defining the interface of specific LED luminaire components. From LED modules and sensors to communication modules and control gear, Zhaga Books lay the foundation for a new era of serviceable indoor lighting.
Among the key Zhaga Books driving this transformation are Books 7, 14, and the upcoming Book 26. Book 7 delineates a family of linear and square LED modules suitable for indoor lighting applications, offering maximum design freedom while ensuring ease of installation and maintenance. Book 14, recognized meanwhile as IEC Standard 63356-1, focuses on a family of flat, linear, socketable LED light sources that are suitable for low-profile linear lighting. Book 26, on the other hand, defines a cost-effective interface for replaceable linear LED modules, facilitating plug-and-play interoperability and late-stage configuration.
Also relevant to indoor lighting is Book 20, which, together with D4i certification by the DALI Alliance, defines a smart interface between an indoor LED luminaire and a sensing and / or communication modules. The node connects to the LED driver and control system, and typically can provide sensory inputs or enable communication between network components. These nodes can be installed and replaced in the field.
Two other Zhaga Books that are relevant to the serviceability of indoor luminaires are 24 and 25, both of which deal with Near Field Communication (NFC) technology. The extremely short-range wireless communication standard allows manufacturers to configure such lighting components as LED drivers to their specifications, both before and after installation – which can play an important role in enabling circularity lighting.
NFC also lets you manage data over the luminaire’s entire lifecycle, from production to installation, maintenance, replacement and repair. Having such lifecycle data not only helps increase efficiency, it also promotes products that use a modular design and that can be easily repaired and upgraded.
The diagram illustrates how various Zhaga Books contribute to the serviceability of LED drivers, modules and sensor and/or communication modules.
The inside of the graphic points to a minimum serviceability while the outside refers to a maximum serviceability.
Minimum serviceability means that the component is replaceable and only that. Maximum serviceability however indicates that the component is replaceable, based on a global standard, is plug and play, has a socket, and in case of a driver is programmable with NFC.
The benefits of Zhaga’s approach extend beyond manufacturers to encompass stakeholders across the lighting ecosystem. Luminaire manufacturers stand to gain interoperability, access to global markets, and compliance with evolving regulations. City governments and building owners benefit from future-proof investments, while lighting designers and architects enhance their value proposition by recommending circularity-based lighting solutions.
By embracing Zhaga’s vision of circularity lighting, the lighting industry is poised to navigate the challenges of a rapidly changing landscape, characterized by evolving regulations and growing consumer demand for sustainable solutions.
In conclusion, Zhaga’s relentless pursuit of serviceable indoor (and outdoor) luminaires marks a significant milestone in the journey towards a circular future for the lighting industry. By standardizing interfaces and promoting modularity Zhaga is paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient lighting ecosystem.
The Highland Marketing advisory board discussed social care and technology a year into the Covid-19 pandemic. Three years on, there has been progress and set-backs, leaving plenty of questions for an incoming government.
The Highland Marketing advisory board last discussed adult social care in April 2021; a year into the Covid-19 crisis that had demonstrated its value – while highlighting some of its challenges.
The sector had gone into the pandemic facing a chronic shortage of funding and staff, while the Covid-19 response highlighted that care homes and domiciliary providers lacked wi-fi, electronic health records, effective communications, and monitoring technology.
Not enough of the vision thing
When Boris Johnson took over as prime minister, he promised to “fix” the crisis in social care “once and for all.” In December 2021, as his government reluctantly prepared for its third lockdown, it issued a ten-year “vision” for the sector.
‘People at the Heart of Care’ came with a headline pledge that people would no longer need to sell their houses to fund their care, and that £1.5 billion would be invested in housing, workforce and technology. Two years on, the Commons’ public accounts committee found this has fallen well short of a fix.
Days before the advisory board revisited its discussion of social care and technology, the PAC warned the promised funding had been scaled right back and the government no-longer has a roadmap, milestones or targets for the sector after March 2025.
Meanwhile, adult social care now accounts for as much as 70p in every pound of council funding, pushing an increasing number towards bankruptcy. Brexit has not helped vacancy rates, which have reached 152,000. Providers are struggling with the cost of fuel, heating and food. Yet, almost inevitably, demand continues to rise.
Digital social care records: two thirds of the way there
There have been some positives in the past three years. Integrated working is still on the agenda, even if progress has been slow, with NHS England and integrated care systems focused on finances and waiting lists.
The government has launched a plan to develop the domestic care workforce, with a new, accredited qualification, and a career structure with defined job roles. And there has been some progress on digital.
In fact, Claire Smout, head of digital skills at Skills for Care, told the advisory board that the £100 million ‘People at the Heart of Care’ earmarked for digital skills and technology is one of the few pots of funding that have not been raided and are still being spent.
The money has gone into three areas, starting with digital social care records. Smout said Care Quality Commission figures suggest “about 67% of care companies now have a digital social care record of some sort.”
Money has also gone into ‘digital readiness’ such as wi-fi provision, cyber security, digital skills and training, and into care tech pilots, ranging from using AI to help with scheduling, to installing Alexa and other voice-activated devices in people’s homes.
Data and interoperability standards
Even so, there’s a lot left to do. There are 18,000 social care providers in England, and while there are some large chains, many are small and simply cannot afford technology. “We’ve got small providers who cannot afford to put the infrastructure in place for digital social care records,” Smout said.
“They struggle to find investment for thewi-fi, or the tablets, never mind the licences. So, over the next two to three years, there’s likely to be a cross-over where we have some care providers that are paper-based and some that have moved on electronically.”
At the same time, the CQC doesn’t have a definition for digital social care record, so it’s not clear what systems that 67% of providers have deployed. Smout’s colleague and advisory board member Jane Brightman said an assurance framework has been developed to address this and drive-up quality.
Poor social care leads to poor healthcare
This will be issued against a background of policy activity to address data quality and interoperability. An updated Care Data Matters strategy has been issued to make sure data can be captured once and used many times.
While, days after the advisory board meeting, the DHSC issued a prior information notice for an interoperability platform and services to share data with health providers and shared care records.
Strategies to recruit, retain, and upskill the workforce
On the training and skills front, Skills for Care has been commissioned to develop a Digital Skills Framework for its sector. Smout said it covers seven areas, ranging from ethics to cyber security and data management.
Each area sets out the skills that anybody working in social care should have, while another sets out the skills that those in more senior positions require. The framework has a learning and development framework attached to it, with a free e-learning platform holding videos and other resources, and a database of training providers.
“The framework has been developed with the sector,” Smout stressed. “It’s very interactive, and it’s not designed to sit there, gathering dust.” Nor is it being developed in isolation from other workforce initiatives. The DHSC is working on a strategy for digital, data and technology (DDaT) staff.
While Skills for Care has been tasked by its sector with developing an adult social care workforce strategy, as the government has not commissioned one.
Brightman said the strategy, which should be published in July, will cover one-to-five years and five to 15 years, so it can address immediate challenges – such as the collapse in apprenticeships – and longer-term ones – like creating new digital roles to support new ways of working.
How far will the money stretch?
With all this going on, it’s clear the digitisation of social care still has some way to go. And advisory board members questioned whether there is the money to do it.
Neil Perry, a consultant and former acute trust chief information officer, noted that £100 million is just 5% of the money the NHS is putting into its frontline digitisation programme to implement and upgrade electronic patient records.
“The breadth of social care, the number of places in which it works, it can’t be any simpler than the NHS, surely?” he mused. “So, the question is: how is that £100 million going to stretch?”
“The positive is that social care is a greenfield,” Brightman said. “We haven’t got some of the structural problems with technology that the NHS has got. “We’re not years down the line with long, unwieldy contracts with our suppliers.”
Having said that, she acknowledged that with 18,000 providers to cover, the government has effectively said: “we can’t do all of it” and: “we can only put a little bit in.” And that will run out at the end of the three-year spending review period next March.
Finding drivers for adoption
Andy Kinnear, another consultant who formerly worked for an NHS commissioning support unit, admired how far that “little bit” had been stretched. “You’re getting these dreadfully meagre crumbs off the table, so the fact that you are still smiling and so positive is an incredible achievement,” he said.
But in the absence of funding, he wondered what other drivers are available. Smout said a lot of impetus will come from the Care Quality Commission, which has issued guidance suggesting providers will need to adopt digital social care records to remain ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’; and instructing them to complete the Data Security Protection Toolkit.
Skills for Care is also looking at how it can drive the skills and training agenda by building these into other frameworks. “The new care qualification, for example, will be available for new staff, so how can we make sure digital skills are embedded into that – and into some of the other mandatory training that people have to do?” she asked.
Finding solutions, engaging policy makers
Both Brightman and Smout stressed that finding practical solutions is essential to keep ministers and Treasury officials on board. “What I have learned is that the government just doesn’t listen if we go in cap in hand, saying social care is a nightmare, and you need to fund this, this and this,” Brightman said. “So, what we’re trying to do is come up with positive solutions they can work with.”
James Norman, a former acute trust CIO who now works on the supplier side, accepted the point, but wondered if things would change with a change of government.“What about Labour,” he asked: “Do they give any indication of funding this?”
Brightman said the party seems to be interested in a National Care Service, but its immediate priorities are likely to be a new offer on pay, to attract and retain more staff, and further investment in digital.
On top of everything else discussed, Kinnear suggested the party should look for ways to commission new, digital models of care and to put care tech into the hands of users, so they can access some of the self-serve functions that have become common in banking, shopping, and other sectors.
“Health has been slow and clumsy to move in that direction, but there must be opportunities to rethink social care in the same way,” he argued. Brightman and Smout said some councils are already talking about a “frank conversation with citizens” about how to share responsibility for health and social care.
Time to tackle funding
Whatever Labour decides on structure, workforce and digital, it will need to address funding. After all, Ian Hogan, CIO at a community and mental health trust pointed out, social care is an investment.
A failing social care sector leads to delayed discharges from hospital, makes it harder for people to return to the workforce, and means people live less full lives than they could. Or, as he summed up: “Poor social care leads to poor healthcare, which has a direct, knock on effect on all of us.”
David Hancock, a consultant who previously worked for major EPR and SCR companies, agreed. “In 2015, [former NHS chief executive] Simon Stevens said that if he had more money, he would put it into social care,” he said. “It didn’t happen then – but it needs to happen now.”
Government Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has called for an urgent rethink of council strategy.
Seen by some of the public sector as a provoking statement, Hunt delivered a bleak explanation of local government and how they manage their resources and funds. Hunt proposes that significant spending cuts should be made on consultants and diversity schemes, asking councils to look at other ways of optimising their resources.
Today, councils have to deliver more for less and face the challenges of navigating post-pandemic deficits but with higher demands for service quality. Hunt’s recent comments have started much-needed discussions about what tomorrow holds for council operations.
As I reflect on my time within service integration and management, I have seen that there are other solutions. Long-term, creating flexible outsourcing models, coupled with Service Integration and Management (SIAM) principles, could offer the solution that councils have been looking for financially and operationally.
In local government, there will always be a clash between existing methods And innovation. Sometimes, this is due to the landscape of fiscal caution and efficiency demands. Hunt’s recent advocacy for radical shifts in council strategies exemplifies this tension. Some view his propositions as a necessary response to financial restrictions; others will see that if they choose to explore, there are other, more innovative approaches for operational excellence.
Jeremy Hunt’s assertive approach and call for fiscal prudence are mistakenly placed. Hunt pushes for a significant reduction in consultant and diversity scheme spending. Hunt’s view is that these measures are indispensable for protecting essential services within local government and ensuring the longevity and sustainability of local government. Hunt’s ideas reinforce the need to investigate fiscal concerns head-on but may not be the most strategic perspective.
Reactive management shifts from one extreme to another In times of crisis, such as the move to complete outsourcing and then a move back to in-house later as full insourcing resumes. But, a more logical and nuanced approach would be to develop a sourcing strategy. This could have built flexibility, with room to scale included. This model allows local government to respond and adapt to the landscape without causing significant disruption.
Suppose we can find a smarter solution that incorporates service integration and management, a move which delivers long-term, flexible outsourcing models, supplemented by adopting Service Integration and Management (SIAM) principles and embedding the role of a service integrator. SIAM principles could balance the needed financial outcomes with the required goals for service delivery and quality efficiency.
This conversation is helpful, highlighting the sometimes challenging decisions facing nationwide councils. While fiscal austerity remains a pressing reality, the SIAM approach could deliver potential strategic investment and innovation dividends. Council leaders find themselves at a crossroads, weighing up short-term cost-cutting measures against the promise of transformative operational strategies. Ultimately, the dialogue sparked by this debate offers councils an opportunity to chart a course that balances fiscal responsibility with innovation, delivering the resilience and sustainability local government needs.
A marketplace of service providers willing to embrace new ways of working at every step of the journey awaits Council leaders willing to look at alternative solutions. This new way of working can create a culture of collaboration with their service providers through agile sourcing and procurement exercises to collaborative operations spanning multiple suppliers. It will foster short-term improvements and the long-term innovation needed for councils to stay ahead.
In this constrained resource landscape, Hunt is correct in that systemic reforms are imperative. But, to realise the benefits of increased efficiency, councils must embrace modernisation, simplification, and digitisation of operational processes. Robust risk management practices are equally essential, ensuring continuity in service delivery despite financial uncertainties. Moreover, councils must reassess their sourcing strategies and vendor management approaches, fostering seamless service integration and effective ongoing vendor management.
To achieve the desired positive outcomes, councils need to adopt robust strategic planning systems, implement effective risk management, and prioritise service integration so councils can navigate financial challenges while delivering essential services for their local communities.
We know that financial challenges stifle innovation, but they can also push forward positive change at the other end of the spectrum. Councils should seize the opportunity to enhance citizen experiences, leveraging data and digitisation to increase transparency and efficiency. A flexible supply network that fits changing circumstances can further support councils’ quest for long-term resilience and sustainability.
Last year, I wrote in GPSJ that the UK must close the IT skills gap if it hopes to become an artificial intelligence (AI) superpower.
Perhaps someone in government took notice. Fast forward to February 2024, and Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan announced a new drive to get young people into IT.
Backed by the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), the Skills Bootcamp campaign is focused on improving five priority skills, covering cloud computing, software development, data and analytics, cybersecurity, and web development.
The thinking behind this scheme is simple. With the demand for cloud and coding skills sky-high, these short courses could help a new generation of young people kickstart a career in technology.
Not only would this boost their job prospects, but it would also help the British tech sector, which is in desperate need of junior staff.
“Whether your personal ambition is to secure a comfy pay packet, land a creative role, solve the world’s most pressing challenges, or all three, the Skills Bootcamps we are promoting today can help you achieve your own career goals while being part of our superpower sector,” Ms. Donelan said in a statement announcing the initiative.
Should potential recruits need an additional sweetener, the announcement mentioned salary expectations for those who finish their training with “average pay packets hitting £70,000 for cloud computing pros”.
IT skills are essential for the future
Make no mistake, the campaign is a good idea. But I do have some reservations, in particular concerning salary. First, there is a danger that some young people may think they can simply walk into a job once they complete the training. Yes, there is a shortage of junior IT staff, but they have to be properly equipped to meet the needs of the workplace.
Second, suppose this initiative is designed to recruit the next generation of IT workers for the public sector. What’s to stop them from hightailing it off to the private sector, where they could easily double their money?
Third, is this merely a one-off programme of events or part of a long-term strategy designed to narrow the skills gap permanently?
Skills training must be part of a long-term plan
Of course, some people may question why the Government is spending money on this now, especially in what is likely to be an election year.
After all, when the Government is under pressure to do so much—everything from increasing health spending to lowering taxes—some may argue that the money allocated to this scheme would be better spent elsewhere.
But as someone who has worked in IT all my life, I view this as an investment in the future and money well spent. And when it comes to closing the skills gap by upskilling the next generation of engineers, developers, and coders, we must do everything we can to attract new talent.
Which is, perhaps, why I was interested to learn that each Bootcamp—made up of courses that last up to 16 weeks each with a guaranteed interview on completion—is open to everyone. Attendees require “no technical knowledge or educational qualifications” to secure a place.
Removing barriers to entry
This is really refreshing. In effect, it’s allowing people to pursue a career in computing even though they may lack a recognised qualification. This reminds me of an approach taken by GCHQ, the government’s intelligence and security agency. In its hunt to recruit the brightest minds, it regularly posts puzzles to test a range of problem-solving skills and spark an interest in their important work.
Rather than rely on academic qualifications to find the best talent, it seeks out candidates who think differently in terms of ‘ingenuity, creativity, and lateral thinking.’ If we are ever to solve the skills gap, it is up to educators who handle students from the earliest ages to recruiters in both the public and private sectors to think outside the box.
By removing the obstacle of needing a qualification and focusing instead on talent and aptitude, the Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology is maximising its reach. With such initiatives, the prospects for IT skills in Britain appear more promising.
Perhaps the UK has the potential to emerge as a force in AI after all.
Recent Comments