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 Blackhawk Network(BHN), the global market leader in payments, rewards and incentives, has been awarded a third Crown Commercial Service Framework. Cyclescheme, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHN, has been approved to join the (CCS) RM6273 Employee Benefits & Services Framework.
With Cyclescheme, the UK’s leading Cycle to Work provider, employees can save up to 42% on a new bike, e-bike or cycling accessories by spreading the cost of their purchases through salary sacrifice. The salary sacrifice is taken from employees’ gross salary before tax, so it’s cost-positive for the employer.
Joining the framework will allow public sector organisations to offer their employees Cyclescheme; with a choice of 2,600 retailers, and a way to save on commuting costs, whilst getting fitter and reducing their carbon footprint via a CCS approved procurement supplier.
Insights from BHN’s recent employee research showed that over three quarters (76%) of employees are looking at ways to save more money, and the majority of employees surveyed thought their employer could do more to support them through the cost-of-living crisis (53%).
 Chris Ronald, VP EMEA, B2B – Incentives, Rewards & Benefits, BHN, said: “As the leading Cycle to Work provider we are proud to have been selected to support public sector employees to save money and keep fit. BHN has over 30 years’ experience in benefits and employee engagement, supporting organisations to engage and create loyal, inclusive and energised workforces. From our research, we know that the UK is still suffering the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, which is why we are passionate about what we do and encourage all employers to introduce ways to support employee’s financial wellbeing and encourage participation. Joining the CCS Employee Benefits & Services Framework forms part of our continued commitment to serve the public and third sectors.”
The appointment came after a competitive tender process undertaken by CCS and will be in place for an initial three years. CCS plays a vital role supporting the UK public sector save money when buying common goods and services.
To find out more please visit www.crowncommercial.gov.uk/agreements/RM6273
- Multi-million-pound fund for charity sector to carry out crucial work – alongside the NHS – to save lives and tackle tragedy of suicide
- Government calls on charities across England to apply for funding to continue supporting tens of thousands of people experiencing suicidal thoughts
- Comes alongside expected £13.6 billion this year to transform the country’s mental health services so millions of people can quickly access NHS support
Tens of thousands of people experiencing suicidal thoughts or approaching a mental health crisis will receive vital support, as the government relaunches a £10 million fund so charities can work with the NHS to provide life-saving suicide prevention services.
 Charities in communities across England can now apply for the latest round of funding from the Suicide Prevention Grant Fund which will ensure as many people as possible can access the support and prevention services they need, when they need it. Funding will also help prevent people reaching crisis point and reduce future demand for these services across both the charity sector and the NHS.
A previous fund of £5.4 million in 2021-22 supported over 100 organisations within the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector. The results of the fund were overwhelmingly positive, with virtually every single successful bidder saying it helped meet increased demand after the pandemic, improved access to services for people in need, and helped identify those experiencing suicidal thoughts quicker.
Previous grant recipients included:
- James’ Place Charity which used £283,968 to provide innovative and free suicide prevention therapy to men over the age of 18 in Merseyside and London
- The Caribbean and African Health Network in Manchester which was awarded £41,599 for work to tackle taboos around suicide in Black communities
- Papyrus which was awarded £151,815 to provide confidential support and advice specifically to young people and anyone worried about a young person through their HOPELINE247
The funding comes alongside a projected £13.6 billion investment by the NHS this year to continue to provide, expand and transform mental health services in England including NHS talking therapies, children and young people’s mental health services and eating disorder services.
Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said:
“Too many lives are sadly lost to suicide and my sympathy goes out to those affected by its truly devastating impacts.
“We’re already urgently investing record sums of money to transform and expand NHS mental health services, but the voluntary suicide prevention sector is such an important part of the support on offer and this multi-million pound fund recognises the work it carries out alongside the NHS.
“I encourage charities to apply for this funding so they can continue to save lives, tackle taboos, and make a real difference to so many people.”
PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide chief executive Ged Flynn said:
“Funding is vital if we are to continue giving hope to children and young people who are struggling with life, and we welcome the government’s contribution which will go some way to help.
“The services we offer are underpinned by voluntary income; kind donations, fundraising and public support. That generosity funds our confidential HOPELINE247 service which allows our professional suicide prevention advisers to keep young people safe.
“We also rely on voluntary income to help us engage with local communities on suicide prevention initiatives across the UK, offer training to groups and individual and support a network of volunteers who have lived experience of suicide.”
Suicide is sadly the biggest cause of death in both men and women under the age of 35 in the UK, and there has been a noticeable increase in the last decade in the number of tragic suicides among women under the age of 25.
NHS crisis lines receive 200,000 calls per month and the Samaritans report receiving over 10,000 calls per day on average.
This latest round of government funding, however, could be used by the VCSE sector to boost capacity in crisis helplines – both for those struggling and for those who are concerned about a loved one – provide signposting to services, launch campaigns targeted at specific at-risk groups like young men, and also support families who have experienced the tragedy of losing a loved one by suicide.
Minister for Mental Health Maria Caulfield said:
“Every single suicide is a tragedy – one which still affects too many people in England. Heartbreakingly, it is still the biggest killer of men under 35.
“But we’re taking action. This £10 million fund for the voluntary and charity sector will help people nationwide receive crucial mental health support and builds on the success of previous funds, which supported tens of thousands of people approaching a crisis.
“We’re already investing £57 million into suicide prevention schemes through the NHS Long-Term Plan, and all local areas now have suicide prevention plans to address the specific needs of their populations.”
While this funding will help fund a range of preventative and innovative activity up and down the country, the government is committed to doing all it can to prevent deaths by suicide. Later this year, it will publish a new National Suicide Prevention Strategy that will set out further actions and commitments to deliver this.
Professor Sir Louis Appleby National Advisor on the Suicide Prevention Strategy said:
“Charities play a critical role in preventing suicide and today’s launch of the grant fund will support their vital work. Given the pressures facing the sector, I hope all eligible organisations will consider bidding for funding.”
The government is investing at least £2.3 billion of additional funding a year by March 2024 to expand and transform NHS mental health services, so an extra two million people can get the mental health support they need.
Over £400 million is also going into improving mental health facilities, including by giving patients the privacy of their own bedroom and eradicating shared dorms.
The mental health workforce is also growing. In December 2022, we saw almost 9,000 more mental health staff working than the previous year. The NHS Long Term Workforce plan sets out ambitions to grow the mental health workforce further.
Professor Subodh Dave, Dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, said:
“We welcome this funding for suicide prevention. We strongly back the roll out of evidence-based programmes to support those at risk of suicide, most of whom are not in contact with mental health services.”
Clinicians and healthcare workers across Ireland to benefit from increased security and significant time savings that can be redirected towards providing excellent patient care
Imprivata®, the digital identity company for life-and mission-critical industries, announced that together with regional partner, PFH Technology Group, it has won a national framework contract with Health Service Executive (HSE) to deliver Imprivata OneSign®, an Enterprise Access Management solution, to healthcare organisations across Ireland. The framework competition was conducted by Tallaght University Hospital on behalf of the HSE. Health staff will be able to instantly access clinical systems by entering their password once per shift and reauthenticating with just the tap of their ID badge, reducing the reliance on remembering complex passwords and associated stress for stretched clinicians, while improving security of sensitive patient data.
In a pilot study conducted by Tallaght University Hospital, Imprivata’s Enterprise Access Management solution has shown to save up to 50 minutes per shift for busy clinical staff; time that can be redirected to patient care. The Imprivata solution is part of the eHealth National Single Sign-on project and will be made available across the Irish public health and social care system to provide a digital workplace. The initial roll-out will involve:
- Tallaght University Hospital
- Beaumont Hospital
- Rotunda Hospital
- Galway University Hospital
- Cork University Maternity Hospitals
- National Forensic Mental Health Service Hospital
- National Rehabilitation Hospital
Supporting Quotes:
Daniel Johnston, MRes, RN, Sr Clinical Workflow Specialist & UK NHS Clinical Safety Officer at Imprivata said, “Connecting care systems through digital transformation can improve efficiency and satisfaction, making the day-to-day experiences of clinicians easier and more fulfilling. Breaking down the barriers to accessing technology with solutions such as single sign-on is a significant step forward for clinicians on the frontline.”
Cathal Collier, eHealth Programme Manager at HSE said, “This contract awarded to Imprivata and PFH Technology Group is part of a number of national Programmes and Strategies that have been initiated to harness technology, which is enabling HSE to make significant strides towards delivering digital health systems across Ireland.”
David Wall Chief Information Officer, Tallaght University Hospital stated, “Imprivata OneSign will enable clinical staff that need to access patient records electronically to move between computer systems without the need to log into solutions more than once. Clinical staff will be able to move seamlessly between systems staying with the same patient, which provides the infrastructure to support effective clinical decision making. “
Commenting on the project, Paul Silke, Client Director at PFH Technology Group said; “This is a clear example of a digital transformation solution that ultimately provides tangible benefits to patients. The Imprivata Single Sign On (SSO) solution is simple and clever allowing healthcare professionals to save valuable time and to help them to focus on the key tasks at work.”
About Imprivata
Imprivata is the digital identity company for life- and mission-critical industries, redefining how organisations solve complex workflow, security, and compliance challenges with solutions that protect critical data and applications without workflow disruption. Its platform of interoperable identity, authentication, and access management solutions enable organisations in over 45 countries to fully manage and secure all enterprise and third-party digital identities by establishing trust between people, technology, and information.
For more information please visit: www.imprivata.co.uk
 Jakub Lewandowski By Jakub Lewandowski, Global Data Governance Officer at Commvault
It can’t have escaped your notice that there’s a lot of heated debate around AI at the moment, most specifically around the emergence of generative AI algorithms and Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Google Bard, Dolly, and others.
The rapid uptake of this technology has had a significant impact on just about every aspect of life: stimulating conversations around whether AI will take over human jobs, when and how it is ethically appropriate to use LLM tools, and how best to address the potential privacy and data security risks associated with using these tools.
Ethical and philosophical debates aside, organisations looking to deploy LLM-powered solutions to streamline and automate processes, or summarise and generate intelligence gained from massive data sets, will need to give due consideration to the risks involved.
Alongside creating internal policies and guidelines on how and when employees can use these tools, and for what, awareness of the current legal and regulatory landscape within which this technology currently operates will be key.
LLM – what is it, and how does it work?
LLM is a type of AI algorithm that uses deep learning techniques and large data sets to understand, summarise, generate, and predict new content.
Unlocking new possibilities in a range of fields, the potential applications for LLMs are infinite, encompassing everything from customer service chatbots through to anomaly detection and fraud analysis in financial services. It is also being used to speed up software development, generate complex legal summaries, provide insights for investment decisions, and create models that generate new insights on molecules, proteins, and DNA for pharmaceutical and life sciences researchers.
Clearly, LLMs are already proving to be a game-changer for multiple industry sectors and have a strong appeal for any organisation looking to increase efficiency and productivity. But there are a number of well-documented challenges that come with using the technology. These include dealing with issues like fabricated or inaccurate answers, model and output bias, intellectual property and copyright infringements, as well as data protection concerns.
Considering the risks
In terms of risk assessment and due diligence activities, some key questions will need to be asked around the sources from which data is taken to train and power LLM models, the licensing arrangements relating to that data, and how the data is sourced. Let’s take a look at why this is important.
LLMs can collect, store, and process any kind of data, including personal and other confidential data, at an unprecedented scale. This opens organisations up to some key challenges that arise from determining who is responsible for the legitimacy and quality of data used to train generative products.
Without knowing this, organisations could face significant legal or regulatory penalties if their models utilise personal data that has not been obtained using appropriate permissions. For example, personal information disclosed to LLMs could subsequently be used in additional ways that violate the expectations, or permissions, given by the people to whom this information explicitly relates.
 Secondly, how does an organisation prevent or guardrail against the generation of problematic content such as observed biases, deep fakes, or outright discrimination? The responsibility of solution providers and organisations in terms of who is accountable for prevention, monitoring, and response needs to be clearly understood and documented.
When it comes to automated decision making or other outputs, who or what will gain access to the data or results generated by LLMs, and what are the implications of these systems in relation to cybersecurity risks?
Finally, organisations intending to use AI will need to think carefully about how they address privacy related obligations such as responding to the requests from data subjects to access or delete their data.
Regulatory compliance
LLMs are subject to the same regulatory and compliance frameworks as other AI technologies, but the speed at which they are becoming ubiquitous highlights some challenges in relation to compliance with existing data privacy and protection frameworks.
Let’s take a look at the key overarching legislation that organisations will need to be mindful of.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Encapsulating the crucial principles of data sovereignty – that digital data is subject to the laws and regulations of a country in which it is physically located, that the government has jurisdiction over it, and can enforce its data protection policies – GDPR sets out a number of key requirements and principles in relation to the processing of personal data. These include:
- Consent – data subjects have a number of rights regarding their personal data, including the right to access, amend, or delete their data. How users exercise these rights in practice with relation to LLMs is a challenging proposition.
- The right of individuals not to be subject to decisions that produce legal effects for the individual or significantly affects the individual based on automated processing. This means that while certain decisions may be supported by LLM, the final say will typically require human judgement.
Data regulators in Italy, France, Germany, and Ireland have already voiced concerns about whether large LLM models are compliant with GDPR rules. Earlier this year Italy’s data regulator took a stand, preventing ChatGPT from harnessing the personal information of millions of Italians for its training data (though access was reinstated within a month, after OpenAI successfully “addressed or clarified” the issues).
The UK Data Protection and Digital Information Bill (DPDI Bill)
Currently under review by the House of Commons, the DPDI Bill aims to provide new clarity in relation to automated decision making and the safeguards that organisations will need to put in place when implementing AI. These include respecting the right of individuals to be informed about and to consent to such decisions, and to request and obtain human intervention in relation to such decisions. All of which is very much in line with current GDPR requirements.
Upcoming legislation and enforcement trends
European data protection authorities are already preparing to tackle complaints about GDPR violations resulting from the use of LLMs, ahead of the EU’s planned review of the effectiveness of GDPR in response to the rise of AI.
In France, the data protection watchdog, CNIL, has set out an action plan in relation to the deployment of generative AI systems, a move that could shape how other European regulators approach these technologies. Similarly, the European Data Protection Board (EDPB) has launched a task force that is focusing on enabling parity between the EU’s new AI Act and GDPR.
The EU’s AI Act, which was approved by the European Parliament in June 2023, sets out to regulate AI based on its potential to cause harm and is likely to put stricter obligations on the foundation models upon which LLM solutions are built. The regulation has already proposed a ban on certain AI uses, such as social scoring, and outlines the safeguards that will be needed for today’s rapidly evolving tech environment.
Meanwhile, the UK government has recently published its own AI whitepaper that sets out guidance on the use of AI that is designed to drive responsible innovation while maintaining public trust in this technology. The likelihood is that this will spawn further new legislation and regulation in the years ahead.
Evidently, the current flurry of data privacy and AI regulations means that organisations intending to deploy AI will need to navigate an increasingly complex legislative and regulatory landscape in the months to come and will need to ensure they stay fully abreast with developments. For the moment, however, the focus should be on ensuring compliance measures are in place so that data is collected and processed in line with current legal and regulatory requirements.
Local Authorities are facing greater cuts in their budget allocations, cuts that are amongst the largest in living memory. In one case, one county council has been asked to find £70 MILLION of budget savings.
As a result, products, services, and solutions that are budget friendly are more important than ever. However, it’s not only 2023’s budgets that local authorities will have their eye on, but also 2024, ’25, ‘26 and beyond.
Indeed, long-term solutions steeped in cost-effectiveness are becoming the holy grail for local authorities who continue to battle against seemingly ever decreasing budget allocations, creating a knock on effect for every service that they provide.
 Maintaining highways is a constant challenge for governments and local authorities, and one of the most significant issues they face is ensuring the sustainability, durability and longevity of their infrastructure. That’s why products like SHIMPAC®’s ROADSHIMS® ironwork seating solutions are so important. In a closely linked additional challenge, the environmental impact of solutions is another huge focus for Local Authorities, as councils come under more and more pressure to meet CO2 reduction targets.
The ROADSHIMS® range from SHIMPAC® is a durable and cost-effective way to install ironwork seating. The product is designed to withstand the test of time, and some of the first installations of ROADSHIMS® are still in the ground without failing after over 30 years. This longevity is incredibly important in the world of highways, where long-term solutions are essential for budget savings – not only now, but for future budget savings too. Faced with tightening budgets, local authorities are taking notice.
When you factor in products that tick the box of vital environmental concerns along with being budget friendly, the field starts to narrow.
Highway infrastructure must be built to last, and this is where SHIMPAC® comes in. By providing a reliable and long-lasting solution, this product can help to reduce the cost of maintenance and repairs in the long term, freeing up budget for other projects and initiatives.
One of the main benefits of ROADSHIMS® is ease of installation. The product can be installed quickly and easily, which means that highways can be up and running in no time. This can help to minimise disruptions and keep traffic flowing smoothly.
Another benefit is durability. The product is designed to withstand heavy loads and harsh weather conditions, making it ideal for use in high-traffic areas. This durability ensures that the infrastructure remains safe and reliable for years to come, reducing the risk of accidents, damage to vehicles, and subsequently – damage claims against already cash strapped councils.
The installation and durability benefits in turn contribute to the meeting of key environmental and sustainability targets. Less vehicles needed on site upon installation, no need for year-on-year repair and a dramatic reduction in materials are all key results of utilising ROADSHIMS® for ironwork seating.
ROADSHIMS® are incredibly cost-effective. The products are designed to be low maintenance, which means that it can help to reduce the overall cost of maintaining highway infrastructure both in the short and long term. By reducing the need for repairs and maintenance, the product can help to save money in the long term, which is essential for budget-controlled authorities.
Short-term, the cost of a SHIMPAC® installation is 40% lower than an alternative ironwork seating option, yet also bucks the trend of a lower priced solution resulting in lower quality. Technical compliance and with numerous 35-year installation sites around the UK still intact and performing, it’s undoubtedly the case that this isn’t a pocket friendly option that will result in regret.
Barry Andrews, Technical Lead at SHIMPAC® told us:
It’s about a long-term approach, yet our system also has the all-important low installation cost.
“Rightly or wrongly, we know there will be a certain percentage of those looking for a solution will decide based purely on cost. So, to make sure we provide cost-effectiveness is vital, and we’re proud to say using SHIMPAC® Systems saves a minimum of 40% for the same ironwork seating installation using other compliant products.
“Additionally, SHIMPAC® Systems products are the only materials that have consistently been used to gain product assurance certification (HAPAS/PAS) covering ironwork installations.
“As our councils face more and more pressing budget issues, it’s systems like ours that can come to the rescue in the short-term, and keep more budgets intact for other local authority issues longer term, when our products are still performing.”
 Seven UK schools have been selected to take part in an £18.6 million innovative Decarbonisation Pilot, led by the Department for Education (DfE).
The pilot will see schools benefit from new low carbon heating solutions, as well as improvements to the buildings fabric to make the school more thermal efficient, all procured through Fusion21 frameworks.
Energy bills and carbon emissions in the public and higher education sectors shows that schools and universities represent 36% of total UK public sector building emissions.
The transformational work to reduce carbon emissions to make those schools selected as part of the pilot, significantly more energy efficient has recently got underway.
Where necessary, the schools’ building fabric will be improved with upgrades ranging from new electrics, roofs and ceilings to new doors and windows amid a government drive to make educational buildings greener.
The contractors were appointed via Fusion21’s Decarbonisation and Heating & Renewables frameworks which ensures housing, local authority, education, blue light and health sectors maximise social value in contracts. All Fusion21 contractors are committed to ensuring social value is embedded into their work ranging from employing locally where possible to apprenticeships and community projects.
Schools involved in the pilot and the estimated makeover value:
| Trust name |
School |
Contractor and Fusion21 framework used |
Estimated total value |
School location |
| Waterton Academy Trust |
West End Academy |
Kensa Contracting Ltd: Heating and Renewables Framework |
£3m |
Wakefield |
| The Rose Learning Trust |
Richmond Hill Primary Academy |
Kensa Contracting Ltd: Heating and Renewables Framework |
£3.4m |
Doncaster |
| North West Academies Trust |
Acton CofE Primary Academy |
GRAHAM Asset Management Ltd t/a GRAHAM: Decarbonisation Framework |
£2m |
Nantwich |
| North West Academies Trust |
Calveley Primary Academy |
GRAHAM Asset Management Ltd t/a GRAHAM: Decarbonisation Framework |
£1.8m |
Tarporley |
| BMAT |
Roydon Primary Academy |
Dodd Group (Midlands) Limited: Heating and Renewables Framework |
£2.1m |
Essex |
| Midsomer Norton Schools Partnership |
Peasedown St John Primary School |
Dodd Group (Midlands) Limited: Heating and Renewables Framework |
£3.4m |
Bath |
| St Mary’s Academy |
St Mary’s Academy |
Dodd Group (Midlands) Limited: Heating and Renewables Framework |
£2.9m |
Hitchin |
Today, Oliver Mooney, Head of Category at Fusion21 said: “It is fantastic to have been involved in such an important Department for Education project and to support the schools who used our framework to appoint the contractors for these transformational, multi-million pound improvement works which will vastly improve the buildings, bring huge energy savings and carbon emission reductions and ensure pupils, teachers and parents are playing an important role in decarbonisation and Net Zero ambitions”.
The UK government is committed to climate action and has set out targets in its strategy to 2050. This project will support the drive for existing school buildings to be adapted and new ones designed adequately to respond to climate change and reduce emissions.
The pilot will provide a valuable opportunity to learn more about alternative greener heating solutions and to use the learnings to consider how this can be scaled up to accelerate decarbonisation in the future.
Research found that in 2019 schools alone were spending around £630m per annum on energy – with today’s figure expected to be much higher.
The Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme will provide £1.425 billion of grant funding for public sector bodies to fund heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency measures, including schools over the financial years 2022-2023 to 2024-2025.
 As the climate crisis continues to highlight the necessity of changing the way we live, work, travel and behave, the UK is on a journey towards creating and sustaining a low-carbon, low-emission transportation system. The move away from petrol and diesel vehicles and towards electric vehicles (EVs) is a fundamental transition for enabling this system. The EV market is already growing significantly; with over 810,000 fully electric cars on UK roads at the end of June 2023, more and more drivers are choosing to make the switch to EVs. Ahead of the ban of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in 2030, this trend is set to continue.
However, if the UK is to achieve a full transition to electric mobility in the coming decades, we need a strong, comprehensive, reliable and future-fit EV charging network that makes EV driving as easy and accessible as driving an internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle.
Facilitating EV uptake with charging infrastructure
The current state of the UK’s charging infrastructure is one of the most pressing barriers to EV uptake. Whilst our charging network is expanding – there were 44,408 EV charge points across the UK at the end of June – a rapid build-out of charging infrastructure still remains integral. Charging an EV needs to be as simple as refuelling an ICE vehicle in order to encourage drivers to step away from the petrol/diesel market. But whilst pockets of the UK remain barren of charge points, public confidence in making the switch to electric mobility could decline.
This is especially the case for those without off-street parking and/or access to a home charger. Only 78% of homeowners have access to off-street parking; those without are dependent on the public charging network to charge their vehicles.
The role of local authorities
The Government has set a target of 300,000 charge points by 2030. The public sector has a vital role in encouraging EV uptake through working with charge point operators to install EV charging infrastructure in their local areas.
By supporting the achievement of this target, public sector bodies can help incentivise residents and visitors to switch to an EV. This has unparalleled benefits for communities and local areas.
A more environmentally friendly transport system means cleaner air and improved local public health
Transport is the UK’s largest emitting sector for greenhouse gases, accounting for 27% of the UK’s annual carbon emissions. Though the carbon footprint of an ICE vehicle is highly detrimental to the health of our planet and our people, EVs have a significantly lower environmental impact, and can therefore reduce our individual footprints each time we travel on the road
As of the network of charge points grows and the uptake of EVs subsequently increases, we will see lower pollution levels and cleaner air, which will contribute to improving public health and lowering our environmental impact when we travel.
Support for local authorities in turning EV charging strategies into reality
Financial support has been made available for local authorities as they plan for and roll out EV charging infrastructure. Schemes such as the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme, Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, the Workplace Charging Scheme and the Rapid Charging Fund, and public framework agreements including Kent County Services National Framework and the Crown Commercial Service’s Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Solutions Framework, are helping councils procure, finance and install EV charging infrastructure.
EV charging for Local Authorities with Mer
Mer is a European EV charging company, backed by Statkraft, Europe’s largest renewable energy generator. By bringing together our extensive expertise in renewables and electric mobility, Mer is on a mission to make EV charging simple, sustainable, and accessible to everyone.
We work with over 50 public sector bodies to bring scalable EV charging to hospitals, towns, cities, county councils and boroughs across the UK. With part to fully funded EV charging solutions available through public framework agreements, our focus on the customer experience, and quality over quantity ethos, Mer can provide future-fit, reliable EV charging to help support the transition to EVs in council areas.
We offer and promote the use of zero carbon, 100% renewable energy to our local authority customers.
Case Study: Durham County Council
 Mer supported Durham County Council in transforming its EV charging infrastructure In its Climate Change Strategy and Emergency Response Plan 2022-24, Durham County Council notes that transport in County Durham accounted for 34% of the county’s total carbon footprint in 2019 (excluding motorway traffic and trains on the East Coast Mainline). Emphasised in the plan is the importance of low carbon vehicles in reducing the County’s carbon footprint from transport.
In 2019, less than 50% of the Council’s EV charging infrastructure was working. As many rural communities were without charge points, residents were left without access to charging infrastructure in reasonable proximity to their homes. 40% of residents live in terraced houses with no access to off-street parking in the county, highlighting the need for a strong public charging network.
With funding from Innovate UK for the Scaling on Street Charging Infrastructure (SOSCI) project, Mer helped the Council bring EV charge points to 67 locations across the County, so that underserved communities could access reliable EV charging.
Durham County Council was awarded the 2022 Best EV Charging Project award from the Municipality Journal.
Find out more about our work with Durham County Council and other local authorities in our Best Practise Guide.
Start Your EV Charging Journey
The key to EV adoption is EV charging infrastructure. Join us on our mission to make electric mobility the new normal.
Find out more about how Mer can support local authorities and public sector bodies with the planning, roll-out and maintenance of EV charging infrastructure in our Best Practise Guide.
Website: uk.mer.eco
Email: info.uk@mer.eco
As the UK moves towards the 2030 ban on the sale of new cars and vans, local authorities will play a key role in propelling the electric mobility transition and encouraging drivers to go electric.
With a target of at least 300,000 public charge points by 2023, the UK is advancing its electric transportation system and installing charging infrastructure across the country. Simultaneous to the installation of EV infrastructure is the steep growth of the UK’s EV market, yet there are still many drivers who are yet to turn their backs on petrol/diesel vehicles and make the switch to electric.
Local authorities are fundamental to the EV transition. Here are three ways the public sector can incentivise the shift to electric mobility and increase the possibility of making EV driving the driving form of transportation in the UK.
Install Future-Fit, Accessible EV Charge Points At The Right Locations
If drivers observe a lack of public charge points in their local areas, they may be reluctant to switching to an EV when petrol/diesel refuel remains easily accessible in both urban and rural areas of the UK. Local authorities can increase the public EV charging provision in their boroughs to highlight how easy driving an EV can be with reliable EV charging.
 Where And What To Install?
Quality over quantity is a key mindset local authorities should follow. This applies to both location and charger type.
Coverage of charge points should take care not to leave wide areas vacant of charge points, and instead ensure a distribution of charging infrastructure that makes it convenient for residents and visitors to charge wherever they live and work. These decisions can be driven and informed by the data – local authorities can enquire with residents through surveys, polls and focus groups to gain an evidenced-based picture of where demand for charging is high.
Drivers require different types of EV charging depending on where they are and what they are doing. Whilst high-powered, rapid/ultra-rapid charging suits drivers who are making short stops to grab a coffee or use the restroom, a slower charge over several hours may suit drivers who are staying in a destination for a longer period of time. With these different types of charging come different power demands, too. Rather than aiming to install a certain number of chargers, local authorities should consider the power capacity available at any given site and what type of charging would be most appropriate.
Join The EV Revolution
The UK Government has recognised the importance of shared accountability when it comes to electric transportation, as is demonstrated through their target of ensuring 100% of central government cars and vans are to be fully zero emission by 2027.
Setting a precedent amongst residents by investing in an all-electric council fleet, and providing a salary sacrifice scheme and workplace charging for council employees, will allow local authorities to evidence their support for the EV revolution and provide residents with anecdotal case studies and insights to convey the experience of driving an EV. This will add authenticity to public sector support of EV driving.
Operating an electric fleet and encouraging council employees to drive electric will provide an opportunity for local authorities to test their infrastructure in the field, and subsequently make improvements and developments. This builds into the need for continuous evaluation of local charge point networks, as driver demand grows, infrastructure maintenance becomes necessary and charging sites require expansion, to help support the EV transition in the coming years.
Shout About The Benefits Of Driving Electric
There are many reasons why drivers are switching to electric, from reducing their carbon footprint and improving air pollution for future generations to a smoother driving experience and moving with the times as the EV transition develops.
Councils can encourage more drivers to switch to an EV by sharing the benefits to individuals, communities and indeed the country as a whole.
This also includes making EV driving visible in the community by informing drivers where they can find charge points, and challenging misconceptions surrounding driving an EV.
Start Your EV Charging Journey With Mer
Mer is a European charging company owned by Statkraft, Europe’s largest producer of renewable energy. Mer provides trusted and reliable EV charging infrastructure to public sector bodies across the county, combining over 10 years of experience in the electric vehicle industry with its passion for making electric mobility accessible for all.
Mer supports over 50 public sector bodies across the UK in bringing EV charging to their corners of the country. Counting New Forest District Council, Durham County Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and many more as clients, Mer’s solutions are helping councils reach key sustainability targets.
Mer’s Public EV Best Practice Charging Infrastructure Guide includes expert advice on EV charging for local authorities, including case studies and learnings from Mer’s work with its public sector partners.
Guide for the Public Sector: uk.mer.eco/charging-for-public-sector/
Website: uk.mer.eco
Email: info.uk@mer.eco
 Andy Archibald, Scotwork UK By Andy Archibald, Senior Consultant at Scotwork UK
It has been a long time coming but next year will mark a significant change in the way that the public sector buys in a whole host of situations.
Transforming Public Procurement is designed to simplify and modernise the way procurement and commercial teams negotiate, ultimately providing more freedom to generate different (and hopefully better) outcomes.
The changes will create opportunities and challenges for negotiators in the public sector, including, among many, the critical decision about what information is disclosed and when.
Information in negotiations is critical – when negotiating, thinking about how to manage expectations by sharing information, while at the same time gathering useful information from the other parties to help later in the process, is a core skill.
For almost 50 years, Scotwork have been negotiation consultants and trainers for many of the world’s leading organisations. During this time, we have been gathering data on the key capabilities of organisations and one of the key insights we can share is that information is a real source of power… but is rarely used well.
This has been ratified by my own experience of working in the public sector and consulting with many clients’ negotiators.
Years ago, I heard a story about a wannabe traveller walking into a travel agent shop.
“Good afternoon. How might I help you” began the travel agent.
“I want to book a holiday” responded the traveller.
“Great!” says the travel agent. “Where would you like to go?”
“Guess” the traveller instructs the travel agent.
“I beg your pardon?” replied the confused travel agent.
“I want you to guess!” confirmed the traveller.
This story may or may not have actually happened. But I see this happen all the time in negotiations, where negotiators on both sides of the table withhold crucial information (i.e. what they want), hoping that the other side will somehow guess.
Negotiators hold on to information for typically two reasons – it’s too difficult to say or they believe holding on to information gives them more power and it will lead to a better outcome.
The first reason is understandable, because negotiations can be uncomfortable and often we may need to ‘feel’ our way into it and figure out what is possible. But the second is a stretch, to say the least.
To give an example, in a recent negotiation I was advising on, the buyer negotiating with a supplier had a situation where the primary objective was to secure a 30% saving on an invoice as well as a favourable price going forward on a longer-term agreement with a significant volume. There were multiple ways in which an agreement could have been reached but crucial to the outcome was the buyer telling the seller specifically what they wanted.
But the buyer did the opposite, withholding what they wanted and forcing the seller to guess. With each guess, the seller did move incrementally towards what the buyer wanted but at a snail’s pace.
“They (the sellers) are not giving us what we want!” said the buyer when I asked why progress was so slow.
I probed further, ultimately asking if the buyer had told the seller what they wanted.
“No, of course not. They might give us more!”
That might be right and the buyer might get more than what they want if they make the seller guess. And who knows, maybe I’ll score the winning goal in a World Cup final. But probably not. The negotiation did, however, achieve one thing, and that was a lot of wasted time on both sides.
Fortunately, this was a simulated negotiation with a public sector client upskilling their procurement team and it therefore gave me a unique opportunity to also get the seller’s perspective. Unsurprisingly, they confirmed they would never have guessed the buyer needed a 30% discount and had instead just thought the buyer wanted a slightly better deal. And while it didn’t guarantee the seller would have given the buyer everything they wanted, they would have considered it had it been shared early on in the negotiation and there was a credible reason why (i.e. more than just wanting a better deal).
Many will explain away this behaviour by saying they’d never do the same in the real world. But that’s not true. Negotiators behave the exact same way in the real world as they do in a classroom, forcing the other side to guess what they want.
Negotiation does not involve mind reading, and asking the other side to guess your preferred outcome rarely has the desired effect. The first part of the negotiation puzzle is to be clear on what you want and tell your counterpart(s) what it is and why.
It may not guarantee you get it, but it sets up the negotiated outcome in the right way.
For further information, please visit www.scotwork.co.uk
 SKDC HR team South Kesteven District Council (SKDC) has been named as a finalist in two categories of a national awards scheme that highlights great places to work.
The Personnel Today Awards 2023 recognise excellence in Human Resources and Learning and Development and SKDC is a national finalist for Employee Experience and Excellence in Public Service HR.
The judges were looking for examples of innovation and achievement; teamwork; leadership; and effective use of resources, that bring tangible benefits.
Cllr Rhea Rayside, SKDC’s Cabinet Member for People and Communities, said: “I am proud to be part of a Council that places its people at the forefront of the organisation.
“We firmly believe that our success as a Council is intrinsically linked to the wellbeing and development of our employees. Our engaged and motivated teams not only enhance the quality of our services but also reinforce the strong bond we have with the community we serve.”
Head of HR at the Council, Fran Beckitt, said: “Being shortlisted for these awards is great recognition of the focus we have had on building a great place to work.
“Across the Council we have dedicated teams and leaders who strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment for our staff and, as such, we have seen incredible developments in our working environment, wellbeing provision and employee experience.”
The overall winners will be announced in November.
Matrix, a leading provider of comprehensive workforce solutions, is delighted to announce its successful bid for both Lewisham and Southwark Councils, following an extensive three-month tender process. The recent victories underscore Matrix’s commitment to expanding its presence in the Southeast London region and strengthening its position as a trusted partner for local government organisations.
Recognising the need to fill vacant council roles with local talent, Southwark Council has partnered with Matrix to target qualified candidates for administrative vacancies as part of their Southwark Works employability initiative. This collaboration aims to bridge the gap between job seekers and opportunities within the council, fostering economic growth and empowerment within the community.
The separate pitches presented to each council showcased Matrix’s unrivalled expertise in providing tailored solutions to meet their specific requirements. Southwark Council, which currently allocates £41 million to temporary labour, was particularly impressed by Matrix’s talent pool and Milestone solutions.
Milestone, one of Matrix’s flagship offerings, combines an intuitive technology platform with specialised expertise in various sectors. This unique approach enables clients to design customised solutions that maximize the impact of public funding, leading to improved outcomes for the community.
Ben Plant, HR director at Southwark Council, expressed his satisfaction with Matrix’s commitment to social value in their pitch, stating, “Social Value is high on the agenda at Southwark Council, and Matrix delivered a commitment to this in their pitch. The fact that Matrix developed a bespoke Social Value action plan that aligned perfectly with our agenda impressed the team.”
Courtney Richards, at Lewisham Council, highlighted Matrix’s supply chain flexibility as a key factor in their decision, emphasising the benefits of retaining long-term incumbent agreements. This strategic advantage offered by Matrix ensures a seamless transition while delivering effective solutions tailored to the unique needs of Lewisham Council.
Matrix is proud to have been selected by Lewisham and Southwark Councils as their trusted partner in driving positive change within their communities. These partnerships exemplify Matrix’s ongoing commitment to providing innovative workforce solutions that drive economic growth, social value, and efficiency for local government organisations.
 Dave Neilson – Chief Executive at Fusion21 Real positive change, changes real lives.
This year, Fusion21 is marking its 21st anniversary and as the co-founder and Chief Executive I am so proud of what our team of procurement and social value specialists have achieved through work with our members, suppliers and partners.
Formed in 2002 by the vision of seven social housing landlords, we were stepping into unknown territory. Nobody had done anything like this before.
But what were our drivers? Let’s take a step back to late 2001 – the start of the Decent Homes programme. There were concerns about skills shortages, and cost inflation as the marketplace would be flooded with housing associations competing for the same contractors. That defined our approach. Cost efficiency and creating jobs became our compasses, directing us towards our destination. We wanted to construct a legacy of lasting impact, and for it to be more than just a construction exercise.
And that was how we became the first organisation to specialise in frameworks with a social value approach. We ensure the community benefits from projects members procure from us – be that through jobs, apprenticeships, or training.
Our name, Fusion21, came from the fusion of seven Housing Providers, and 21 signified 21st century thinking. With a mission to create social value in procurement, we created a community of like-minded individuals who are committed to creating positive change in our industry.
To date, we have delivered more than £155 million in social impact value and created more than 10,948 employment outcomes. Last year alone, we completed £350 million worth of projects last year alone and we already have £1.2 billion worth of projects committed over the next four years.
And with more than 1,000 members now, with projects spanning the UK, it’s clear that our collective impact is only set to grow. Since 2002, we have secured £348 million efficiency savings and completed 7,817 procurement projects.
We now work in sectors outside of housing including education and health. But we started in housing, and we’re immensely proud of the work we’re continuing to deliver with our members. We’ll once again have a big presence at the HOMES UK conference in November where we’ll share the latest insights from highly regarded thought leaders in the sector.
Over the years, we have worked closely with the government and been involved in initiatives that have led to policy change and regulation, linking procurement to social values in a way that nobody has done before.
Looking to the future, there are new opportunities that we are excited about. One example is the Youth Investment Fund (YIF). Last year, we were appointed as the YIF procurement partner, and are supporting Social Investment Business to deliver grant funding of more than £300 million.
I am proud of what we have achieved so far, but we are not done yet. We will continue to grow, evolve and innovate. Our mission remains the same: to procure solutions that not only save money but create jobs and training opportunities, and have a positive impact on society. Over the next five years, the Fusion21 Foundation will come to the fore as a force that will help us to really continue to make a difference in the world of procurement and social value.
So, to our people – and that’s our staff, our members, our suppliers and our partners – I say congratulations on our achievements to date. Together, we have truly set the standard for delivering ‘Procurement with Purpose’, creating social value you can see. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for us.
Dave Neilson, Chief Executive at Fusion21
Nick Denning, CEO of IT consultancy Diegesis and veteran of multiple public sector IT transformation projects shares his thoughts with GPSJ on what makes a successful risk awareness strategy
Risk management involves identifying, assessing, mitigating, and planning for potential events that could impact a business. This article explores risk management in practice and the priorities for a successful cyber risk awareness strategy.
It emphasizes the dynamic nature of cyber risks and the need for constant vigilance to mitigate risks.
Risk Management in practice
A practical example of risk management is pouring concrete for building foundations. If more rain falls within 24 hours the foundations may be ruined. After identifying the risk, we need to assess the likelihood and impact including costs and delays.
Mitigation activities might include:
- Pay for advanced weather forecasting.
- Cost of a protective trench for effective drainage.
- Obtain insurance costs/lead times.
Contingency planning might identify the cost and resources needed to dig out the foundations and have them ready for a re-pour. This is practical risk management based on an informed decision to deliver the best outcomes for the project.
The difference between Operational and Project Risk
Operational risks are those which affect an organisation carrying out its regular business. Frequency risks are expected to occur on a regular basis and can be predicted. Catastrophe risks are unexpected and might happen only once every 20 years.
Project risks relate to a plan for a particular outcome: external risks might be a new competitor, while delivery risks might be completing the tasks on time, within budget and to the specification. A Monte Carlo simulation can predict the aggregated risk across all tasks in the project and show which mitigation and contingency tasks may reduce the overall cost.
Cyber Security Risk is an Operational Risk issue
Cyber security risk is an operational risk issue and applicable to projects. Any technology being used or delivered by a project must be designed with security in mind and comply with standards.
An organisation’s defence needs to be balanced so that a major investment in one area is not circumvented by weaknesses in other areas. It also needs commitment at a senior/board level to ensure it is taken seriously across the organisation.
Cyber Security Risk Awareness Strategy
There are significant differences in cyber risks. In traditional risk management, risks tend to change slowly over time. In the cyber world the landscape is far more dynamic.
Data stored by an organisation or department is attractive to criminals. New technology can introduce fresh vulnerabilities to the data. This necessitates a rigorous approach to cyber risk assessment. Potentially every change, patch or upgrade needs to be risk assessed and authorised by the organisation ideally via a Change Advisory Board.
A cyber risk management strategy should acknowledge that some attacks will be successful. Creating multiple layers of protection with monitoring and alerts can detect a successful attack on one layer to enact contingency plans, defeating the overall attack before the next layer is penetrated.
Effective Risk Awareness
We need to ensure that cyber security risk is constantly in people’s minds and that they are regularly reminded how to recognise threats.
An effective cyber risk awareness strategy needs to include:
- Onboarding training including topics in the organisation’s security policy in sections by job function.
- Regular exercises to verify staff have understood training and follow policies, with reminders of the consequences.
- These exercises need to be interesting and made relevant to each individual.
- Re-assessments to the probability/size of impacts need to be communicated when there is a heightened risk level.
- Engage everyone to report attacks or near misses to update the threat level and to enable immediate action.
- Staff must understand it’s their obligation to report suspected attacks without blame.
The biggest risk is complacency in staff not appreciating the probability of a risk affecting them.
Characteristics of poor risk awareness
The tell-tale signs of a poor risk awareness strategy include:
- A policy ignored, creating false security
- No method of detecting attacks
- No way of disseminating information
- No effective security officer responding and taking action.
- No support systems
- No security assessment process as part of procurement
- Poor unrefreshed training
- No testing of users on their training.
Priorities for a Successful Risk Awareness Strategy
The Director of Security must be able to monitor and audit policy compliance and take action if required.
To increase protection, create a ‘White List’ of approved software products/apps. Any other software must be removed. To tackle compliance challenges, use Vulnerability Assessment tools to detect and remove or disable software that is non-compliant, outdated or containing new vulnerabilities.
Deploy a system administration tool enabling administrators to remove the unauthorised software remotely. Taking concrete action makes it evident to employees that failure to follow the policies is unacceptable and that a technology solution will be monitoring and maintaining a secure environment.
For more information please visit: Diegesis Limited
info@diegesis.co.uk
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust gained complete visibility across their IT infrastructure enhancing clinicians’ digital experience and improving patient care with Riverbed’s Unified Observability solution
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust (KCHFT) is one of the largest NHS community health providers in England, serving a population of about 1.4 million. KCHFT’s IT team is responsible for over 5,000 staff, including doctors, community nurses, and many other healthcare professionals, as well as hundreds of applications and hardware assets.
KCHFT offers practitioner-led and therapy-focused healthcare services. It receives over two million patients every year and its vision is ‘to be the provider of choice by delivering excellent care and improving the health of our communities.’
Challenge:
 Darren Spinks End-to-end visibility into application performance
Historically, KCHFT had limited visibility of application and hardware performance issues, how to resolve the IT problems that arise, and how these challenges might impact its users.
“One of my key priorities is to have complete visibility and understanding of our user experience. Auto-remediation of incidents is vital to ease time pressures and frustrations,” explains Darren Spinks, Head of IT Operations at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.
A desire to measure clinicians’ digital experience
Many of the staff and patients at KCHFT rely on applications to perform tasks related to patient care and treatment. Patient pathways, which are the stages a patient experiences in the management of their condition, are one of the key metrics and IT services want to make the patient experience as smooth as possible. However, identifying and resolving these problems was almost impossible without full visibility across the IT infrastructure supporting the applications.
Other than evaluating its clinicians’ digital experience, the IT team at KCHFT wanted to measure the impact of its changes across their IT infrastructure. “We wanted make sure our new solutions delivered the expected improvements,” explains Spinks.
Solution:
Gaining complete visibility with Alluvio Aternity
KCHFT adopted Riverbed’s Alluvio Aternity Digital Experience Management (DEM) solution, deploying 6,200 licenses. Spinks was enthusiastic about the onboarding process: “The experience could not have been simpler! It took about five minutes to access the cloud environment,” he recalls. “From there, it was a case of deploying the agent to all the endpoints and watching the data come in. Almost immediately, we could see trends that sparked conversations and ideas.”
Internal stakeholders subsequently felt more empowered to address their IT-related issues. Spinks continues, “Clinicians’ experience matters and they should not be waiting for IT services to load or suffer performance issues where we could make improvements to the experience.
“Before Aternity, the IT team would receive call tickets that would bounce between teams to be resolved. Now that we are using Aternity, it’s significantly reduced all the interactions, as the real-time insights provide us with evidence that we can see on the platform. It has made things so much simpler, saving us time and increasing our productivity.”
As the NHS Trust builds its digital experience strategy and implements auto-remediation functions enabling the IT team to fix issues proactively, the advantages of Alluvio Aternity are already evident. “With the help of our Riverbed colleagues, we have created some bespoke dashboards, mainly around our EPR (Electronic Patient Records) to understand its performance and day-to-day use,” Spinks explains. “The information on the dashboard has already helped us troubleshoot some issues.”
The solution has even highlighted critical events before they could turn into bigger issues. “Alluvio Aternity alerted us hours before our service desk received a call regarding an incident,” says Spinks. “With the Alluvio Aternity solution from Riverbed, we don’t need to wait for a user to tell us there is a problem. It informs us of the issue, its impact, and the implications regarding time and cost.”
Benefits:
Ability to make smart decisions around hardware management
“Implementing Alluvio Aternity helped us rethink how we deliver IT services based on what we can see. The IT team can now prioritise tickets based on the most critical problems and as a result, we can make some significant improvements,” explains Spinks.
Alluvio Aternity also allowed the IT team to make better-informed decisions about IT investments. “We have revised our asset refresh plan based on device performance. Aternity showed us we wouldn’t need to replace 42% of our 1784 devices aged 5 years or older. This has meant that we have already returned our investment in Alluvio Aternity.”
Given the success of Alluvio Aternity, it will continue to feature in KCHFT’s plans for the future including further investment in Riverbed’s Alluvio Unified Observability portfolio. “We are keen to continue reducing service desk call volumes using the Alluvio Aternity DEM solution,” Spinks explains. “Also, with the help of the Alluvio Aternity dashboards, we intend to analyse trends and fix issues across all devices and speed up resolutions resulting in much better healthcare for our patients.”
Thatcham Research has launched its cutting-edge EV Safe training to help the public sector prepare for the unique safety challenges presented by electric vehicles (EVs).
EV Safe is a comprehensive training program designed to ensure the safety of key workers who interact with High Voltage (HV) vehicles as the volume of EVs on the road continues to grow, and the public sector increasingly supports their introduction via the UK Government’s EV infrastructure strategy. Emergency service trusts are also more widely adopting EVs as part of their diverse fleet of response vehicles.
 The two-day in-person course is designed for public sector teams and equips participants with the skills and knowledge to safely shut down and reinstate HV vehicles. This training goes beyond repair-related aspects and focuses on creating awareness of safe handling requirements across electrified fleets.
During the training, delegates will learn how to identify the different types of EVs, from full Battery Electric Vehicles to Hybrids, and the different handling requirements for each. The program addresses potentially dangerous scenarios encountered by public sector workers. This includes first responders arriving at the scene of a road traffic collision involving EVs. While EVs are designed with safety in-mind, it is important for first responders to fully understand how to safely approach and handle a crashed EV.
From knowing how to isolate and shut down the HV system, correctly identify whether the leak is electrolyte or coolant, or determine whether an EV is at risk of ignition, EV Safe is designed to provide first responders with the knowledge required to keep themselves and the public safe.
The training is also applicable for Border Force and police who need to be aware of safe handling considerations while searching EVs, including the importance of using appropriate PPE.
With access to the very latest automotive equipment, technology, and repair techniques, and boasting high-quality qualified instructors and their Automotive Academy, Thatcham Research is uniquely positioned as an industry leader to keep those who work with EVs safe.
Dean Lander, head of repair sector services, Thatcham Research, said: “As EVs become increasingly present on UK roads, with significant buy-in from public sector organisations, it’s more important than ever for businesses to ensure the safety of their staff.
“With this in mind, I am pleased to announce the launch of our EV Safe training, the latest addition to our suite of EV training programmes.
“Course content is sourced directly from our research facility and the insights that come from our state-of-the-art vehicle-led research. It is essential that our vital public sector and emergency services key workers complete this course to equip themselves with the knowledge to protect themselves and the public when interacting with EVs.
“As electrification technology continues to be embraced on our roads, we must ensure that steps are taken now to properly equip staff across the UK with the knowledge to keep them safe when interacting with these vehicles.”
To learn more about EV Safe, including course booking information, please visit the Thatcham Research website: www.thatcham.org
Peoplesafe partners with Crimestoppers to tackle the growing crisis in employee safety
 A NEW initiative from Peoplesafe working with the charity Crimestoppers, highlights the long overdue call to UK employers to step up and do more to protect their people, not just at work, but out of hours too.
Peoplesafe, the UK’s leading provider of employee safety technology, has partnered with Crimestoppers to encourage people to Step Up, Stay Safe. This campaign calls for UK employers to step up and take action in a drastically changed world, to protect their working communities.
In today’s modern hybrid working environment, indisputable stats* show that more employees are feeling unsafe on a regular basis, with 6.8m people reporting that they worry about their safety every week. This isn’t down to the workplace or type of work, it’s a social and cultural change. It’s affecting an increasing number of people and it’s happening every day.
The Peoplesafe partnership with Crimestoppers is a call to action for employers to take decisive action to comprehensively tackle the issue, so that the UK workforce has proper protection, wherever they are, and whenever they feel they need it. Their growing concerns have been overlooked for too long, with action now urgently needed.
The Step Up, Stay Safe campaign aims to raise awareness of these widespread personal safety concerns; serious concerns which, to date, have been barely discussed or prioritised in any meaningful way. It will also recognise and flag the forward-thinking employers willing to go the extra mile, beyond basic tick-box compliance, to safeguard employee safety and provide better peace of mind for the people that make their business tick.
Any people-centric employer signing up to the Step Up, Stay Safe Pledge will receive immediate access to a bank of employee safety-related resources and be able to display the Step Up, Stay Safe kitemark. They will also have the opportunity to join other campaign advocates for online and live events, all focussed on better personal safety measures and on what is now urgently required to improve them nationally.
The Step Up, Stay Safe Pledge
Employers sign up to:
Provide personal safety training, giving employees the skills to prepare for, and respond to, personal safety risks
- Provide a personal safety alarm for all high-risk and vulnerable staff enabling them to get help during a workplace emergency
- Offer personal safety technology to all staff, giving them access to a professional emergency response service operating 24/7/365 days a year
- Embed a personal safety culture, encouraging open conversations about safety and to remind employees to follow safety policies and procedures
- Raise awareness of personal safety tips, actively promoting and endorsing the Step Up, Stay Safe messages and resources
Naz Dossa, CEO of Peoplesafe says: “Peoplesafe is not just about providing tech solutions. We want to help tackle the problem at source and it has long been our aim to amplify the issue of personal safety amongst UK institutions and businesses.
We hope this campaign, in partnership with Crimestoppers, will help us drive this forward.
To date, there is no official legislation or guidance that places responsibility on the employer to protect their employees outside of work – not even during their commute. Despite this, over half of workers (51%) believe that their employer has a duty of care to them outside of working hours.
We’re asking UK businesses to go beyond basic compliance and step up to keep their people safe.”
David Crawley, Crimestoppers Director of Development, says: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Peoplesafe on this initiative. Our charity is committed, and proud, to work with organisations who share our values of always keeping people and communities safe from harm.”
Employers can sign up today at peoplesafe.co.uk/step-up-stay-safe/
The final piece of roofing felt has been laid to officially mark the topping out of L2 Orchard Park, in Cambridge.
75 new homes, consisting of a mix of social rent and affordable rent will be delivered through Cambridge Investment Partnership and a funding agreement from Homes England.
Gerri Bird, Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member said, “Our new development at Orchard Park has allowed us to provide a mix of council homes and also affordable rent homes which will be made available to local residents who have traditionally found it difficult to secure, long term homes in the area.”
30 of the homes will be social rent homes while a further 45 available at 80% of the average private rental rate in Cambridge, with the City Council as landlord for all the properties.
 Front left Cllr Simon Smith, Executive Councillor for Finance and Resources and CIP Board Member; Cllr Gerri Bird, Executive Councillor for Housing and Homelessness at Cambridge City Council and CIP board member and Cllr Mike Davey, Leader of Cambridge City Council
Behind left – Tom Hill, Managing Director of The Hill Group Gerri continues, “With the continued cost of living crisis and rising interest rates, these homes are vital for those who may not qualify for full council rent homes but struggle to be able to afford to rent or buy locally.”
Designed by architects, Mole, the highly sustainable development features two apartment blocks and a row of coach houses, with all the homes gas free with heating provided through air source heat pumps. There are also biodiverse green roofs and high levels of insulation to reduce the impact of fuel poverty.
Tom Hill, Managing Director at The Hill Group comments, “Through the partnership we have worked closely with local residents to ensure this new development has a positive impact on the wider community which includes improvements to the adjacent public open space to provide a community growing garden and areas to come together and enjoy.
“We are extremely proud of what we continue to deliver through CIP, with over 1000 new homes completed or currently in build, including more than 700 council homes. We are committed to reinvesting in the city by creating new sustainable developments that provide homes and community facilities that are vitally needed.”
Orchard Park will also include improvement to adjacent open space which includes extensive recreational and biodiversity improvements along with community growing garden, pergola and seating area, trim trail, running track, table tennis table and generous planting.
There will also be six electric vehicle charging spaces, one hybrid/electric car club vehicle and above policy cycle parking provision for 124 bike spaces. There is also excellent walking, cycling and public transport links.
For further information about Cambridge Investment Partnership please visit www.ip-cambridge.co.uk
A further £8million will be spent on road maintenance over the next two years to help deal with potholes and the maintenance of highways, as Cllrs voted it through at Barnet Council’s Cabinet meeting last night, 18 July 2023.
 The new investment is in response to the 2022/23 winter period when the number of potholes reported jumped almost 95% to 3699 compared to the previous winter period which saw 1896 reported for repair.
This is in addition to £250,000 invested in advance of the 2022/23 winter period and the approved £11.785 million wider maintenance funding for this year.
Cllr Alan Schneiderman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said:
“We know that maintaining roads and dealing with potholes are very important to our residents, and we are responding to this by investing more in our highways.
 “Well-maintained roads and pavements are safer for everyone. That’s why we boosted funding immediately after taking control of the council last year and have now agreed to invest an additional £8million. And, as a council that cares for people, our places and the planet, we continue investing towards our longer-term plans of making Barnet a safer and more sustainable place for all.”
In total, including planned and additional investment, the council will be spending almost £17m on roads and pavements this year.
Funding for the highways maintenance programme was agreed at Barnet Environment and Climate Change Committee on 25 January 2023, which addresses how to maintain over 700km of highways that Barnet Council is responsible for.
 Mark Venables Mark Venables, chief executive of Highland Marketing, argues the NHS’ struggles to adopt EPRs has disguised success in other areas, and now’s the time to level up innovation.
The NHS has arrived at its 75th anniversary facing bigger challenges than it has faced since its inception. It’s true that founder Nye Bevan faced a huge political and medical battle to establish a health service that was, and remains, universal, free at the point of delivery, and focused on need.
It’s also true that the NHS went through a long period in the 1980s and 1990s in which buildings deteriorated, waiting lists rose, and staff satisfaction and public confidence fell. However, at the turn of the millennium, massive investment, recruitment, and a ruthless focus on targets turned things around.
Plus, there was a new reason for optimism: computerisation. The IT strategies of the late 1990s and early 2000s were full of hope that connectivity, electronic patient records, and then-new consumer tech like websites would improve efficiency, streamline services, and put data into the hands of clinicians and patients.
Technology struggles and unsung successes
If we are going to be honest, that potential hasn’t really been delivered. Highland Marketing was founded around the time the National Programme for IT was launched, so we have seen the challenges that trusts have faced with adopting the EPRs it promised.
Even today, we are working with clients who want to help NHS organisations to make the most of the Frontline Digitisation programme, which is hoping to get ‘minimum digital foundations’ into all trusts by the end of the current Parliament.
Having said that, the high-profile struggles of successive EPR programmes have deflected attention from projects that have worked. We work with a leading imaging company that often points out that the TV trope of clinicians peering at x-ray film on a lightbox vanished years ago.
Similarly, we have a pathology client that has enabled laboratories to revolutionise the way they work, and for hospitals and GP practices to rip up the paper associated with ordering tests and reporting results. Radiology and pathology are getting ready for the new world of automation, digitisation, and AI. It would be great if other areas of the health service could learn from them.
Learning lessons to deliver a digital future
If they did, two lessons would be that you need clarity about workflow and strong, core systems to deliver it. Today’s politicians are as excited about technology as politicians were 20-years back; but the technology they want to talk about is AI and digital-first services for patients.
We have a client that delivers shared care records to join-up services and generate data for population health management, and we’ve worked with many companies delivering important platforms for digital outpatients, virtual wards, and remote monitoring.
But they’d be the first to say they won’t work unless trusts have EPRs and integrated care systems have good data architectures to feed and support them. So, as the NHS turns 75, in a poorer state than it would like, we have to hope that whoever wins the next general election will invest again – and invest in the right way.
Complete the roll-out of core systems. Sort out the architecture. Help organisations to layer in the innovation that will really make a difference. Support UK industry to develop solutions for the future. That way, we’ll be able to keep raising awareness of all the good stuff that is happening out there.
About Highland Marketing
Highland Marketing is an integrated communications, PR and marketing consultancy with an unrivalled reputation for supporting UK and international health tech and med tech organisations. Highland Marketing is dedicated to supporting the diffusion and adoption of innovation across health and social care, and over two decades has built a reputation for being the go-to agency for vendors and their customers. Highland Marketing is expert in market strategy planning, research, branding, messaging, content marketing, PR, social media and scales acceleration.
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One of the UK’s leading providers of contingent labour on behalf of public sector organisations, Matrix, has seen its clients grow their investment in temporary and fixed-contract staff by a fifth since the end of the Covid pandemic.
The largest increases were seen in Qualified Social Care, where spending has risen by almost a third. This is followed by investment in Interim recruitment, which grew by a quarter over the same period. Non-Qualified Social Care, meanwhile, saw the biggest percentage increase in contingent workforce spending.
This recruitment trend means the social care sector now accounts for over 55% of the UK’s local authority contingent workforce. Furthermore, Matrix, which works with over a third (35%) of local authorities across England and Wales, reveals that this increase in demand and competition for resources has elongated average time to hire for temporary social care vacancies while also increasing average pay rates by 17.8% on average since May 2021. However, Matrix statistics show this pay impact varies significantly between roles, ranging from 15.1% for Qualified Social Care positions to just 4.1% for Interim jobs, with further variance recorded by region.
“Our figures reveal the shift of the public sector towards an increasingly blended workforce of permanent and temporary staff,” said Matrix CEO Mark Inskip. “The question is whether this is a passing trend or if the public sector is following many parts of the private sector towards a balanced workforce composition strategy.
“What is clear, is that key scarce functions such as social care are witnessing an unprecedented exodus, at a time of ever-increasing demand on services. Wage inflation is not keeping up, which is driving continued upward pressure on temporary worker pay rates. Memorandums of Understanding were designed to address some of these challenges, and while we have seen some positive impact on rate governance within regions, the practical impact of this approach clearly shows that there is much work to do in light of these compelling statistics.”
Matrix contingent workforce statistics are drawn from tens of millions of data points, with its platform processing 23,700 timesheets a week. Many of these come from public sector staff, with the company having 14,000 temporary workers live in local authorities placements at any given moment.
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Blackhawk Network(BHN), the global market leader in payments, rewards and incentives, has been awarded a third Crown Commercial Service Framework. Cyclescheme, a wholly owned subsidiary of BHN, has been approved to join the (CCS) RM6273 Employee Benefits & Services Framework.
Chris Ronald, VP EMEA, B2B – Incentives, Rewards & Benefits, BHN, said: “As the leading Cycle to Work provider we are proud to have been selected to support public sector employees to save money and keep fit. BHN has over 30 years’ experience in benefits and employee engagement, supporting organisations to engage and create loyal, inclusive and energised workforces. From our research, we know that the UK is still suffering the effects of the cost-of-living crisis, which is why we are passionate about what we do and encourage all employers to introduce ways to support employee’s financial wellbeing and encourage participation. Joining the CCS Employee Benefits & Services Framework forms part of our continued commitment to serve the public and third sectors.”
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