To register for your FREE Digital Subscription of GovernmentTechnology magazine, go to www.governmenttechnology.co.uk or contact Public Sector Information, 226 High Road, Loughton, Essex, IG10 1ET Tel: 020 8532 0055
At Secure Nexus, we protect local authorities from evolving cyber threats, keeping public services running smoothly and sensitive data safe. Talk to us today to get your free cybersecurity assessment.
Robust cybersecurity solutions carefully tailored for councils and public organisations. 24/7 threat monitoring, compliance support, and staff awareness training included. Seamless protection and resilience that integrate securely with existing systems.
01786 236 632 enquiries@securenexus.co.uk
Budget: £300 million for NHS tech
Ahead of the budget, the government confirmed that £300 million of new capital investment will go into technology for the NHS.
New digital tools will be rolled out to NHS staff to support their work and improve productivity, by automating administrative tasks and providing swifter access to patient information, as well as ensuring better staff communication and better coordinated care. By upgrading technology, it is hoped that productivity will be improved so that nurses and doctors can focus on caring for patients and patients will be treated more quickly.
Daniel Elkeles, chief executive, NHS Providers, said: “£300 million more for new digital technology will go a long way to letting staff spend more time with patients rather than on time-consuming admin duties.”
Budget introduces mileage charge for EVs ELECTRIC
Electric vehicle (EV) drivers will be subject to a new “mileage-based charge” from April 2028, confirmed in the Chancellor’s Autumn Budget.
The charge will apply to both battery electric cars and plug-in hybrids, marking a significant shift in how zero-emission motoring is taxed in the UK.
Battery electric vehicles will incur a charge of 3p per mile, while plug-in hybrids will be charged 1.5p per mile during the 2028–29 financial year.
The new levy is expected to generate £1.1 billion for the Treasury in its first year, rising to £1.9 billion by 2030 as more EVs join the roads.
However, the Office for Budget Responsbility warns that the tax could have a cooling effect on the UK’s transition to electric motoring. The organisation forecasts 440,000 fewer EV sales over the next five years due to the mileage charge. Government incentives for cleaner vehicles are expected to soften the impact, but only partially, boosting sales by an estimated 130,000 units.
The mileage charge follows another major policy change earlier this year, when electric vehicle owners began paying Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) for the first time, ending a longstanding tax exemption for zero-emission cars.
The government is expected to provide further detail on how the new system will be implemented as part of its wider strategy to replace declining fuel duty revenues in an increasingly electric automotive market...
Indoor GPS
FR3120130A1, US12066558B2
Indoor GPS
Indoor GPS
Indoor GPS
FR3120130A1, US12066558B2
FR3120130A1, US12066558B2
Give off line
Give off line
Quantum
Quantum safe Secure internet
Quantum safe Secure internet
Random hash US20200351100A1, FR3092923B1, US11914754B2, US20240111717A1,US11956367B2
c/o MarbeufConseil et Recherche 42 rue Maubeuge75009 Paris, France
c/o MarbeufConseil et Recherche
66 avenue des Champs Elysées 75008 Paris , France
New government unit to boost local digital services
A new government department has launched to help councils across the UK make everyday services easier, faster, and more accessible for residents.
The new GDS Local unit will be located within the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
GDS Local will work with councils so that residents could eventually use GOV.UK One Login and the GOV.UK App to access both national and local services through a single account.
There will be reform to how councils buy technology, removing “ball and chain” contracts which see councils locked into longterm agreements with single suppliers and giving councils more control and choice.
Councils will also be supported to share anonymised data on issues like homelessness trends or service demand through the Government Digital and Data Hub to facilitate sector-wide learning and the ability to scale innovations that work.
Minister for digital government, Ian Murray, said: “For too long, local councils have been left out of the digital transformation happening across central government, despite delivering the services that matter most to, and are closest to, people’s lives.
“That changes today. GDS Local will help end the postcode lottery for digital services, giving every community access to modern, joined up and reliable online services. This is about making government work seamlessly...
The government has announced billions of pounds of additional investment in AI to drive growth, create jobs and spread prosperity.
A new AI Growth Zone has been announced for South Wales. £10 billion of investment will unlock at least 5,000 jobs, including in industrial heartlands like the former Ford Bridgend Engine Plant.
Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Rebecca Evans said: “I am delighted that South Wales is to become the UK’s latest AI Growth Zone, with the potential to create thousands of new jobs and unlock billions in investment.
“Now with two AI Growth Zones announced in a week, Wales will be at the forefront of the global AI revolution, well-placed to take advantage of the exciting new opportunities this offers for our economy.
“This announcement, just days before Wales Tech Week, signals the Welsh and UK Government’s ambition to ensure our country maximises the benefits from AI and digital technology.”
Elsewhere, the government will act as a first customer for promising UK start-ups who are building high-quality AI hardware products but currently struggle to get off the ground without investment. This advance market commitment is back by up to £100 million of government support.
Venture capitalist James Wise is set to chair the Sovereign AI Unit, which will be backed by almost £500 million in investment to help...
Government announces new AI investment
R&D
Funding to boost innovation in life sciences
More than £74 million of government and industry backing has been announced for the UK’s life science’s innovators.
The government is awarding more than £54 million across eight innovative R&D projects through the Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme. This will be boosted by more than £20 million in additional backing from industry.
The funding will work to make medicines more environmentally friendly and efficient, for example, looking at how anaesthetic gas could be recycled and reused, how spent fuel from Britain’s nuclear power stations could be converted into the next generation of cancer therapies, as well as efforts to make medicines production less wasteful by putting AI and robotics to work in British factories.
Meanwhile, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) is being awarded almost £1 million from the Engineering Biology Sandbox Fund for work to address regulatory challenges around ‘engineered bacteriophage products’. Bacteriophages are a type of virus that destroy bacteria. Engineered bacteriophage products could provide an answer to the growing problem of antibioticresistant bacteria.
Science and technology secretary Liz Kendall said: “The life sciences sector is a core part of our Industrial Strategy for good reason: it turns over £150 billion a year, supports hundreds of thousands of jobs, and is a magnet for investment. Its success will be critical to the economic growth we need, to deliver this government’s mission of national renewal...
More top news stories from www.governmenttechnology.co.uk
£6.9 million for satellite communications:
READ MORE
£155 million to protect critical services: READ MORE
More NHS care from home thanks to digital tech: READ MORE
Government support for quantum tech: READ MORE
Online NHS consultation requests soar: READ MORE
£55 billion R&D funding to improve lives: READ MORE
PM sets out benefits of Digital ID: READ MORE
AI Growth Zone for North Wales
A new AI Growth Zone has been confirmed for North Wales.
AI Growth Zones are designed to be hubs for AI development, bringing together the key building blocks of AI from processing power to research expertise, they aim to unlock innovation.
£5 million in support will be set aside for each AI Growth Zone at a local level for business adoption and skills and the money will be directed into regions to help accelerate economic growth, boost local research and development efforts, and support regional AI firms from start-up to scale-up.
It is estimated that these interventions will unlock up to £100 billion in additional investment into the AI Growth Zone programme creating thousands of jobs and helping give people the AI skills they need at work.
The new AI Growth Zone for North Wales is expected to create 3,450 jobs.
Prime minister, Keir Starmer, said: “We said we’d make AI work for Britain – and now we’re putting our money where our mouth is.
“These Growth Zones aren’t an abstract conception; they’re about thousands of jobs, real investment, and change for communities that have been short-changed for too long...
AI. Do you really need it?
And if you do, make sure your cyber security is up to date. Kurt Frary, Head of IT/CTO of Norfolk County Council and President of Socitm 2025-26 explains
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the disruptive technology trend of the moment. Barely a day passes without articles talking about the amazing possibilities, or the significant new risks that it poses, or how it has been used in the wrong way
The sector, individually and collectively, has different approaches: ranging from the extremes of jumping straight in, to avoiding it completely. Hopefully, you’re on the sensible and safe middle path. Using it, but with care, governance, guidelines and guardrails in place. As we use it, we need to understand how to achieve the outcomes we want. AI does offer a potential key to unlocking productivity beyond traditional borders – £45 million according to January’s State of Digital Government Review Those of us using it are starting to explore new potential applications. Or using it outside of work to support us.
Socitm, and most digital leaders, see AI as a transformational force for good if the risks are managed, concerns addressed, and it’s used ethically.
It’s still difficult to predict public sector AI adoption
Alongside great opportunity, there are risks (such as made-up content – hallucinations –bias and new cyber threats) and the pace is dictated by two key factors (identified in Digital Trends research ).
1. Our capability and capacity to take on complex AI projects: given other pressing priorities and challenges and limited AI experience. Projects are emerging in specific and bounded applications, such as health diagnostics, social care and customer service.
2. Compliance and regulatory concerns: data quality, procurement policies, risks of bias, transparency of algorithms and concerns about liabilities.
Think your organisation is avoiding AI? You’re not. Are you (or do you know) a Shadow AI user?
You and your colleagues could be using Shadow AI without realising it.
Shadow AI refers to AI tools or systems used within an organisation without official approval or oversight from IT or governance teams.
Salford City Council’s Afsha Zeb (Cyber Governance, Risk and Compliance Engineer) lists some real-world examples in her blog post ‘Shadow AI in the public sector: innovation
A single breach could compromise residents’ data and erode confidence in digital services
without oversight?’. This includes: drafting case notes or internal documents using ChatGPT; copy-pasting sensitive or personal data into public-facing tools for analysis; using image or speech generators for accessibility without audit trails; and purchasing AI-enhanced tools without ICT or procurement involvement.
What can you do?
Afsha has tackled this exact question: “You can’t afford to ignore it. But banning AI won’t work, it will simply drive it further underground. Instead, we need a mature, strategic response: one that acknowledges the innovation already happening and guides it safely.”
Read her 6 steps to managing Shadow AI in your organisation.
Where works when thinking about and using AI
1. To maintain public trust, avoid falling for supplier and consultant hype. AI takes E
F time and effort. Start small (develop pilots internally before deploying at a large scale or externally), establish governance arrangements (including usage policies or guidance to define ownership), and understand AI’s impact in your organisation.
2. Develop in-house skills and senior/political awareness, plus a good understanding of opportunities, risks and the functioning of AI.
3. Conduct a risk analysis of AI (including new external cyber risks) and consider how those risks are best controlled and mitigated for.
You’re using AI. How do you make it secure?
You handle sensitive data every day. When AI is introduced, the attack surface expands making cyber security not just a technical concern, but a public trust issue.
A single breach could compromise residents’ data and erode confidence in digital services. Start with Cyber Essentials and the Cyber Assessment Framework (CAF).
Cyber Essentials is a government-backed certification offering baseline controls against the most common cyber threats.
Implementing just five key controls reduces risk, builds protection and gives stakeholders verified assurance that you’re prioritising
cyber security and meeting the UK minimum standard.
The CAF offers a systematic approach to assessing how well you manage cyber risks to your essential functions.
It provides requirements, principles and outcomes to evaluate and improve cyber security.
Published before CAF 4.0 went live, Socitm’s 10 key cyber security questions for public sector leaders are still essential reading.
Watch me and my colleagues talk about implementing the CAF at Norfolk County Council . It’s helped us take a broader view of our cyber resilience across areas not always covered by other frameworks.
Questions you must answer
In October, I attended the 2025 Major Cities of Europe Conference in Paris. While waiting for my presentation slot, Dr. Alan R. Shark spoke about AI cyber security , challenging us with the following questions
What problem are we solving? AI might not be the right solution. Don’t use it just because you can. Define your use and outcome metrics and give examples – such as, reducing waiting times.
Is data ready, secure and governed? AI relies on clean, complete, and unbiased data, but that doesn’t exist. Instead, get data to a good enough quality to work with.
How can we ensure transparency and accountability? Ethical frameworks provide citizens with recourse when AI affects them. Adopt explainable AI reporting disclosure. What are the risks and how will we mitigate them? Use pilots before widely rolling out AI solutions.
Do we have capacity to succeed? Budgets (funding for tech, training and support) and people (AI literacy, change management, cross-functional collaboration). Communicate benefits and limitations to build trust.
Security isn’t just about firewalls it’s about communication.
We should engage with residents, explain how AI is being used, and offer clear channels for feedback.
Transparency builds trust, and trust is the foundation of successful public service.
We’re at a turning point in our preparations to exploit AI
AI: a look ahead
We’re at a turning point in our preparations to exploit AI. It’s one of our most exciting, transformative and potentially challenging technology developments.
There are different areas where AI can be its most relevant and useful. For example, identifying risks and benefits of early interventions – through linking and analysing complex data sets across systems, services and organisations.
It can be used to automate customer service journeys, connecting around individual needs, preferences and changing circumstances. Internal processes could be automated, especially as our software will often have AI capability pre-embedded.
It is also useful for analysing and demonstrating the wider effects of service decisions and risks. For example, connecting the impacts of decisions in measurable ways across domains (environment, health, social well-being and economic factors).
Local public services operate in complex environments. We manage sensitive situations and data, often related to vulnerable people with complex and diverse service needs.
With all relevant safeguards in place, there are areas where AI can offer significant future value
With all relevant safeguards in place, there are areas where AI can offer significant future value – with a new data insight, better risk management and joined up service delivery.
Key takeaway: AI will complement, not replace, human activity It can simplify processes, automate resource allocation, aid in decision-making, and trigger alerts for risks, leading to better-targeted resources and services.
AI has the potential to play a significant role across the whole spectrum of public services, becoming a partner rather than a de facto replacement. M
FURTHER INFORMATION
Making cyber security a board responsibility NCSC Annual Review 2025 AI and cyber security: what you need to know
What role could AI play in reducing prison overcrowding?
Ian Porée, former executive director of HM Prison and Probation Service, explores the potential for AI to help address the prison crisis
With prison overcrowding and high-profile cases dominating the headlines in recent months, pressure on the justice system has been thrust into the media spotlight.
The connection between addressing the challenges of an overstretched prison service and advances in technology may not be immediately obvious. But government is actively exploring the potential for tools such as AI to reduce the demands on prison and probation officers.
The launch of the first AI Action plan for Justice by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) in July 2025 outlined a three-year strategy to embed AI across all areas of justice. This could be gamechanging for probation officers, case workers and youth justice teams.
AI has huge potential to reduce routine administrative work so staff within the justice system can focus on tasks that have a direct impact on their ability to protect the public, prevent reoffending and provide the support needed to help prevent the revolving door of repeat offending.
Shaping policy on AI in the prison service
There are several key areas where AI technology could have a major impact on the future of justice and offender management.
Some of the significant challenges of hiring, training and retaining staff within the criminal justice system highlighted in the Criminal Justice Joint Inspection report have led to overflowing prisons and workloads. AI could
ease some of this pressure by handling many of the time-consuming tasks this area of the workforce undertakes.
Relatively simple AI tools could automatically screen candidate applications, schedule interviews and track the progress of staff through mandatory training. These are currently largely manual tasks that may take up hours of time and divert staff away from meaningful activities that help to develop the skilled workforce the sector needs.
Justice professionals working with individuals at risk of offending and their families could also benefit from AI technology. Each conversation they have is crucial to identify risk factors, monitor progress and determine what additional support is needed.
After a serious incident, a probation officer may need to review hours of prior meeting notes to identify key information such as previous convictions, patterns of offending or changes in behaviour that can indicate increased risk. Using AI, all this information could be summarised in a fraction of the time, including the terminology, situations and vocabulary specific to the justice system. This would free up more time for probation workers to support the individuals and families they work with.
More efficient probation process
Helping people on probation to change their offending behaviour is central to the criminal justice service. Even seemingly small setbacks, such as missing a drug and alcohol cessation session or an anger management group, can increase the likelihood of reoffending. In these situations, probation officers must quickly reassess risk and the potential impact of a missed appointment on an individual’s mental health and wellbeing.
AI can help inform these decisions by analysing patterns from past cases to identify the circumstances that have previously led to reoffending and assess the potential future risk. Probation officers or social workers could then be prompted much sooner to contact someone as behaviour starts to change and appointments are missed. It could make all the difference to someone’s pathway to a life without crime.
The human side of the justice system
The probation service depends on human skills to build trust, understand context and E
Relatively simple AI tools could automatically screen candidate applications
AI is particularly well suited to improving these kinds of rules-based workflows
F tailor interventions to each individual. Heavy caseloads often pull staff away from this critical work.
By taking on time-consuming administrative tasks and analysing large amounts of case data, AI can free up probation officers to focus their expertise where it’s needed most. It can also help triage caseloads by highlighting individuals at the greatest risk, so staff can prioritise supervision and support effectively.
But probation doesn’t work in isolation and different parts of the justice system have distinct roles. The police prioritise public safety and responding to immediate threats, probation focuses on rehabilitation and risk management and the prison service balances security with preparing people for release. AI can help coordinate this work by analysing information across services and flagging when someone needs attention from multiple teams, such as when preparing to leave prison and reintegrate into the community. It can also be used to provide services with a more complete picture of an offender’s circumstances.
Transforming data sharing
Information from policing, health, education and housing services is often needed to identify people who may be at risk of future offending.
However, each service has its own rules on what data can be shared and when. This makes it difficult for any single agency to build a full picture of someone’s situation. To avoid breaches of confidentiality, staff may only share the minimum information required. While wellintentioned, this may mean that vital details are missed.
AI is particularly well suited to improving these kinds of rules-based workflows. By training AI tools on representative datasets, such as anonymised information about prior convictions, mental health support and housing history, patterns and connections can be uncovered that might otherwise be hidden. Crucially, this can be done securely, within datasharing protocols, helping teams access better insights without compromising privacy.
An AI-enabled future for justice
I recently contributed to ‘ The Role of AI in the Human World of Justice’, a white paper published by NEC Software Solutions which included insights from experts across the justice system and explored how AI can support criminal justice professionals to tackle the complex challenges they face.
From identifying early signs of anti-social behaviour and monitoring county lines activity to preventing violent crime, AI has the potential to reduce harm and ensure that prison is reserved for the most serious cases.
Whether it’s used to spot the early signs of anti-social behaviour, track county lines activity or prevent violent crime, AI can help the justice sector to reduce harm and reserve prison for only the most serious cases. L
ISE 2026: securing the future of government technology
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 returns to Barcelona in February 2026 with a call to ‘Push Beyond’
Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2026 returns to Fira de Barcelona Gran Via, setting the stage for government and public sector organisations to address two critical imperatives: control room innovation and cybersecurity resilience. This year’s theme is ‘Push Beyond’ – a rallying call for the industry to exceed conventional boundaries and embrace pioneering approaches in technology and security. In an era where digital threats escalate and critical infrastructure grows ever more connected, ISE 2026 is more than a showcase – it’s a strategic platform for leaders to engage with global experts, discover transformative solutions, and shape strategies for a secure, connected future.
Cybersecurity: the defining megatrend of ISE 2026
Cybersecurity, a megatrend at ISE 2026, takes centre stage at the inaugural CyberSecurity Summit on 5 February. With cybercrime surging across Europe and globally, the Summit unites AV and cybersecurity leaders to address vulnerabilities in everything from smart buildings and transport hubs to public services and event venues. Sessions will explore strategies for zero-trust architectures, compliance frameworks, and proactive threat intelligence. As Mike Blackman, managing director of Integrated Systems Events, notes: “Cybersecurity is no longer a technical afterthought – it’s a business-critical factor, essential for accessing public tenders, ensuring regulatory compliance, and building long-term trust with clients.”
Control Rooms Summit: advancing
mission-critical
environments
The Control Rooms Summit, taking place on 4 February, will spotlight how advanced visualisation, AI-driven analytics, and seamless AV/IT integration are revolutionising missioncritical environments. From emergency response centres to transport networks,
control rooms are evolving into dynamic ecosystems where resilience, uptime, and human-centred design are paramount. Attendees will gain practical insights into integrating IoT data streams, leveraging AI for proactive decision-making, and deploying collaborative tools that empower operators to respond faster and smarter in times of crisis.
Networking and innovation for public sector leaders
Beyond the summits, ISE 2026 offers unparalleled networking opportunities and access to cutting-edge solutions across AV, IT, and integrated systems. For public sector leaders, this is a chance to engage with innovators, enhance operational resilience, and ensure that security and control are not just priorities, but the foundation of public trust and national resilience.
Registration for ISE 2026 is now open. Government Technology readers can register for FREE using code ‘governmenttechnology’ below. M
www.iseurope.org/welcome/registration
From policy to practice: how ChromeOS Flex supports your GDSA roadmap implementation
With ICT emissions soaring and landfill rates rising, ChromeOS Flex offers a secure, cost-saving route to circularity, helping public sector bodies meet GDSA goals
The latest Greening Government Commitments ICT report reveals the challenge’s scale: government ICT emissions reached 340,285 tonnes CO2e in 2023-24. While overall waste volumes dropped 6 per cent, the percentage sent to landfill increased from 0.8 per cent to 1.3 per cent – evidence that low-effort wins are being achieved, but the difficult work of highvalue recovery remains unresolved.
In June, the GDSA’s Circular Economy Working Group released a comprehensive recommendations paper identifying two dominant barriers preventing ICT circularity: finance and security. With thousands of aging devices that are expensive to replace, risky to keep running and difficult to dispose of securely, IT leaders are challenged with clawing back sustainability goals with little departmental budget available to enable their success.
The GDSA’s barriers
Traditional government budgeting focuses on capital expenditure rather than Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), creating disincentives for circular options. Meanwhile, security teams default to physical destruction or indefinite storage. The GDSA paper confirms that, without certified alternatives meeting NCSC guidance, security professionals have no viable options beyond hoarding or destruction.
Taking the GDSA recommendations on board, local authorities are empowered to shift procurement to TCO modelling and create Value Recovery Pathways (VRPs), ensuring disposal revenue returns to IT budgets. ChromeOS Flex makes this transition viable by delivering quantifiable operational savings.
ChromeOS Flex: the technical solution
ChromeOS Flex directly addresses the GDSA’s identified barriers by transforming aging hardware into modern, secure, cost-effective assets. This cloud-based operating system installs on existing PCs and Macs, extending device lifecycles while generating the measurable evidence that finance and security teams require. Independent analysis by Px3 demonstrates the potential. Applying lifespan extension through ChromeOS Flex achieves a 50 per cent reduction in device procurement costs, 73 per cent reduction in utility costs, 68 per cent carbon footprint abatement and 81 per cent e-waste avoidance. These figures provide the auditable TCO data finance teams need to justify the GDSAmandated shift from CapEx to lifecycle thinking.
The jumpstart proof of concept: generating implementation evidence
The GDSA roadmap remains advisory until departments produce tangible evidence that sustainable alternatives meet rigorous standards. This is where structured proof-ofconcept initiatives become essential.
The 30-day Jumpstart programme converts 50 existing devices to ChromeOS Flex.
From commitment to action
The public sector’s circular ICT transition depends on solutions that simultaneously satisfy finance, security and sustainability requirements. ChromeOS Flex demonstrates this is achievable, transforming the GDSA’s policy framework into measurable, cost-saving, security-enhancing operational reality. M
FURTHER INFORMATION
Contact Getech today to undertake your Jumpstart Proof of Concept and generate the evidence your organisation needs to implement the GDSA roadmap.
Secure Nexus – your digital defence partner
Secure Nexus is a UK-based cybersecurity specialist dedicated to empowering small and medium-sized organisations with affordable, reliable, and cutting-edge protection. With security at its heart, they deliver comprehensive managed services that strengthen resilience, maintain compliance, and safeguard digital operations
Our mission is simple: to make enterprisegrade cybersecurity accessible and effective for all organisations. From threat detection and identity protection to governance, compliance, and data recovery, Secure Nexus ensures your business can operate with confidence in today’s evolving threat landscape.
Our Managed Detection and Response (MDR) service provides 24×7 monitoring through our UK-based SOC, combining automation, analytics, and human expertise to detect, investigate, and neutralise threats in real time. Complementing this, our Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR) platform delivers intelligent, automated defence against ransomware, zeroday exploits, and lateral movement attacks. Secure Nexus extends protection beyond endpoints with Identity & Access Security, enforcing Zero-Trust principles through MFA, SSO, and privileged access management to secure users, devices, and applications. Our Cloud Security & Governance framework
provides continuous visibility and compliance across AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud environments, while Backup & Data Resilience solutions guarantee business continuity through immutable, compliant, and instantly recoverable data.
Human behaviour remains a critical risk factor. Our Human Risk Management programme transforms your workforce into proactive defenders through continuous awareness training, phishing simulations, and credential monitoring reducing security incidents by up to 70 per cent.
For assurance and compliance, Secure Nexus Advisory Services guide organisations through frameworks such as ISO 27001, ISO 9001, and Cyber Essentials Plus, embedding governance, efficiency, and trust. Our Penetration Testing and Automated Pen Testing services uncover vulnerabilities across web, mobile, and cloud systems balancing expert manual testing with continuous, cost-effective automation for complete visibility.
Trusted by public-sector bodies and private enterprises alike, Secure Nexus delivers measurable risk reduction, strengthened compliance posture, and operational confidence. We combine certified expertise, local accountability, and a continuous improvement ethos to keep organisations one step ahead of emerging cyber threats. Together, we create a secure digital foundation for your organisation’s future. M
FURTHER INFORMATION
Why improving cyber resilience across the wider economy strengthens public sector security
Jill Broom, Head of Programme, Cyber Resilience at techUK, explains why strengthening defences across the wider economy is vital to safeguarding public services
Last month, the government wrote to all FTSE 350 companies urging them to ‘make cyber resilience a board-level responsibility’. This came in the wake of – as the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) Annual Review 2025 highlighted – a record number of ‘nationally significant’ cyber-attacks hitting the UK in the past year, including several high-profile incidents which seriously disrupted the operations, and significantly impacted the finances of national stalwarts such as Marks & Spencer and Jaguar Land Rover. We know, therefore, that cyber resilience must be improved across the wider economy – but why does this matter for public sector security?
The interconnected reality
In our increasingly connected world, digital threats are escalating in scale and sophistication, so no sector can afford to operate in isolation. Indeed, the NCSC’s Review set out that ‘the UK’s cyber security is a shared responsibility’. And, in addition to being a critical business and growth enabler, strengthening cyber defences across the wider economy is a key driver in safeguarding our public sector.
Public services rely on an extensive network of third-party suppliers and digital service providers. If one of those suppliers is compromised, the cyber risk doesn’t just fall E
F within the bounds of that organisation. Last year’s Synnovis ransomware attack was a stark example of this. The attack on the pathology services provider resulted in NHS patient data breaches, but it also left hospitals and GP surgeries in London unable to use essential systems for processing blood tests, forcing the cancellation of many patient appointments.
Another example of our interconnected reality is that the UK’s critical national infrastructure (CNI), including our telecommunications networks and energy grids, are often privately owned, but they are integral to delivering public services. Strengthening cyber resilience across these sectors will help prevent systemic failures and ensure the continuity of emergency frontline services. More broadly, it will help to reduce national-level cyber risk.
Perception and trust are interlinked, too. When businesses demonstrate strong cyber security and resilience, public trust in digital systems increases – and this will be critical if our public services are to seize the opportunities that technology can offer citizens… not least when it comes to Digital ID.
This is the backdrop against which the government is introducing the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill because, while cyber resilience is a collective responsibility, legislation has a key role in enhancing it and driving accountability.
One of the Bill’s measures will bring private companies that are attractive targets for threat actors – including Managed Service Providers which offer core IT services to businesses and organisations – into the scope of the UK’s cyber security regulatory regime that helps safeguard our CNI. As well as increasing their
accountability, these suppliers will need to focus on being prepared for an attack by implementing robust security controls, clear and documented security postures and strong backup and recovery processes.
While sectors such as manufacturing and retail remain out of scope for now (this could change in the future with the Bill’s new Delegated Powers measure), bringing some of their critical suppliers under the regulations’ remit should help to boost their resilience. However, per the FTSE 350 letter, government is also calling on organisations to follow its lead and require suppliers to meet Cyber Essentials standards. Embedding these foundational security requirements across the economy will also help to protect public services from disruptions that can impact service delivery or increase costs.
Recovery plans are a must
The disruption caused by recent cyber-attacks and their knock-on effect on the economy have sharpened the focus on the fact that cyber resilience – including the ability to recover from an attack – is just as important as has having robust cyber defences in place. Continuity plans follow on from what we all now know – it’s not a matter of if but when organisations fall victim to a cyber-attack.
A key emphasis in the NCSC’s Review was the plea to rehearse how to respond to significant incidents and have hardcopy response plans, to help ensure continuity of operations without critical IT and the quick rebuilding of that IT. Further, one of the five principles of the Cyber Governance Code of Practice referenced in the FTSE 350 letter is Incident Planning, Response and Recovery. Cyber-attacks on
financial institutions, logistics operators, or manufacturers that cause significant harm have the potential to affect public finances if recovery isn’t swift. If government incurs costs through supporting disrupted industries, the funding and resources available for essential services like healthcare could be reduced.
A strong cyber sector is good for our public services
The designation of cyber security as a ‘frontier technology’ in the UK’s Industrial Strategy Digital & Technologies Sector Plan is a significant development; as is the recent publication of the Cyber Growth Action Plan which builds on the Strategy, recognising the ‘virtuous cycle’ where growth in the cyber sector enhances national resilience, and resilience in turn fuels innovation and economic expansion across all sectors.
By promoting this growth and fostering a stable environment for cyber investment and innovation, we can keep pace with evolving threats and secure evolving technologies. If we don’t keep innovating in this space, all sectors will be vulnerable to threat actors, and they won’t be able to reap the benefits technology delivers. Furthermore, the strength of the UK’s cyber industry bolsters our defence and intelligence partnerships with close allies.
Collaboration is critical for success
Historically, cyber resilience hasn’t been prioritised enough, leaving the whole economy exposed. But we can change this, especially while the impacts of recent attacks are front of mind. Indeed, as the NCSC’s Review says – ‘It’s time to act’.
The UK has a strong public–private partnership when it comes to tackling cyber threats and enhancing digital resilience; for example, industry works with the NCSC to deliver a whole-of-society response through programmes such as Industry 100. Public sector cyber resilience relies upon real-time threat intelligence sharing with industry as well as a collective incident response, ensuring faster threat detection, better coordination during incidents and a stronger national security position. We must continue to nurture this partnership.
Government’s letter to the FTSE 350 outlined some clear actions, but (collectively) we can do more to raise awareness of the support already available for organisations – including
Historically, cyber resilience hasn’t been prioritised enough
signposting NCSC guidance and toolkits such as the Cyber Security Board Toolkit and the Cyber Action Toolkit for SMEs. And we can ask more of our suppliers to incentivise the broader economy to prioritise cyber resilience, providing organisations with practical examples of how to do this.
techUK’s Cyber Resilience Programme works closely with our members who’re engaged in mitigating the ever-evolving cyber threat, amplifying key messages about cyber resilience. As such, there is a wealth of useful thoughtleadership articles, research and reports from our members accessible on the techUK website – topics range from the threat landscape and cyber policy, to preparing for the post-quantum age and harnessing emerging technology in cyber defence.
I would encourage all organisations to collaborate with techUK’s members on achieving the asks in government’s letter and, more broadly, in taking cyber resilience seriously. By sharing best practice on matters such as supply chain security and knowledge about threats and mitigating measures, we can improve the cyber resilience of the entire economy – and, ultimately, better protect our essential public services. M
www.techuk.org
Reinventing the map to deliver trusted data in a turbulent world
Reflections from the Cambridge Conference 2025 – a gathering for Heads of National Mapping and Geospatial Agencies, which has been hosted by Ordnance Survey since 1928
National Mapping and Geospatial Agencies exist to record change.
People across the world rely on them to update and maintain the authoritative information that links their physical world to the data landscape, providing the insight needed for confident decision making and faster, more efficient policy implementation.
And, while providers of official geospatial information have a long tradition of selfreinvention through technological and organisational transformation to meet the needs of government, business and citizens, they also continue to produce the maps that hold a special place in a nation’s affections –
making them powerful symbols of certainty and trust in a complex and uncertain world.
“I love maps. They inspire my analytical mind, and they also speak to my heart. More importantly I love what you can do with them. So, for me, maps are about better decisions, they’re about better services, they’re about better security, they’re about better societies, and they’re about better economies,” said Nick Bolton, chief executive officer, Ordnance Survey.
Nick was speaking at the Cambridge Conference, a unique global gathering for Heads of National Mapping and Geospatial Agencies, which has been hosted by Ordnance Survey since 1928. Convened to enable candid
conversations and share common challenges and opportunities, the event has foreseen many of the developments that today deliver the geospatial data needed to navigate the farreaching consequences of an ever-changing global situation. From the 1959 paper on the use of electronic computers in surveying and mapping, to 1979 discussions on GPS, and a 1995 opening session on the need for consistent core global datasets.
Digital and data
Introducing the 2025 theme ‘Reinventing the Map,’ Nick added: “We’re seeing a period of significant change in the world and our role as national mapping agencies, or being involved in the mapping ecosystem more broadly, equally has to respond to that change. Now, the majority of maps only ever exist in the digital; that’s a very different place.”
Maree Wilson, chief of Place and Communities Division, Geoscience Australia said: “For us [in Australia], we feel that we are on the cusp of a great opportunity. We finally have a voice through a digital transformation agenda across government. I now attend a whole number of government chief data officer meetings on behalf of Geoscience Australia – me, a geospatial leader, not the chief information Officer who traditionally looks after the organisation’s data – because the narrative is shifting. It’s now about how geospatial fits into the broader data ecosystem of government.”
Now, the majority of maps only ever exist in the digital
Data is an asset
That Geospatial data is increasingly being identified by countries as a key national digital asset is significant, and it’s a worldwide trend. For example, The Spatial Data Infrastructure Act 2014 established The Bahamas National Geographic Information Systems Centre as a Department with responsibility for providing a strategic national framework for long-term systematic access and exchange of geospatial data.
Serbia’s national digital platform, GeoSrbija enables the delivery of operational – not just informational – spatial data. And in France, the National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information is renewing its 80-year-old mission in the age of AI with a particular focus on new state-of-the-art capabilities and developing competencies that ensure its future relevance. By adapting to meet both short and longerterm challenges and opportunities, National Mapping and Geospatial Agencies continue to reinvent themselves. While embracing new technologies and skills, they remain mindful of the need to retain the core skill sets that underpin their geospatial expertise.
Katarina Ritz, head of division, Danish Agency for Climate Data said: “Today, we are reinventing a whole agency but still holding on to what has been a main activity for hundreds of years, the mapping.”
Closing the conference, Nick Bolton concluded: “We tend to focus on the machinery of the task: the processes, the tools, the knowledge. But fundamentally, it’s about the people. We’ve heard talk about a love of maps, talk about trust, and talk about belief. Those are things that happen between human beings, not between organisations.
“We’ve focused on reinventing the map but that reinvention needs imagining, and, if there is one thing that marks out the human characteristic, it is the creative imagination. It’s what makes this fun and so the challenge is there. Let’s go and reinvent. Let’s go and reimagine. Let’s plan. Let’s design but fundamentally let’s go and build.” M
FURTHER INFORMATION
www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/cambridgeconference
How Ordnance Survey supports the Met Office in forecasting space weather – and just how disruptive that space weather can be
As solar activity reaches its peak, the UK is bracing for the impacts of space weather. From dazzling auroras to potential disruption of satellites, communications and power grids, the Met Office and Ordnance Survey are working together to forecast and mitigate risks
Some of us have heard of, or experienced, the phenomenon of solar storms or flares, more widely known as space weather. Space weather results from the Sun’s natural activity and is predicted to peak this year – a period known as the solar maximum. While the solar maximum brings an increased frequency of solar flares and solar storms which can produce stunning visual effects, such as the aurora borealis, more
severe space weather can also cause disruption to satellite communications and all they support.
The Met Office provides critical weather services and world-leading climate science. A lesser-known capability is its forecasting of space weather through the dedicated Space Weather Operations Centre . Ordnance Survey (OS), renowned for its expertise in mapping
and geospatial data, has been supporting this forecasting through its network of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) base stations, known as OS Net.
How space weather occurs and the solar maximum
The Sun has a natural cycle, transitioning between low and high magnetic activity. Approximately every 11 years, the solar cycle reaches its height – this is known as the solar
Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services can be affected by space weather
maximum. The Sun’s magnetic poles then flip, marking a transition from an active, stormy phase to a calmer one, reflected in the frequency of sunspots on its surface.
When the Sun’s energy, in the form of ultraviolet light and X-ray radiation, reaches our atmosphere, it causes electrons from the atoms within the atmosphere to be stripped in a process known as ionisation, resulting in an abundance of charged particles. The amount of ionisation is dependent on solar activity, following the 11-year solar cycle.
Each solar cycle is different, with elements such as the peak number of sunspots and length of time at solar maximum before the decline back to solar minimum, varying from cycle to cycle. The last solar maximum was declared in 2014. The USA’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has confirmed we are currently in a solar maximum period, which can last up to a year.
The impact of solar activity on Earth
Increased solar activity can have wide-ranging impacts on Earth. Space weather can damage electrical power grids, disable satellites and disrupt radio communications. Today’s world is critically reliant upon GNSS – it is a crucial but often overlooked service embedded within many of our digital systems. E
May last year saw a notable period of space weather
F Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) services – which are used to facilitate many core functions across our society – can be affected by space weather, from operating our phones, satnavs and online maps, to the navigation systems relied upon by airplanes, ships and trains. Disruption could also include impacts to
some ground-based infrastructure, including power grids and utilities. Therefore Critical National infrastructure (CNI) providers – which are dependent upon GNSS for timing services –need to understand the impact and mitigate the effect that space weather has upon GNSS based systems. The cost to the UK economy of just a few days of disruption could be billions of pounds – one reason why space weather is recognised on the National Risk Register.
For more than 20 years, OS Net has defined Great Britain’s coordinate reference system (including its position on Earth) and provides GNSS corrections, enabling access to 1cm real time positioning for OS surveyors and partners. Data from those base stations is constantly monitored and analysed for disruption, such as from solar storms. This information is invaluable and is used to help validate and drive Met Office space weather forecasts, along with data from other partners such as British Geological Survey – with these forecasts helping organisations mitigate potential disruption.
Met Office space weather manager Krista Hammond said: “Space weather forecasting is reliant on observations to help inform future forecasts. With sparse data availability when compared to meteorology, every bit of information that can be gathered is useful in not only informing the current space weather forecast, but also for developing our understanding of what to expect in severe space weather events.
“Data from Ordnance Survey, and that from other partners, is a vital part of the forecasting chain and helps inform the longterm resilience of the UK to severe space weather events.”
The strongest geomagnetic storm in two decades
May last year saw a notable period of space weather, with a series of solar flares and coronal mass ejections occurring in quick succession. When these arrived at Earth, the resultant geomagnetic storm was declared by the Met Office as the strongest of its type in two decades. This caused temporary disruption to satellite communications, GPS signals and radio communications, but stopped short of affecting the National Grid. OS Net base stations were affected – they were unable to provide centimetre-level positioning for one hour. Lower levels of disruption were also observed throughout the remainder of the weekend. These impacts have been fed back to national and international forums to help deepen understanding of what impacts more severe space weather events could bring.
The importance of resilient PNT
Mitigating the effects of space weather on GNSS capabilities is a global and government priority, and one that OS is keen to support through its OS Net capability. An expert in mapping, OS is skilled at deriving insights from complex data, and is highly experienced in building and
As technology evolves, so do the demands placed upon all of us
utilising PNT technologies within machine-tomachine GNSS based networks.
Steve Hancock, lead scientist (PNT) at OS, said: “Ordnance Survey has been defining position within Great Britain for over 230 years, and is now providing highly accurate measurements using our nationwide network of high performance GNSS receivers. As technology evolves, so do the demands placed upon all of us and for OS this means that we continue to explore the development of PNT technologies, systems and services. Today, the demand for resilient PNT has never been more important, and we must work together to provide a whole system approach to PNT to preserve national security and public safety.”
As we continue to monitor increases in solar activity, the importance of resilient PNT systems becomes ever more critical. By innovating, collaborating, and advancing technologies that protect our infrastructure, we can better understand the impact of space weather and enhance national resilience in geospatial and timing systems, building a more resilient future. M
FURTHER
Data helping emergency services navigate more quickly
Two new apps using data from Ordnance Survey are helping emergency services to navigate more quickly to emergency calls – cutting response times and potentially saving lives
EmergencyLocate was developed by Nick, a strategic operations manager with the Scottish Ambulance Service, during the pandemic. It is designed for emergency, search and rescue organisations.
The app provides precise location pings for 999 callers from smartphones, including temporary tracking, without even needing the caller to speak. It enables two-way text messaging from control rooms to smartphone callers for situations where speech is not possible, due to safety or medical issues, with language detection and translation built in.
It also provides 3D satellite and urban building models to enhance coordination between control room, responders and multi-agency responses.
The app is supported by data from OS Emergency Services Gazetteer to supplement
its mapping and to signpost responders to previously unlisted physical objects such as roundabouts or postboxes which they can reference on the ground to locate their destination.
There are also plans to incorporate information from the Vernacular Names Tool, launched by OS last year to support emergency services by identifying locations from colloquial nicknames.
EmergencyLocate has already been used over 45,000 times across the UK, Canada, and Australia, supporting responses for waterbased incidents, vulnerable or missing persons, medical issues preventing clear communication with 999, as well as incidents where safety or violence is a factor.
Nick said: “For an emergency response, nothing is more critical than location. And I believe location isn’t just about the where, it’s also about
how responders are able to make best use of the location data available. The EmergencyLocate platform has been built using extensive realworld experience of this problem to help pinpoint callers more effectively and efficiently. We’re really lucky, here in the UK, to have good adoption of Advanced Mobile Location (AML) technology to provide caller’s coordinates to 999 in most cases. However, there are significant limitations that leave a sizeable gap in the provision of accurate location data, and that’s where EmergencyLocate steps in.”
Navigation
Another app, Blue Light Maps, focuses on routing and navigation to incidents, leveraging OS average speed data. Blue light routing identifies the fastest routes for emergency vehicles, including roads normally restricted to the public (e.g. bus lanes, restricted turns, pedestrian areas), where emergency service exemptions apply.
Consolidated Geospatial data offers improved situational awareness by combining OS National Geographic Database (OS NGD) address and building data with Google Street View and custom emergency service data such as fire hydrant locations.
It uses Waze to alert other drivers of approaching emergency vehicles, helping reduce blue light collisions.
The app’s creator Henry Sternberg, works as a special constable. He said: “When I was first trained to drive on blue lights, lots of new active travel schemes like Low Traffic Neighbourhoods were implemented in the area I policed. I realised that the navigation apps I relied on were taking me on longer routes, even
“It’s inspiring to see the different ways in which our trusted and accurate location data can help shave vital time off emergency responses”
though as an emergency service driver I was still allowed to use the old shortcuts. When I looked into this, I was amazed at how big a problem this was across the country and realised there was a vital gap in mapping solutions designed for frontline emergency services personnel. That inspired me to create a solution.”
Integration & collaboration
Nick and Henry are now working together to explore how their apps can integrate. For example, EmergencyLocate’s SAR Deploy feature could direct users to navigational apps like Blue Light Maps.
The two founders found support and mentorship with the Geovation Accelerator Programme.
John Kimmance, chief customer officer at OS, said: “Everything happens somewhere – and it’s inspiring to see the different ways in which our trusted and accurate location data can help shave vital time off emergency responses. Ordnance Survey has a long-standing relationship with the blue light community and seeing our data supporting these innovative new apps is really rewarding.” M
FURTHER INFORMATION
Read more here.
Digital ECGs at Barts Health: a high-impact win for NHS digitisation
Patients with chest pains and suspected heart attacks are benefitting from better informed decisions in a high-impact initiative led by clinicians, writes Dr Krishnaraj Sinhji Rathod, consultant in interventional cardiology at Barts Health NHS Trust. He explains the clinical, environmental, and efficiency significance of digitising electrocardiograms, and the opportunity to scale success more widely in the NHS
Picture the moment. A patient in an ambulance, en route to hospital with new chest pain. Paramedics understandably suspect a possible heart attack having carried out an electrocardiogram (ECG).
On arrival at the hospital, the patient’s prior ECGs are not available, with paper printouts
unavailable on the ward, and potentially buried in a paper archive, or not documented in the patient record. Further clarity is needed. Clinicians assess the patient, and they order tests such as a chest x-ray or an angiogram to help diagnose the problem and to identify the best course of action.
A different approach that has quickly become mainstream practice at Barts Health NHS Trust, is changing how clinical teams can make better informed decisions in such situations, helping to get patients on the right pathway at the earliest opportunity.
Led by Dr. Krishnaraj Sinhji Rathod, Dr. Andrew Wragg and the trust’s interventional cardiology team and supported by the introduction of WiFienabled Baxter ECG machines, the approach has been derived from a patient-safety-driven project that has transformed visibility of ECGs across four of the trust’s hospitals. Clinical gains, consistently appropriate treatment, and a positive environmental impact are resulting.
The right tests, the right place, the right course of action
Digitisation is providing an unprecedented availability of ECG history to clinical teams. It means that within minutes or potentially seconds of arrival, and sometimes even before patients arrive, clinical colleagues can look on the trust’s clinical record system and examine what previous ECGs looked like.
In the scenario described at the beginning of this article, if the patient’s symptoms are not suggestive of a heart attack, despite concerns raised in the new ECG, availability of identical previous ECGs can enable a clearer decision to be made about the right course of action for that patient.
Now some 80 per cent to 90 per cent of ECGs are captured digitally
This might mean direction to a different site, or a different type of test rather than an angiogram for example, and we can accelerate the most appropriate diagnostic and care pathways.
It also means that in clinic, we can enable faster reviews of ECGs through a flow of information with district general hospitals, something not previously possible with paper records.
Successful adoption
When we started this project, less than a third of ECGs were being captured digitally across our sites. Now some 80 per cent to 90 per cent of ECGs are captured digitally at the Barts Health Centre in St Bartholomew’s Hospital, and by colleagues in Newham, The Royal London and Whipps Cross hospitals.
This has been an amazing transformation and it is still growing – with areas such as our intensive care unit and specialist beds on some wards readying to come on board with digital ECGs in the next year.
Training has been straightforward, staff have found this quick and easy to use, and our digital process is removing risk of errors. E
Availability of information means that we are releasing scarce healthcare resource for those in greatest need
F We made new use of the trust’s WiFi enabled Baxter ECG devices – harnessing our existing technology investments in new ways, with trust engineers and partners at technology provider Baxter working together to enable information to flow between the devices and our care record system.
This has meant that for staff the system is simple. Using the trust’s care record system, the nurse requests the right test, which is then automatically picked up on our ECG machines.
The healthcare professional using the machine, then verifies the patient name and date of birth at the bedside – using data on the machine and matching this to the patient’s
wristband, allowing them to make sure data is captured for the right patient.
The ECG is then carried out and transferred immediately and directly from the Baxter device, and into the electronic care record system.
There is no longer a need to take a printed document, write a name, or manually record data – reducing inaccuracies and errors in patient care, and risks of records going missing or being misfiled.
Carbon, cost, and clinical impact
Significant impact is being realised. The trust now prints far fewer ECGs. This is saving thousands of pounds in printing costs alone, and we require fewer physical machines, having reduced our reliance on printing carts. This is in turn beneficial to the trust’s environmental impact.
And though we are still to quantify many clinical benefits – impact has been very significant. Inappropriate admissions are not
This is an affordable and straightforward aspect of digitisation to deliver
happening anymore. Delayed treatment of patients is now being prevented, and savings can be made on avoided inappropriate tests such as angiograms and angioplasty. Clinical risks are also being mitigated – for example the risks of inappropriate procedures that we are now better positioned to prevent through informed decisions.
Additional blood tests for troponin that might be carried out in the absence of information, are being avoided. These can lead to longer hospital stays as patients wait for results. If taken during the weekend, a patient might have been required to remain in hospital for the remainder of weekend as they wait to be reviewed by a specialist on a Monday, and might have been sent for a CT scan, or for review by other specialists – all of which can now be more easily avoided when not required.
Better compliance with national guidelines around the timeliness of key interventions, and ‘door to balloon’ times, has also been supported. Patients with some of the most severe heart attacks can require their artery to be opened within 90 minutes. At Barts Health we aim to do this in 60 minutes. Our compliance has improved to approximately 95 per cent in the last year, as part of a package of measures that includes more easily comparable digital ECGs.
In so many ways availability of information means that we are releasing scarce healthcare resource for those in greatest need, reducing cost, improving safety of patients, and rapidly putting the patients on the right pathway.
Patient satisfaction
Patients have remarked on their satisfaction with our new approach. Paper based ECGs that have the potential to go missing, can frustrate patients if delays ensue in recognising when they have not had a heart attack. But now, with access to ECGs from different sites, we can confidently examine a dozen or more ECGs that all look the same, and advise the patient they don’t need further tests for a heart attack, within seconds of accessing their record.
There has been a noticeable difference in the way we treat patients, and the way they feel about treatment, with many saying how
impressed they are that we can make such determinations so quickly.
Analogue to digital: an opportunity to scale?
We have now carried out some 200,000 digital ECGs. If there is one negative – patients sometimes question why this isn’t available everywhere. My aim is to promote this digital initiative, so that as many hospitals as possible can consider incorporating similar approaches. The opportunity is to scale this beyond Barts Health.
We are living in a world of AI, and of exciting emerging technologies. That ECGs remain on paper seems strange, and might be described as an example of Lord Darzi’s description of an NHS in the “foothills” of digital transformation.
Opportunities to unleash raw data that exists in ECGs, and to potentially leverage AI to predict what might happen to patients demonstrates that more could be done to realise even further benefits from work we have started, a conversation I am beginning to explore.
More immediately this is an affordable and straightforward aspect of digitisation to deliver – one which utilises relatively inexpensive ECG machines that may already be in place for many hospitals. Efficiency, high-impact possibilities, and the potential for better outcomes, might make this attractive to others.
As the NHS continues to deliver large scale digitisation programmes against a policy backdrop to shift from ‘analogue to digital’, this initiative merits attention from boards to wards. L
Dr. Krishnaraj Sinhji Rathod
Connected Britain 2025: policy, partnerships, and progress towards a fully digital nation
Connected Britain 2025 brought bold ideas, and powerful partnerships to ExCeL London. The event showcased connectivity as a force for inclusion, innovation, and infrastructure
The biggest Connected Britain yet Connected Britain 2025 returned to ExCeL London on 24–25 September with its largest edition to date, cementing its reputation as the UK’s premier connectivity event. More delegates, more content, and more meetings than ever before underscored the scale of the digital transformation underway across Britain. With thousands of pre-arranged business meetings and countless spontaneous encounters, the networking floor was buzzing throughout the two-day event.
A highlight for many was the Local Authority Networking Lounge, which was packed from morning until evening. Council officers, digital infrastructure leads, and public sector strategists made it clear: local government is no longer a supporting act in Britain’s digital story, but a central driving force.
The event opened with a surprise – a singing flash mob representing voices from across the UK’s nations and regions, symbolising the collaborative spirit needed to deliver universal connectivity. That spirit of shared ambition
and unity would carry through the two days of debate and discussion.
Connectivity as a national mission
From the opening sessions, it was evident that government strategy and regulation remain at the heart of Britain’s connectivity journey. Keynotes from leaders across BT, Virgin Media O2, Nokia, and CityFibre were complemented by regulatory perspectives from Ofcom and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT).
One of the most anticipated addresses came from Amy Jordan, strategy delivery director at Ofcom, who outlined how regulation is evolving to support competition while safeguarding consumer interests. With copper switch-off on the horizon and fibre rollouts accelerating, she stressed UK’s need for a balanced regulatory framework that serves to enable collaborative partnerships across the ecosystem, not hinder them.
The CXO keynote panel on the future of UK fibre brought together executives from Openreach, Nexfibre, Netomnia, ITS, and CityFibre. The debate focused on how consolidation, investment, and take-up are shaping the market. Importantly for government stakeholders, it also touched on how regulatory certainty and policy alignment are essential if Britain is to meet its nationwide gigabit ambitions.
Local authorities at the forefront
If there was one unmistakable theme this year, it was the empowered role of councils in driving digital infrastructure forward. Across multiple sessions, from the Local Authority Showcase to main-stage panels, representatives from cities, counties, and combined authorities shared their experiences.
Sessions such as “Laying the digital foundations: How councils can drive connectivity forward” and “From barriers to breakthroughs: Funding, future proofing and the role of councils” showcased how local government can act as both facilitators and innovators. Councils from Glasgow, Greater Manchester, Swansea, Oxfordshire, Dorset, and Hounslow all presented case studies on overcoming planning barriers, unlocking funding models, and embedding connectivity in local growth strategies.
Connectivity is today a key enabler of economic development, social inclusion and smarter public services, and local governments’ role in aligning investment with community needs continues to grow year-on-year.
Tackling the digital divide
Sessions on digital inclusion struck a chord with public sector leaders. Panels such as “Closing the gap: Tackling the UK’s digital divide” and “Digital inclusion for vulnerable populations” asked difficult but necessary questions regarding not only access to technology, but the digital skills required to tap into technology effectively.
Contributions from the Digital Poverty Alliance, Liverpool City Region, Cambridgeshire County Council, Norfolk County Council and others highlighted some of the ongoing challenges around affordability, accessibility, and skills. For government, the discussion reinforced the urgency of the Digital Inclusion Action Plan, with panellists calling for cross-sector collaboration to ensure initiatives reach the most disadvantaged communities.
Equally compelling was the debate on accessible technology for people with disabilities, which explored the role of government in scaling inclusive solutions and embedding accessibility into digital service design. E
F Smart cities, smart regions, and sustainability
The role of government in shaping smart places was another key track. “Building the AI-driven city: From digital twins to predictive infrastructure” featured insights from St Helens Council and Central London Forward, while Sunderland City Council presented its partnership with Boldyn Networks as a blueprint for smart city innovation.
Different regions showcased their unique approaches to public sector digitalisation. The “5G Innovation Regions” panel brought together Sunderland, Glasgow, and North Ayrshire to demonstrate how place-based pilots are laying the foundations for national scale-up. While many amazing pilots were explored, challenges remain in replicating these successes nationwide.
Sustainability also featured heavily, with councils and operators debating how smart infrastructure can drive carbon reduction, energy efficiency, and circularity. These conversations align with government climate goals, showing that digital infrastructure can be a pathway to both green growth and improved services.
Security, resilience, andcritical infrastructure
In a year when cyber threats have rarely been out of the headlines, Connected Britain 2025 addressed the growing risks to national digital infrastructure. The panel “Britain’s cyber underground” explored the rise of hacktivism, ransomware, and AI-enabled threats, featuring input from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) alongside industry leaders.
Similarly, “The new cyber battleground: Protecting Britain’s critical infrastructure” examined whether current policies are fit for purpose, and whether closer collaboration between government, telcos, and utilities is needed. For government technology leaders, these sessions underscored the reality that connectivity and security are two sides of the same coin.
Connectivity and public services
The impact of connectivity on public services, from health to policing, was another recurring theme. Panels explored digital healthcare transformation, showing how AI, 5G, and datasharing can enhance patient outcomes and system efficiency. Another session, “From the streets to the control room”, examined how police and intelligence agencies are adapting to digital crime, from encrypted apps to deepfakes.
For central and local government, these discussions highlighted the urgent need for fit-for-purpose digital infrastructure to support frontline services and safeguard citizens.
An atmosphere of collaboration
Beyond the stages, the event atmosphere was one of collaboration and energy. The startup pitching competition injected innovation into the mix, while structured and informal networking created countless new partnerships. Exhibitors filled the halls with the latest solutions, from AI-driven network tools to green infrastructure systems.
The busiest space of all was the Local Authority Networking Lounge, where conversations about planning, funding, and digital inclusion ran nonstop. It was a visible reminder that local authorities are eager to connect, learn, and lead.
Looking ahead
As Connected Britain 2025 closed, attention turned to the road ahead. Next year promises an even bigger stage: Connected North, returning to Manchester on 27-28 May 2026, will spotlight the digital transformation of the North and its role in levelling up. Find out
more here: https://www.terrapinn.com/CN26_ Home_GTM
Connected Britain 2026, confirmed for 9-10 September 2026, will once again bring the entire UK ecosystem together at ExCeL London. Find out more here: https://www.terrapinn.com/ CB26_home_GTM
For both the private and public sectors, these events are unequaled as strategic platforms for decision, helping to shape the nation’s digital future. M
FURTHER INFORMATION
Connected North 2026 | Connected Britain 2026
Collaboration at the core of connected public services
Across the UK, public sector organisations are being asked to achieve
This shift also marks the emergence of a new kind of digital utility. Connectivity is moving from being a background service to a strategic enabler of public outcomes: from smart city applications to greener transport, from remote healthcare to digital inclusion. Networks designed with flexibility, resilience and ESG principles at their core will underpin the next generation of public services.
Smoothing the way to smarter services
Government has a pivotal role in making this possible. Predictable long-term policy, streamlined regulation and planning processes can accelerate delivery and ensure the UK public sector has the tools it needs. The future of public services will be built on networks that are collaborative, sustainable and designed around public value. By embracing new models and working in partnership, the UK can create the digital foundations for stronger, smarter and more inclusive communities. M
FURTHER INFORMATION
For more information please visit us online or give us a call today: itstechnologygroup.com Tel. 0333 996 2100
Dave Ferry, chief sales officer, ITS Technology
Training tomorrow’s digital leaders: why AI literacy matters for public services
Elena Sinel, founder & CEO, Teens in AI, argues that empowering teenagers today is the key to building tomorrow’s digital leaders and ensuring technology serves the public good
The way we prepare young people for their future has never mattered more. Across the United Kingdom and beyond, governments are investing heavily in digital transformation, with artificial intelligence at the centre of strategies to modernise public services, improve efficiencies, and meet ambitious sustainability targets. Yet without equipping the next generation with the right digital skills, we risk creating a workforce unprepared for the future and a public sector unable to take full advantage of the technologies shaping our world.
The challenge is clear. By 2025, the World Economic Forum estimates that 97 million new roles will emerge globally as technology adoption accelerates, while 85 million existing roles may be displaced. AI-related expertise, critical thinking, and problem-solving are consistently cited as among the most indemand skills. For governments, this means that investing in digital and AI literacy is not just about preparing young people for private sector jobs – it is about ensuring the future strength of the public sector itself. From healthcare and transport to environmental services and policymaking, digitally skilled employees will be critical to creating agile, innovative, and citizenfocused services.
At Teens in AI, we have already engaged over 23,000 young people across 101 countries, helping them to explore artificial intelligence through hands-on projects rooted in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals . From designing AI tools to monitor urban air quality, to creating applications that optimise food distribution and reduce waste, teenagers are proving that they can
already apply cutting-edge technology to pressing public challenges. This is the talent pipeline the public sector cannot afford to ignore.
Bridging education and digital careers
One of the greatest barriers is the gulf between what young people learn in schools and the
digital skills required in workplaces. While there are positive moves towards embedding computing in curricula, education too often remains theoretical, leaving students without the experience to apply their knowledge in realworld contexts.
Our work shows that when young people are given access to AI tools, structured mentoring, and problems with real-world relevance, they not only learn faster but begin to imagine themselves in digital careers. A student who might not consider a career in government, for example, suddenly sees how AI can be used to improve the efficiency of public transport routes, support clinicians in diagnosis, or help local councils track and reduce carbon emissions. These tangible applications create a bridge between the classroom and careers that directly serve the public good.
By embedding AI learning not just in Computing, but in English (debating the ethical use of AI-generated text), in Citizenship (interrogating bias in algorithms), and in Geography or Science (applying AI to climate modelling), students see technology as more than a coding skill: it becomes a lens for critical
AI is only as fair and effective as the people who design and deploy it
thinking, ethics, and problem-solving. When sustainability is placed at the core of these projects, aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, young people develop a natural awareness of how AI can support government priorities such as reducing emissions and improving resilience to climate change.
Why AI skills matter in public services
For public services, the stakes are high. The NHS faces ongoing pressures around staffing and resource allocation; AI can help predict demand, optimise scheduling, and support preventative care. Transport authorities must manage decarbonisation and congestion; AI models can optimise traffic flows and reduce emissions. Local councils seek to provide services more efficiently with shrinking budgets; AI can automate repetitive administrative E
The more educated our students are in the ethical implications of AI, the less bias will find its way into the systems shaping public life
F processes, freeing up staff to focus on citizen engagement.
But AI is only as fair and effective as the people who design and deploy it. If we fail to educate a broad and diverse group of young people in AI literacy, we risk building public systems that are riddled with bias, inaccessible to communities, and damaging to trust in government. The more educated our students are in the ethical implications of AI, the less bias will find its way into the systems shaping public life. This is why training tomorrow’s digital leaders is not just an economic imperative, but a democratic one.
Building global relevance and ethical grounding
Our curriculum is explicitly designed against internationally benchmarked frameworks, including UNESCO’s AI Competency Frameworks for Students and Teachers, the OECD/EC AILit Framework, the DQ Institute’s Digital Intelligence Framework, (not discounting the insights of the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Jobs Report). These frameworks ensure that the content young people engage with is globally relevant, grounded in ethics, and aligned with the highest international standards.
Equally important is the collaborative model we pursue. Working with global organisations
including Sage and Sage Foundation, Capgemini, Red Hat, other partners and industry experts, we expose young people to real-world problems, tools, and professional mentorship. This collaboration between educators, industry, and governments helps students build not just technical literacy, but the leadership, teamwork, and ethical awareness that are so essential for future careers in the public sector.
Government policy and grassroots impact
In my own work, I have had the privilege of engaging with governments at the highest levels – from contributing to UK parliamentary roundtables on AI education, to joining diplomatic and policy dialogues overseas . These experiences highlight a simple truth: governments are grappling with how to build digital capacity quickly enough to match technological change.
On 5 November 2025, the UK Government published its response to the Curriculum and Assessment Review: Building a WorldClass Curriculum for All – a long-awaited step towards embedding AI literacy and digital competence across the national curriculum. The response signals an important shift in recognising that AI is not just a technology issue but an education one. It is a welcome direction
We can choose to see young people as passive recipients of digital change, or as the leaders who will drive it
and reflects growing consensus that AI skills must be seen as foundational to both national competitiveness and civic participation.
At the same time, the grassroots perspective is equally instructive. I have seen first-hand a 16-year-old design a machine learning model to help local councils track recycling patterns, and another build an app to support mental health services for young people. Such projects prove that teenagers already have the creativity and sense of civic duty to design technology that strengthens public services. What they lack is scale, access, and pathways into the public sector.
A call to action
The question is not whether governments should invest in AI education for young people – it is how urgently they can act. Without deliberate policies to embed AI literacy across curricula, strengthen partnerships between schools and industry, and provide pathways into public service careers, we will miss a critical opportunity. The public sector cannot compete with private industry for digital talent unless it invests early in building that pipeline.
The UK is well placed to lead. By embedding AI education into national curricula, aligning with international frameworks, and making public sector careers visible and attractive to young people, the government can build a workforce that is not only technically capable but ethically grounded. This is how we ensure that AI serves the public good, supports sustainability targets, and builds trust between citizens and their government.
The opportunity is before us. We can choose to see young people as passive recipients of digital change, or as the leaders who will drive it. In my experience, when given the tools, guidance, and purpose, teenagers do not just learn AI – they reimagine how it can serve society. For governments, there is no more powerful investment in the future of public services than preparing the next generation of digital leaders today. M
Digital poverty is leaving children behind as schools reopen
As classrooms embrace online learning and AI tools, Elizabeth Anderson, CEO of Digital Poverty Alliance warns that without urgent action, inequality will deepen and a generation risks being left behind
As children across the UK returned to classrooms in September, many would be packing their bags and charging their laptops, ready for their first homework of the year. However, there are millions of students who have started the school year already at a disadvantage. For children from low-income families, digital poverty is not an abstract statistic – it is a daily reality that limits their education, hampers learning, and threatens to widen inequality and across the country.
New research from RM Technology and the Digital Poverty Alliance highlights that more than half (57 per cent) of low-income households lack reliable access to devices or the internet at home. The consequences of this are far reaching, as children struggle to complete homework, access learning resources, and keep pace with peers. Teachers warn the gap is widening, and without urgent action, digital poverty will continue to hold back the country’s most vulnerable students.
Smartphones aren’t study tools
One of the most alarming findings form the RM report is that one in eight pupils rely on smartphones to complete schoolwork. While smartphones keep children connected socially, they are ineffective for full educational engagement. Typing essays, navigating learning platforms, conducting research, or using educational software is often impossible on a small screen. Relying on smartphones is not just inconvenient, it undermines the quality of learning.
The research also shows that 15 per cent of children must share a single device among family members, and 11 per cent of households have little or no internet access. For these students, remote learning, research projects, and even submitting homework online can be nearly impossible. When multiple children in the same household have schoolwork to complete, these challenges intensify, leaving
them without access to the digital tools that many of their peers take for granted.
Disconnected and
disadvantaged
Parents face difficult choices to bridge the digital gap. Some rely on public Wi-Fi or neighbours’ networks, others turn to friends or grandparents for devices they cannot afford. In some households, parents must decide which child gets priority access to a single device. This constant compromise adds stress and creates an environment where children cannot engage fully with learning, widening existing inequalities. Teachers witness these effects first-hand. 75 per cent report that pupils fall behind or disengage due to poor home access, and a third (31 per cent) note that children lack basic digital skills. However, only 17 per cent of teachers are aware of Government policies addressing digital access, and over a third (35 per cent) say their school has no plan to support pupils with limited technology outside the classroom. The result is a generation of learners at risk of being
left behind, not because of ability, but because of circumstance.
The long shadow of digital poverty
The need for devices does not end at school. Research from the Digital Poverty Alliance shows that access to a personal laptop is considered essential for success in higher education, with 98 per cent of students and families affirming its importance. However, only one in ten universities offers extended laptop loan schemes, leaving many students without reliable access to the devices necessary for their studies.
The lack of access has tangible effects on confidence and aspirations. Two-thirds of respondents reported that not having a personal laptop or reliable internet influenced their or their child’s decision to apply to university. For some, relying on shared devices or public computers introduced uncertainty, stress, and a feeling of being left out. Without intervention, digital poverty risks limiting not only academic achievement but long-term social mobility.
On top of this, the use of generative AI tools has raised rapidly, now being used by 88 per cent of students compared to 53 per cent the previous year. This underscores how uneven access to technology and digital skills can widen inequalities further. Students from more privileged backgrounds are far more likely to
disadvantaged students often face barriers to effective use. As AI becomes embedded in education, those without devices or digital literacy fall further behind.
End Digital Poverty Day: a moment to act
End Digital Poverty Day highlights the millions in the UK without access to devices, connectivity, or digital skills. Led by the Digital Poverty Alliance, it calls on government, schools, and businesses to collaborate to close the digital divide and guarantee equal opportunities for all. This day is not just about awareness, it is a reminder that urgent, coordinated action can make a tangible difference in children’s lives.
Digital poverty is not inevitable. With targeted interventions and collaboration, every child can have the tools they need to succeed, not just in school but at university and beyond. Time is critical. Each school year lost with children unable to access key learning is a year of potential unrealised, confidence undermined, and skills unacquired. The cost is not only personal but societal: children left behind now risk becoming adults with fewer opportunities, perpetuating cycles of inequality that affect the economy, workforce, and community well-being. Children deserve more than resilience – they deserve opportunity. And that begins with access. M
Solar carports, alongside integrated EV chargers, allow businesses to generate their own electricity on site and use it directly to power electric fleets. Here’s how the UK is embracing this innovation
As fleet operators across the UK prepare for a zero-emission future, solar carports are emerging as a powerful tool in the transition – not just as a clean energy source, but as a way to bring charging and energy generation together in a single, costeffective, and scalable solution. As energy costs rise and infrastructure demands grow, solar carports offer a compelling solution. At their core, solar carports convert underused outdoor parking spaces into energy-producing assets. With the option of integrated EV chargers, they allow businesses to generate their own electricity on site and use it directly to power electric fleets, significantly cutting both carbon emissions and reliance on the grid. The technology also builds long-term cost stability by insulating organisations from volatile electricity prices.
Government interest in solar Recent government interest has further accelerated the conversation around solar canopies. A now-closed consultation explored the potential for mandating solar installations in new outdoor car parks for both public and private organisations, alongside reforms to planning rules for EV charging infrastructure. Energy secretary Ed Miliband made the policy direction clear, saying that the UK should harness the energy potential of the nation’s parking spaces to power homes, businesses and transport. While the UK explores its next steps, countries like France and Slovenia are already leading the way, requiring solar carports in large-scale parking facilities. Here at home, real-world projects are proving that the business case stacks up. An 80-space car park can save an
estimated £28,000 annually if all electricity generated is used on site. And that doesn’t account for the benefits of battery storage, grid export, or future vehicle-to-grid models.
Solar in action
In Leeds, the Stourton Park & Ride has become the UK’s first fully solar-powered park and ride facility, backed by a comprehensive renewable energy system. Its 1.2 MW solar carport installation is paired with high-spec EV chargers, smart grid integration, and a 500 kW Tesla battery. Designed with a future-ready mindset, the project incorporates SunPower Maxeon highefficiency panels, curved carport structures, and behind-the-meter energy storage to reduce energy export and maximise on-site consumption. The system is expected to offset 471 tonnes of CO2 in its first year, equivalent to removing over 200 vehicles from the road.
In Milton Keynes, Dawsongroup vans has built a solar-powered microgrid around a 262 kWp solar carport system supporting 34 EV chargers and 300 kWh of battery storage. The system stores energy for later use, balances loads via a smart energy management platform, and is expected to cut 65 tonnes of CO2 per year, all while helping the company deliver zero-emission vehicles to customers more efficiently.
The NHS is also embracing this approach. Eastbourne District General Hospital’s new solar carport installation spans over 2,400 panels and covers 400 parking bays. With a capacity to generate 1,000 MWh per year and power ten EV chargers, the system is set to reduce annual carbon emissions by 222 tonnes. It forms part of a broader energy strategy that includes upgrades to insulation, lighting and heating systems across the Trust.
At their core, solar carports convert underused outdoor parking spaces into energyproducing assets
Meanwhile, Scunthorpe Hospital is replacing its existing staff car park with one covered with solar panels. It is part of a £27 million project to reduce the hospital’s carbon emissions by more than 4,000 tonnes a year. Education providers are also exploring the long-term value of solar carports. At Mid Kent College, a major solar installation is part of a campus-wide zero carbon strategy. The project combines rooftop PV, solar façades, battery storage and carports to generate over 310,000 kWh annually. It also creates educational opportunities, with the live energy system acting as a teaching resource for students learning about sustainable technologies and infrastructure.
Financial returns
Beyond environmental benefits, these projects are proving that solar carports can deliver strong financial returns. In Leeds, modelling on its Stourton Park & Ride shows that the EV charging infrastructure could achieve payback in under 10 years, even with modest usage. The addition of battery storage helps flatten peak demand, extend battery life, and smooth out the intermittency of solar generation – providing operational predictability that’s critical for high-usage fleets. With the right planning policies and financial support, solar carports could become a foundational part of the UK’s clean transport and energy future. For fleet managers, they offer a platform for decarbonisation, energy independence and long-term savings. L
