Opinion

Opinion

Healthcare and NHS IT

• Fixing the cracks in public sector digital infrastructure

  The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the flaws in the UK's digital government set-up. The appointment of new IT leadership presents an ideal opportunity for the government to fix them  Continue Reading

• From front line to back office – how supporting the cyber community keeps the NHS safe

  NHS Digital’s chief information security officer describes how the Cyber Associates Network benefits security experts in health and care  Continue Reading

• What will it take for humanity to fully understand tech?

  The failure of the coronavirus contact-tracing system, due to limits set by an old Excel format, demonstrates a failure of technology to cope with human reliance  Continue Reading

• Excel is the hammer for too many businesses’ nails

  Excel is a fine piece of software, but as Public Health England found out, its ubiquity and ease of use does not make it the ideal tool for every job that involves data  Continue Reading

• Top 10 skills to include in your IT CV

  Find out what skills and keywords you should include on your CV to stand out as an IT professional in a competitive market  Continue Reading

• Data institutions play critical role in solving global social problems

  Nigel Shadbolt, co-founder of the Open Data Institute, argues that a new breed of data institutions have a key role to play in unlocking the social and economic value of data  Continue Reading

• Taking back control of government data mustn’t leave the public in the dark

  Boris Johnson has quietly transferred control over government data to Number 10, without explaining why. The public deserves more involvement in how their personal data is being used, says Labour  Continue Reading

• The pandemic has made UK government rethink its relationship with data

  Data has been essential to fighting the coronavirus outbreak, and the forthcoming National Data Strategy promises to place data at the heart of the UK's economic recovery  Continue Reading

• Technology has brought us together, but can it lead us out of lockdown?

  The government needs to tell us more about the NHSX contact tracing app - choices made now around privacy and transparency will affect all our lives as we aim to ease lockdown, says the shadow digital minister  Continue Reading

• Connect and protect: How the tech sector is responding to the coronavirus crisis

  Tech sector trade body TechUK is coordinating the industry's activity to help the UK government tackle the Covid-19 outbreak  Continue Reading

• EC publishes approach to human and ethical implications of AI, but what will UK do?

  The European Commission has published a guide to the EU’s approach to the human and ethical effects that artificial intelligence might bring  Continue Reading

• The super-resilient IT function

  IT functions don’t have to continue taking the blame for organisational failures, they can take the lead in transforming the business  Continue Reading

• Life under the loan charge: An IT contractor’s story

  Thousands of IT contractors are being pursued by HMRC for “life-changing” tax bills for work they did up to 20 years ago, as part of a disguised remuneration clampdown known as the loan charge policy. One of those affected anonymously shares his ...  Continue Reading

• The five software testing techniques every software developer should know about

  Five simple testing techniques that will help developers test their software systematically, thoroughly and quickly  Continue Reading

• Businesses need to keep investing in tech and hope to avoid a no-deal Brexit

  A no-deal Brexit could have serious consequences for the UK tech sector and skills base, making it more difficult to recruit technology specialists and hire freelancers  Continue Reading

• UK businesses deserve a 5G networked nation

  The tech sector needs to coalesce around a unified, positive vision of 5G to establish a proper business case for ultrafast, low latency mobile  Continue Reading

• AI may be a solution to the social care crisis, but what are the legal concerns?

  Artificial intelligence and robotics has great potential to assist in social care environments, but due care must be given to data protection and privacy, among other legal concerns  Continue Reading

• Why the rise of IT managed by the business is driving creative thinking

  Organisations that encourage business units to implement and run their own IT systems have an edge over competitors that rely entirely on the IT department, research from Harvey Nash and KPMG reveals  Continue Reading

• Does NHS Digital’s Internet First policy mean the end of HSCN?

  Last week, NHS Digital issued new policy guidance on internet usage that, at first glance, appeared to herald the end of HSCN – but is that really the case?  Continue Reading

• Getting it right this time: Why the strategy is not about delivery for NHSX

  Government needs to move on from the mantras and beliefs that exist around digital and technology – the new NHSX organisation could set an example by transforming healthcare  Continue Reading

• Making the move to cloud work for you

  Getting the best out of a move to the cloud means getting the size right, turning off what you don’t need, smart purchasing and continuously decluttering your new environment  Continue Reading

• Can we live without passwords?

  Can you imagine a future in which we can be secure online without having to remember an unwieldly list of passwords? Solutions are emerging that could make passwords redundant, but there will be other security problems to resolve  Continue Reading

• Douglas Engelbart, the forgotten hero of modern computing

  Half a century ago, Douglas Engelbart demonstrated an experimental computer that laid the foundations for modern computing. His vision to use computing power to solve complex problems in all areas of human activity has become reality, but not in the...  Continue Reading

• Agile becomes mainstream

  There are clear parallels between the conditions that led the IT industry to adopt agile approaches and the challenges facing business today  Continue Reading

• More effective digital transformation through the power of your own people

  The old model of escalating decisions up and down the management chain does not work any more. Business leaders need to delegate responsibility for projects to business and technology specialists and eliminate the fear of failure  Continue Reading

• From Aberdeen to Brighton: Investing in the UK’s digital future

  More investment in the UK’s broadband infrastructure is critical to ensure the UK’s future success in technology in a post-Brexit world  Continue Reading

• Big data skills shortages – and how to work around them

  Businesses are finding it hard to recruit enough people with big data and analytics skills, but for CIOs there are alternative strategies to consider  Continue Reading

• Tier 2 visas – a challenge for the tech sector

  With staff shortages already being reported in the technology sector and Brexit potentially adding to the problem, tech departments need to get their Tier 2 visa applications right  Continue Reading

• Taking the quantum leap: What is quantum technology for business?

  Quantum computers are many years away, but the first applications of quantum technology will arrive in only one or two years – so businesses need to be ready  Continue Reading

• Hacking the internet of things just got easier – it’s time to look at your security

  Are you taking security for internet-connected devices seriously enough?  Continue Reading

• Outsourcing is not dead or dying – it just needs to be done properly

  The collapse of Carillion and the profit warning at Capita have created a false sense of fear about the stability of the outsourcing sector  Continue Reading

• Protecting your intellectual property in a digital world

  Your business is creating innovative computer code, slick user interfaces, and is using digital technology to solve new problems. How do you protect your investment?  Continue Reading

• Moving away from analogue health in a digital world

  Healthcare records still rely on faxes, email, mail and paper, but the innovative use of technology will lead to major improvements in medical care  Continue Reading

• The seven levers of digital transformation

  Organisations that embark on digital transformation projects often run into difficulties. Following the seven principles of digital transformation will help them reap the benefits of digital technology  Continue Reading

• Why businesses must think like criminals to protect their data

  Cyber criminals use three main methods of operation to steal commercial data. Understanding their mindset can help organisations put the right defences in place  Continue Reading

• How to futureproof your career as a CIO

  Many CIOs have yet to earn the right to be on the board. How can IT leaders upgrade their business acumen, to benefit their own careers and the health of their employer?  Continue Reading

• Why Europe’s GDPR privacy regulation is good for business

  Organisations will need to become more sensitive about the way they handle personal information, but the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) also makes good business sense  Continue Reading

• Embrace the new normal – re-platform your cloud services

  Huge improvements in cloud technology are opening up markets and solutions that previously didn’t exist. But complacent suppliers often don’t offer these innovations to long-established customers  Continue Reading

• More hospitals in APAC adopting IT to bolster patient care

  Healthcare providers in the APAC region are looking to the cloud and big data analytics to enhance services and lower cost  Continue Reading

• How creative and innovative can technology made in China be?

  China's IT industry is becoming more Silicon Valley-like and, as a result, more attractive to the CIOs of western enterprises  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Nine key elements to an effective patching regime

  How should organisations address the need to keep software up to date with security patches without it costing too much or being too labour intensive?  Continue Reading

• Managed crowdsourcing model: Another ‘made in China’ idea

  Chinese suppliers are using managed crowdsourcing to help them provide high-volume services to their customers  Continue Reading

• In an age of uncertainty, now is the time to rethink your outsourcing strategy

  Brexit and Trump are not only creating challenges but also opportunities in the outsourcing sector, and outsourcing deals will need to be flexible to exploit them  Continue Reading

• Building business value with IT4IT

  To reinvent IT, CIOs must go beyond current process-based approaches and equip their teams with the right information and tools, completely automate end-to-end workflows, and provide the business with the controls to govern IT  Continue Reading

• It’s the business model, stupid – three steps to transform UK public services

  The government urgently needs to shift from ‘pipes to platforms’ to realise the benefits of digital disruption  Continue Reading

• How AI is disrupting the role of call centres and call centre staff

  Artificial intelligence could eliminate many white-collar jobs in coming decades. Its effects are already being felt in the call centre industry, but there is still no substitute for the human touch  Continue Reading

• Is ‘OK’ OK? Delivering the next government network platform

  As GDS signals its intent to move away from the Public Services Network, the industry and public sector must work together to create a new internet-based network platform for government  Continue Reading

• The digital opportunity for CIOs

  CIOs have a unique opportunity to lead the digital strategy in their organisations, but they have to move quickly to make sure they have the right skills and infrastructure in place  Continue Reading

• Five tips to improve cyber security in the health sector

  Jocelyn Paulley, an IT lawyer at Gowling WLG, shares her top tips on how the NHS can “quick fix” its cyber resilience  Continue Reading

• ESN: a long-term evolution or a game-changing revolution?

  There is little doubt that the Home Office’s plan to update the Emergency Services Network is transformational, but how does it compare internationally?  Continue Reading

• A new nearshoring game is emerging

  Countries selling themselves as nearshore business services locations need to change their sales pitches to avoid becoming like all the other countries doing the same  Continue Reading

• IoT and healthcare at home – why are councils in the slow lane?

  Local authorities are missing out on potential savings and operational improvements from using internet of things technologies to help social care  Continue Reading

• UK tech firms spend less, deliver more on training

  Survey shows technology firms spend 46% of the national average on learning and development per employee, but deliver an above-average number of hours’ training  Continue Reading

• How to achieve credibility in NHS IT projects

  Taunton and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust’s clinical lead for electronic patient records explains how clinical engagement has helped make EPR an open source success  Continue Reading

• Don’t let an identity crisis stand in the way of health and care integration

  Challenges in identifying patients and connecting their activity across multiple health and social care organisations cannot remain a barrier to integration, says Andy Kinnear, Connecting Care programme director  Continue Reading

• Creating a CIO legacy beyond the systems

  So much of what a business does today needs to be technology-driven that CIOs have a choice between leading and lagging behind  Continue Reading

• The pace of digital disruption varies widely by industry

  Digital disruption is inevitable - but different forces in different industries mean the pace of change varies by sector  Continue Reading

• NHS Care.data: The security concerns

  As NHS England restarts its Care.data programme, we look at how it is intended to work, the legislative background and the data security concerns  Continue Reading

• The internet of things: a second digital revolution worth trillions

  The government’s chief scientific adviser has released his long-awaited review on the internet of things  Continue Reading

• Government must be a platform entrepreneur to deliver 'digital 2.0'

  The government needs to start with a clear policy and architecture for digital 2.0  Continue Reading

• Open source in the NHS: With choice comes responsibility

  What do NHS Trusts need to think about when using open-source technologies?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: What should be in an incident response plan

  What does a good information security incident response plan look like?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Minor failings can trigger major data breaches

  It’s not just the big data breach risks that matter – ignore the near misses and the minor policy infractions and you will end up with a major incident  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Key elements of an incident response plan

  What does a good information security incident response plan look like?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Ready for your data breach moment?

  Sooner or later, you will have to deal with a data breach. Do you have an incident response plan ready that will limit the repercussions?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Three steps to effective incident response

  What does a good information security incident response plan look like?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Incident response – prepare, test, and test again

  What does a good information security incident response plan look like?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Planning key to incident response

  What does a good information security incident response plan look like?  Continue Reading

• User-centred design – it’s always about leadership: The case of Singapore’s hospital in a garden

  Khoo Teck Puat hospital in Singapore is a wonderful example of what can be achieved with user-centred design and fantastic leadership  Continue Reading

• Cyber risk and the UK’s Cyber Essentials Scheme

  Cyber risk is on the radar as a threat to business and private life, and it is also grabbing the attention of governments  Continue Reading

• Four defensive steps to a successful World Cup

  Four cyber security defensive steps to mitigate the threat of scoring an inadvertent own goal this summer  Continue Reading

• Why technology should be central to political parties’ ideas for 2015

  From healthcare to education, and from energy to transport, there is almost no policy area that is not significantly affected by technology  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Automated security testing is not for all

  What is the best approach to automating information security?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Humans still at the heart of information security

  What is the best approach to automating information security?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Automation is good, assumptions are bad

  What is the best approach to automating information security?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Automation requires management, monitoring, governance

  What is the best approach to automating information security?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Do not trust the network to ensure secure collaboration

  What is the best approach to increasing collaboration without reducing security in an enterprise?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: How to share data securely

  What is the best approach to increasing collaboration without reducing security in an enterprise?  Continue Reading

• The digital CIO: The CIO is dead. Long live the CIO

  There is a new breed of CIOs who are defining what it means to be a digital leader  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Secure collaboration not just about technology

  What is the best approach to increasing collaboration without reducing security in an enterprise?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Secure and seamless collaboration key for business

  What is the best approach to increasing collaboration without reducing security in an enterprise?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Enable collaboration by putting data at the heart of security

  What is the best approach to increasing collaboration without reducing security in an enterprise?  Continue Reading

• The digital CIO: Regaining the technology high ground – one blog post at a time

  IT leaders should use blogging and social media to raise their profile and build influence in their organisations  Continue Reading

• Employee monitoring: How to avoid the legal pitfalls

  What is, and what is not acceptable in terms of employee monitoring?  Continue Reading

• Why 2014 is a good year for IT consultants

  In a survey of consulting buyers, almost all said they are planning technology improvements this year, and most are bringing in consultants to help  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Business context still missing from context-aware security

  Despite the hype around context-based security, has this technology evolved to the point where it is useful to the enterprise and is having a measurable effect?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Cloud, mobile deepen need for context-aware security

  Despite the hype around context-based security, has it evolved to the point where it is useful to the enterprise and having a measurable effect?  Continue Reading

• BCS faces 'plebeian revolt' over business reforms

  The Chartered Institute for IT is haemorrhaging money and losing touch with its members, claims a member of the BCS's governing council  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: CISOs should be first stop on the way to cloud

  Hybrid cloud environments provide the most flexibility, but how can businesses decide when public or private cloud is more appropriate?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: UK firms still not entirely comfortable with cloud

  Hybrid cloud environments provide the most flexibility, but how can businesses decide when public or private cloud is more appropriate?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Balancing cloud risk and reward

  Hybrid cloud environments provide the most flexibility, but how can businesses decide when public or private cloud is more appropriate?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Striking the hybrid cloud balance

  Hybrid cloud environments provide the most flexibility, but how can businesses decide when public or private cloud is more appropriate?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Before cloud, engage with asset owners

  Hybrid cloud environments provide the most flexibility, but how can businesses decide when public or private cloud is more appropriate?  Continue Reading

• Where should a CISO look for cyber security answers – hardware, software or wetware?

  While users are often cited as the weakest link in cyber security, they could also be the answer to the problems faced by businesses today  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: A pragmatic and practical guide to secure hybrid clouds

  Hybrid cloud environments provide the most flexibility, but how can businesses decide when public or private cloud is more appropriate?  Continue Reading

• Security Think Tank: Cloud is not that different

  Hybrid cloud environments provide the most flexibility, but how can businesses decide when public or private cloud is more appropriate?  Continue Reading

• Lessons from electronic medical records programme at Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital

  Cardiologist Johan Waktare talks about the Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Foundation Trust's EMR scheme  Continue Reading

• The dangers of internet cafés

  Businesses need clear computer use policies and need to ensure staff are properly trained in data protection, writes Garry Mackay  Continue Reading

• Avoiding the mistakes of NPfIT in new NHS IT contracts

  What are the contracting experiences of NHS Trusts who have started their own IT procurement, and how can mistakes of the past be avoided?  Continue Reading