Jackie Mellese, Communication Manager at Mental Health Europe, argues that within the current context of a VUCA world (volatile, uncertain, complex, ambiguous), we must prioritize mental health and make it everybody’s business
Prioritizing mental health support for citizens across Europe is needed in a post-COVID era, combined with the uncertainties brought on by the Ukraine war, migration, cost-of-living crisis, and climate change.
Mental health, unfortunately, does not receive the political priority nor the funding it deserves. An integrated approach, focusing on prevention and early intervention, would have the most impact. For the more than 84 million people affected by mental ill-health, adequate support and investment would make a considerable difference to their quality of life.
Place mental health on the same level as physical health
Not everyone will experience mental ill-health, but everyone will have phases in life when they may struggle with their mental well-being, just as we have physical health issues from time to time.
Human well-being is composed of both mental and physical health. Although mental and physical health are often seen as separate, they are closely related and in fact go hand in hand. The seeds of inequity between physical and mental health were planted in the past. Now is the time to redress the balance.
It must be noted that the only silver lining of the pandemic is that mental health is finally starting to be felt by many to be as important as physical health. This helps to prioritize it in policymaking. The recent pandemic, the Ukraine war, the migration/refugee crisis and socio-economic challenges that Europe is facing require a ‘Mental Health in All Policies’ approach. This calls for a focus on mental health promotion, preventive actions, quality care and social inclusion.
Prioritize mental health of the next generation
Mental Health Europe’s (MHE) flagship European Mental Health Week (9th-13th May 2022) shone the spotlight on youth mental health as a high-profile societal issue. With COVID doubling mental health problems in those aged 15-24 and with 9 million adolescents (aged 10-19) in Europe experiencing problems with mental health, young people’s health needs must be prioritized.
The focus on children and adolescents is crucial since around half of the mental health problems in adulthood have their onset in adolescence. Policymakers and decision-makers at the EU and national level must provide targeted mental health support for the young. This is the reason why MHE took the following actions in May this year: Called upon the EU in our urgent policy asks to undertake tangible actions, to invest in and implement mental health systems for young people’s well-being.
Such a transformational system change requires joint action to ensure adequate prevention of mental health problems, meaningful empowerment, and active engagement of European youth in the decisions taken regarding their mental health.
Another useful resource is our Short Guide to Personal Recovery in Mental Health – a key tool for managing and overcoming mental ill-health. The ideas developed in this interactive guide come from people with lived experience of mental ill-health, and many people across the world have found them helpful.
Dealing with trauma connected to the Ukraine war, migration & displacement
It is well known that war, violent conflict, migration, displacement, and exposure to trauma increase the prevalence of mental health problems. This year, Europe is experiencing the largest movement of people since WWII with almost 7 million refugees reported to have fled Ukraine. And let us not forget the refugees from other countries (e.g., Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan) entering Europe.
Migrants’ negative health and well-being outcomes are exacerbated by socio-economic drivers or poor health, barriers to access mental health services and social exclusion. Their mental health needs should be addressed by organizing inclusive and accessible promotion and prevention programmes, especially for children and young people, ensuring that they are provided with the best support possible. It is also important to strengthen mental health as part of general health services and to increase mental health literacy of the whole population.
In response to the crisis, MHE has launched a new web page to address the mental health challenges being faced by Ukrainians (those in the country and in exile), those who are supporting them as well as those that will start to suffer from secondary trauma. In order to alleviate migrants’ and refugees’ suffering, we need Trauma Informed Approaches (TIA) throughout all institutions (education, health, social).
Proactive mental health approach needed
Europe needs a programme to address the widespread problem of deteriorating mental health. Given the fact that we are going through very tumultuous times, a proactive plan is needed to improve the standards of well-being for everyone. A detailed plan, such as a European Mental Health Strategy and ‘Mental Health in All Policies’ are required to effectively react to the flurry of current crises (COVID, war in Ukraine, migration, climate change and cost-of-living crisis) and be ready to better respond to future ones.
At this point in time, it is necessary to focus on mental health and well-being by including mental health literacy in the school curriculum; by integrating mental health in all policy areas; by promoting social rights and economic protection packages to address socio-economic determinants of mental health and to ensure quality human rights and recovery-based services, just to mention a few.
Together with our members, MHE has been laying out key policy areas for European institutions and member states to support and prioritize mental health for citizens. It is encouraging to see that EU policymakers are seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to put forward a truly systemic change. MEPs have made calls for a European Mental Health Strategy in response to the challenges we are facing. We are positively looking forward to concrete policies and actions to secure a better, brighter, and healthier future for Europe.
Guy Battle, CEO of Social Value Portal, explores how Scope 3 standards offer a new perspective and a clear path forward for those ready to take the next steps on their decarbonisation journey
What is Scope 3 reporting and why is it important?
The Scope 3 standard was developed by the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Protocol. Scope 3 covers CO2 emissions that arise from activities outside of an organisation’s direct control. For public bodies, which usually rely on relatively complex supply chains, the majority of these emissions will be attributable to the operations of their materials or goods suppliers and service providers.
Unlike direct Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, which must be reported by all UK government departments and their agencies under the Greening Government Commitments 2021 to 2025 (and under the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) scheme for those that include limited company or LLP elements ), reporting of Scope 3 emissions is currently voluntary. However, the argument for taking the Scope 3 standard and the ethos behind it seriously is growing day by day and week by week.
With Scope 3 emissions often accounting for up to 90% of an organisation’s
carbon footprint, taking responsibility for lowering CO2 emissions beyond your own operations will not only offer an opportunity to set and achieve more ambitious net zero goals for your organisation, it also provides an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a better, sustainable future for everyone (2). After all, the overarching aim of Scope 3 is not to lower carbon within one organisation but to facilitate the creation of a low-carbon economy.
Creating a low carbon eco-system
Public bodies wield significant purchasing power; government spending in the UK was last recorded at 44.6% of GDP in 2021 (3). By including supply chains in their decarbonisation efforts, public sector bodies not only have the ability to increase demand for and availability of low-carbon products and services, but they also have the ability to encourage more sustainable working practices in the businesses they buy from.
For those businesses, the positive impact of taking a more sustainable approach will be two-pronged: it will empower them to contribute towards the protection of our planet and, in a world where investors, stakeholders, customers and employees are becoming increasingly aware of the need for climate action, it will also benefit them commercially, financially, and reputationally. It may even help them attract talent and increase staff satisfaction levels; two crucial considerations during the era of the ‘Great Resignation’ (4).
Taking action on Scope 3 may not be mandatory but extending decarbonisation efforts to your supply chain does seem like a wise choice. Lowering carbon across the supply chain
creates a win-win situation, providing a way for public sector bodies to build a thriving ecosystem of organisations all working towards a common goal and each reaping the benefits of doing so.
Relationship building is the key to success
Scope 3 carbon reductions can be more challenging to achieve than those under the direct control of your organisation. Every supplier will have a different range of capabilities and
constrictions, so creating an environment of cooperation and collaboration will be key to success. It’s going to be vital that you set clear expectations, have standardised ways to collect information and implement processes that are easy to follow. To maximise on the opportunities available and assist in the creation of a more collaborative mindset, public sector organisations could also consider working with their suppliers to pursue Scope 3 standards as part of a broader social value approach.
Social value is the term used to describe the positive outcomes an organisation creates for individuals and society as a whole. It can be created through initiatives such as donating volunteer hours, offering apprenticeship schemes or mentoring job seekers – and will naturally include an environmental element. Our National TOMs framework is one way that organisations can begin to measure and report on social value and make actionable and measurable carbon commitments. It focuses on five themes, of which Environment is one; helping businesses focus their decarbonisation efforts and contribute to safeguarding the planet.
Taking a social value approach is one way that public sector bodies can start to build a dialogue with the businesses that make up their supply chains and demonstrate their commitment to supporting them in their sustainability efforts. It is, after all, a difficult time for many businesses and lowering carbon may have fallen down the list of priorities – but staying on track for net zero will be easier if we all work together.
Social Value Portal launched the National TOMs Framework in 2017, alongside the independent National Social Value Taskforce. The Framework provides a minimum reporting
standard for measuring social value, integrating the standards into their measurement approach as a minimum.
Social Value Portal’s aim is to promote better business and community wellbeing through the integration of social value into day-to-day business across all sectors.
Aarthi JanakiRaman, Research Director, Chemicals and Advanced Materials at TechVision, charts the rising importance of soil health for sustainable agriculture
The ever-expanding global population has resulted in the growing importance of agriculture to ensure food security for people in all walks of life. The ever-rising intensity of agricultural activities involves the use of varied agricultural inputs to increase yield and production and shorten the crop cycle to meet demand. While the intensification of activities has enabled demand to be met at an optimal level, it has also resulted in a change in the soil ecosystem leading to changes in the biotic and abiotic factors that nourish and replenish the soil ecosystem and soil health. This, in turn, increases the requirement for agricultural inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides to ensure the required yield, which further causes changes in the soil ecosystem, leading to a vicious cycle of depletion of the indigenous soil biota.
A growing focus on sustainability has resulted in an evaluation of agricultural activities and their contribution to climate change. Various studies have underlined the potential environmental degradation that had resulted in the reduced nutrient availability to crops and increased susceptibility to environmental stresses and pathogens. Hence, sustainable agriculture is gaining prominence not only to preserve and replenish the soil ecosystem, but also as a way to mitigate climate change and be in compliance with the Sustainable Development Goals.
Sustainable agriculture involves interconnected activities that are linked in various points of the plant lifecycle and soil management, with an underlying aim to implement a crop production and protection ecosystem that doesn’t involve environmental degradation while maximizing yield and productivity. Various facades of the soil ecosystem act as key influencers for increasing sustainability, which, in turn, makes inroads in protecting our environment and mitigating climate change effects; be it farming practices to types of pest control solutions and fertilizers used. It’s important to pay attention to each individual part of agricultural activities, while considering the entire agricultural ecosystem to help in promoting sustainability.
Soil health and its role in sustainability
Soil quality is a key determinant of sustainable agriculture that is influenced by the various physical and chemical properties whilst considering the influence of climate and external inputs. Various current land and crop management practices have resulted in degradation of soil quality, thereby, adversely impacting the sustainability of agricultural inputs. For example, excessive use of fertilizers has resulted in a nutrient surplus in parts of the world, resulting in water and air pollution, and disturbing human health and the environment. On the other hand, an imbalance in the supply of nutrients can reduce soil fertility and organic matter, affecting the soil microbiota and resulting in erosion. A healthy soil ecosystem involves design and management to maintain a healthy and sustainable ecosystem that is not limited to nutrient cycling, biological control of biotic and abiotic factors and regulation of water and air supply.
Many approaches are considered to reverse the changes of reduced soil quality while trying to replenish them. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) recommends systematic conservation agriculture practices that integrate crops with livestock and trees to create a healthy and complementary ecosystem. Approaches such as switching to biological plant growth agents instead of synthetic ones, and an integrated approach to water and soil management are also being pursued. An emerging approach, established by several research activities, is that use of carbon sequestration will have a positive impact when it comes to promoting a healthy soil ecosystem. Apart from increasing the soil quality and promoting plant growth, it can increase water availability to plants, reduce the impact of pollutants and improve soil and plant resilience to external environmental conditions.
It’s also equally important to establish preventive measures to prevent further degradation of soil. A comprehensive action plan is needed to implement soil-friendly processes on a global scale. This requires the involvement of stakeholders across all societal segments, including farmers, researchers, trade associations, industrial participants, and the public. Development of qualitative and quantitative indicators that can continuously monitor soil health and help in developing/modifying an intervention plan to improve the nutrient content, soil microbiota, access to water and air can go a long way in maintaining soil health. Tax credits, financial aid and legislation that encourage the adoption and long-term implementation of soil friendly practices can help farmers choose agricultural inputs that don’t harm the soil while replenishing it.
“A growing focus on sustainability has resulted in an evaluation of agricultural activities and their contribution to climate change. Various studies have underlined the potential environmental degradation that had resulted in the reduced nutrient availability to crops and increased susceptibility to environmental stresses and pathogens.”
The role of soil microbiota is also crucial for establishing sustainable agricultural practices. Treating the soil ecosystem as a diverse food web and regulating the growth of beneficial microbes and plant pathogens can help in establishing a healthy soil microbial population that can help in promoting plant growth and yield but also help in maintaining healthy soil. Soil microbiota is often used as an indicator for soil health; hence, careful selection of growth promoters, plant protection agents, and microbial inoculants that are of biological origin causes minimal impact on the soil ecosystem as opposed to chemically derived ones. Further, they can also help in water conservation and improve water availability to plants.
The final word
Understanding the role of various agricultural practices is essential to promoting sustainable agriculture. Integration of conventional practices with a modern approach can help in establishing sustainable agriculture while ensuring the requisite yield, and productivity and integrated farm and pest control solutions are key to maintaining good soil health.
It’s an established fact that the health of soil, plants, animals, humans and the environment are all interlinked and an imbalance of one affects the rest. For a sustainable economy, it’s important to maintain a soil-human-environment nexus that includes complete management of all interconnected activities that will provide long-term benefits and help towards the transition of a sustainable economy.
Extra focus: A look at Canadian agriculture
Supporting the Canadian agriculture and agri-food sector through initiatives that foster competitiveness and innovation sum up the mission of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. (1) The Honourable Marie- Claude Bibeau, MP, current Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food (2), showed her support in mid-August for Canadian farmers who are crucial in the effort to build a more sustainable agricultural sector in the Country. “By innovating and adopting sustainable agricultural practices, Canadian producers are demonstrating their commitment to reducing our GHG emissions. To help them do this, and as part of the Agricultural Climate Solutions program, we have selected Perennia to administer an $8.5-million fund in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador,” Minister Bibeau explains. (3)
It’s interesting to observe a story about how young Canadians will shape the agriculture and agri-food sector in the years ahead, and as such, their voice must be heard. “Young people’s perspectives on issues such as sustainable agriculture, innovation, intergenerational transfers, mental health and work-life balance allow us to shape the sector’s future in their image,” Minister Bibeau affirms. (4)
The Government of Canada’s investment of $1.8 million to accelerate bioeconomy growth in the agriculture sector was heralded in August. “By adding value to products once considered to be waste, and ensuring the quality of these bioproducts through strict quality standards, we will help strengthen Canada’s position as a leader in sustainable agriculture while creating new revenue sources for our agricultural producers,” Minister Bibeau says. (5)
A diverse group of researchers opted for a unique, unorthodox approach to gathering opinions on mental health, relationships and wearable technology that can monitor mood, behaviour and relationships
Sam Newman, director of OGEL IT, explains how migrating datacentres to the cloud can boost business efficiency
When making the decision of migrating datacentres, choosing the right migration strategy is key to getting the best out of the cloud. The smartest approach will accelerate innovation, give you a competitive advantage and boost efficiency within your organisation.
For many businesses that were not born in the cloud, designing your datacentre from the ground up is a crucial step, and getting it right means analysing your business needs and your current SLAs and how that fits into your plan for migrating datacentres.
The economics behind the promise of cloud technologies is that, as a principal, cloud services are able to deliver more than the on-premises equivalent and can grow and expand to accommodate future growth and load on demand. Another benefit of cloud services is that many organisations can offload their internal SLAs on to their Managed Service Provider or Cloud Service Provider.
There are a lot of cloud expectations that are mismanaged and have caused a lot of fear, doubt and uncertainty, as well as unrealistic expectations of how to get your datacentre successfully into the cloud. With a lot of promise within the vendor landscape in terms of what cloud technologies can do for a business, many are still asking the question, “But how do we get to cloud?”
Microsoft recognises OGEL IT as a Microsoft Gold Cloud Partner with expertise and capability in delivering its cloud services to multiple customers. We have extensive experience in the migration of organisations to Office 365 and Azure-hosted services, we have migrated and built 100s of servers in Azure and migrated thousands of users to Office 365.
As a Microsoft Gold Cloud Platform partner, our credentials are recognised by Microsoft, enabling us to escalate issues directly and engage collaboratively on customer presentations and technical demonstrations. We are also able to sell Microsoft’s cloud offerings via the Microsoft Cloud Service Provider platform.
Meeting our customers’ needs with Microsoft 365
Staying connected
With many businesses enabling staff to work from home three days per week after Covid-19 restrictions were lifted, it’s important to ensure our customers have the capabilities to maintain their employee productivity. Supporting our customers with the delivery of Microsoft 365 services allows for a continuation of business as usual from the office, home or remotely on the go with the following functionality:
Call, chat and host meetings.
Share documents in the cloud.
Collaborate using Office apps.
Connect via email and calendar.
Easily store and access individual and shared work files with OneDrive.
Security breaches during migrations
With 43% of all security breaches happening online through web apps and 37% of breaches involving lost or stolen data and credentials, affecting organisations’ bottom line and reputations, Microsoft’s security features are designed to safeguard your business. With all your information stored in the cloud, you can avoid downtime due to breaches, information loss or hardware failure. Ensuring you continue your daily activities as normal and isolating your company files safely within the cloud with the following built in security features:
Defence against cyberthreats.
Securing your data and devices.
Managing your users and devices.
As businesses adjust to an uncertain economy and marketplace in a post-Covid-19 world, it is essential we provide managed services to our customers that offer them the ability to work more efficiently and without adding to their expenses with complicated technologies. At OGEL IT, we like to keep IT simple and believe that organisations need solutions that can expand and adjust with them as their business changes and grows, and at the best price for their operation.
We can streamline your IT setup and management to improve on your staff efficiency while consolidating your expenses and saving cost with our managed service offerings. For those customers who have internal support capability, we deliver complementary services and workshops to explain the solutions and services we have delivered and work closely with them to establish their ongoing support and maintenance processes.
We are a Quest partner, certified in the design, deployment and operation of Quest (inc. Binary Tree) migration tools, enabling us to simplify large and complex transitions from on-premises or cloud to cloud transformations for both Azure and Office 365 workloads.
For a more detailed and comprehensive guide to our Service Catalogue, please get in touch and find out how we can help you migrate your datacentre to the cloud.
Exploring the relationship between mental health, the workforce, and biodiversity, workplaces should be encouraging their employees to volunteer in nature
When I was young growing up in inner-city Liverpool, I lived on a road lined with elm trees. Each morning, I would be woken by the twittering of house sparrows. Walking to school, house sparrows would be playing on the pavement and were commonplace in the local park. Dutch elm disease came up from the south of England and the trees were cut down and the sparrows became more scarce. Now I don’t see them when I visit my old haunts, explains Anthony Chadwick BVSc CertVD MRCVS, the founder and CVO of Alpha Vet International.
It is estimated that we have lost nearly 60% of sparrows in the last 50 years. Some species like the wryneck and red-backed shrike do not breed in Britain anymore but are seen on passage. The UK is one of the most nature-denuded countries in Europe.
The UK is one of the most nature-denuded countries in Europe
Biodiversity is a measure of variation at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels. It measures the richness of the natural environment. The general deterioration of the natural environment has been noted by psychiatrists to cause anguish, especially in the young where it is described as solastalgia.
This is an existential dread for the future of the planet which can lead to malaise and apathetic response to positive action that might improve the situation like planting a wildflower meadow. On the other hand, in environments where nature is more biodiverse, people will feel more positive. One study has shown that children growing up and studying in biodiverse areas increase their IQ. IQ is not a static, fixed data point!
Planting wildflowers at the workplace on waste pieces of ground or where more traditional gardening has previously been will encourage wildlife like butterflies and bees. Preparing this area and seeing the beautiful flowers growing, gives people a sense of achievement and also helps to slow them down when they want to study the flowers and animals that thrive there.
The benefits of appreciating nature have become so well recognised that GPs have begun green and blue prescribing under the banner of social prescribing.
How do we promote well-being in nature?
A recent article in the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s magazine, Waterlife discussed five ways to well-being in nature:
1. Connecting with nature and connecting with other people whilst in nature to develop our social relationships. This can also include getting to know colleagues better whilst working on nature projects as part of work.
2. Regular activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety. Even gentle exercise will exercise the mind as well.
3. Being aware of what is in the environment and living in the moment will also enhance well-being. I remember being in the centre of Liverpool and hearing a buzzard calling high in the sky. It lifted my soul.
4. Learning about the wildlife in the business’ wildflower meadow, stimulates the mind and can lead to feelings of pride in newfound knowledge and improve self-esteem.
5. Being involved in helping the company achieve its sustainability goals and helping others makes people feel happier.
In the Lancashire Wildlife Trust’s spring 2022 magazine, Lapwing, it was noted that green and blue social prescribing to a group of people suffering from loneliness, depression and anxiety delivered £6.88 of value to participants and the wider society for every £1 spent.
The wildflower gardens at the Liverpool Science Park, which the team at The Webinar Vet and Simply Vet helped to create, are a source of great joy to me. I love to show the team and visitors how the meadow is developing and I love seeing bees, butterflies and other small creatures gain sustenance from the flowers and shelter from the space. Sometimes, in the middle of a busy day, it’s good to go down and spend time being a part of nature rather than apart from nature.
Employee mindfulness and the environment
Encouraging employees to volunteer in nature reserves or even planting wildflowers at places of work will encourage insect life and taking time to study this at work is mindful and will cause team members to slow down and breathe more deeply. Some companies offer volunteer days for their employees to work for charities or organise a day out in nature. This has many positive benefits in making the employees see that the business cares about the environment.
Whilst many employees are working remotely, having set breaks where people can go outside to exercise or just enjoy nature is very important. A recent report by Sympa on the future of work noted three trends
• That trust was becoming even more important
• That hybrid working is the new normal
• Employers are seeing employee mental health as a really important consideration
Given the obvious benefits that working in a biodiverse environment brings, it seems likely that forward-thinking businesses will try to get their team to engage more with the natural space to demonstrate the company’s commitment to the well-being of their people and the planet.
Today, the vast majority of citizens and companies in Denmark use digital channels to communicate with the public sector. They enroll for public childcare, check blood test results, register new companies and make secure payments – all digitally. This digital development has met some of the greatest societal challenges facing our society through digital technology. Building on this solid foundation, two new strategies put forth the direction for Denmark’s digital future.
Mitigating societal challenges through digital development
The first half of 2022 offered new political visions for the next chapter in Denmark’s digital development. In May 2022, the Danish Government presented a proposal for a national digital strategy spanning the public and private sectors. Following this, the sixth digital strategy for the public sector was launched in June.
Both strategies emphasise that digital solutions are not a goal in and of themselves. Rather, digital technologies are a tool to meet great societal challenges. In the following, three central themes of the new strategies are presented.
First, participation in a digital society requires certain skills – and those who find digital government difficult should receive guidance or an alternative. To address this issue, the digital strategy for the public sector introduces an initiative that will make it easier for relatives and other helpers to assist digitally challenged citizens with their digital contact with the public sector.
A successful digital transition rests dually on digital inclusion and digital service design. In this way, digital government must focus on responsibility and ethical considerations and on making the entire public sector more accessible and coherent for citizens in their everyday life.
At the same time, labour shortage currently represents one of the greatest challenges to the Danish welfare system, particularly in healthcare and social work. In this context, new technology can be a vital part of the solution. For instance, artificial intelligence and robots can ease repetitive administrative processes for nurses and caregivers in order to let them spend more time with the patients who need their professional help. Accordingly, the two strategies launch a plan for implementing new technology in the public sector with the ambition to free up time corresponding to 10,000 full-time employees over the next 10 years.
As a third focus, the strategies aim to mitigate the climate crisis, for example by creating a circular databank to monitor waste streams and enable better recycling of materials and by improving the quality of and access to data used in climate adaptation. While data and digital solutions can support the green transition in many ways, the increasing demand for data processing and storage also increase energy consumption. Correspondingly, both strategies introduce measures to ensure that digital solutions contribute positively to the green transition of Danish society.
Historically, digital development in Denmark has been the result of strategic planning, strong collaboration as well as broad political and popular support.
The Danish Government established a partnership for the future of Denmark’s digital development in March 2021 to ensure that the new digital strategies would represent interests across the private and public sector. The partnership comprised 28 members from Danish businesses, research communities, civil society, and local government. Their brief was to advise the government on how to harness the opportunities provided by digital technologies, resulting in 46 recommendations delivered to the government in October 2021.
Building on these recommendations, the Danish government launched the national digital strategy. The strategy marks the first digital strategy spanning both the public and private sectors in Denmark.
While the scope of the national strategy is new, the digital strategy for the public sector builds upon more than 20 years of ambitious strategic cooperation across different levels of governments. Previous strategies for the digital development of the public sector have included initiatives such as mandatory digital communication with the public sector and the introduction of digital self-service solutions for almost all administrative public services. These initiatives are now an integrated part of the everyday life in Denmark.
Taking measures to secure the future
For more than two decades, Denmark has been a digital frontrunner. This position has been achieved through well-planned strategies and comprehensive collaboration between the many institutions of the public sector.
The new strategies represent the next central steps to harness the potentials of the digital age and meet our challenges head on. This time, innovative cooperation across all levels of society is more important than ever.
Technology is helping the public sector make the shift to electric vehicles, improve urban air quality, and protect vulnerable road users. Crown Commercial Service’s Transport Technology and Associated Services (TTAS) framework is making it easier for customers to work towards their net-zero targets through providing access to new, smarter and cleaner transport solutions.
Decarbonising road vehicles
Public sector support for electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure will be essential if the government is to meet its vision around easy access to public charge points. Public investment is particularly important for on-street charging, in providing access in rural locations, and supporting the electrification of the public sector fleet. CCS supports deployment of EV infrastructure through our Transport Technology and Associated Services (TTAS) framework and our Vehicle Charging Infrastructure Solutions (VCIS) dynamic purchasing system (DPS).
Both agreements offer a range of solutions from hardware and managed services to a full end-to-end solution.
Helping customers establish
‘Clean Air Zones’ to improve air quality road transport is a leading cause of air pollution in cities, directly affecting the health of residents and contributing to global warming. Tackling air pollution, increasing the efficiency of public transport, and encouraging the transition to cleaner modes of transport are key priorities for many urban cities and regions.
Across the UK, smart traffic management technology is helping tackle many sources of air pollution by incentivising and regulating driver behaviour. It’s also being used to create Clean Air Zones (CAZ).
Our TTAS framework provides monitoring and enforcement solutions – enabling customers to procure high-definition licence plate recognition ANPR cameras that record which vehicle has travelled through the CAZ so that charges can be issued as appropriate.
Delivering market ready innovation – digital roads and open data
Adopting an innovative approach to sharing and analysing accessible data is enabling road operators and the public to make smarter decisions. It is opening up opportunities to provide new services.
CCS suppliers are leading the way with market ready solutions utilising real-time data analytics, helping public sector customers to meet their goals to carbon net-zero through:
• Dynamic management of traffic congestion reducing pollution hotspots.
Active junction and crossing solutions detecting and reacting to children and cyclists.
Analysis of existing data avoiding the need for new roadside hardware.
Use of simulation (digital twins) to underpin future city transport infrastructure planning.
Ensuring safe and efficient network operation
Technology provides solutions to keep people and goods moving safely and efficiently including, across borders.
The deployment of thermal imaging cameras at airports helped mitigate travellers’ exposure to COVID 19. Transport operators are tackling congestion and pinch points through automated border control systems at UK entry points, by using cross-modal freight routing applications to improve efficiency, and through the application of real-time telemetry technology.
Customer webinars
Watch a webinar with our team of category experts or view our recent animation video which provides an overview of TTAS and what it can offer. Detailed information can also be found in our Customer Guidance Document.
Add power to your procurement with CCS
Whether you need consultancy, an end-to-end solution for EV charging, local enforcement of traffic offences, prioritisation of public transport, or the roll-out of a clean air zone. CCS is here to help you.
Eric Buckland of Translational Imaging Innovations and Ronald Schuchard, Clinical Product Development Expert, explore the benefits of ophthalmic precision medicine to improve patient care across sectors
The term “precision medicine” has become very popular over recent years, driven by scientific and socio-political perspectives. The goal of precision medicine is to improve individual care through the stratification of patients according to a taxonomy derived from large-scale data, including clinical, lifestyle, genetic and further biomarker information, thus going beyond the classical “signs-and-symptoms” approach. Precision medicine is a process that incorporates a comprehensive approach to understanding the specific needs of patients with shared attributes, targeting more effective care with lower risks. Today’s medical records systems are not up to the task. The evolution of precision medicine requires a revolution in managing healthcare data, from clinical research, through clinical trials and into clinical practice.
Innovations in GTx and AI inherently target the holy grail of precision medicine
As promising as Gene Therapy (GTx) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are to the future of healthcare, the field of ophthalmology has seen one FDA-cleared gene therapy[1] and two FDA-cleared AI diagnostic products[2],[3]. While there are many reasons for the limited progress of precision medicine in ophthalmology, the lack of quality data sources and reproducible processes for leveraging large-scale image-rich data is a major contributing factor.
Degenerative ocular diseases, including glaucoma and dry age-related macular degeneration progress “gradually, then suddenly” [4]. This slow progression of disease presents a host of problems in both diagnosis and treatment. Even in cases with clear risk factors and suggestive clinical indications, the lack of treatments mandates a wait-and-see clinical approach. Predictive biomarkers are needed that accurately predict when a patient’s condition will progress to severe vision loss.
The absence of prognostic markers impacts the development of new drugs that might slow, halt, or reverse degeneration
How does one validate a drug that may slow disease progression over decades? How does one assess the risk-benefit trade-offs? In our aging society, progressive vision loss will threaten the quality of life and increase the economic burden on the global economy. This is a real threat that requires new protocols for evaluating drugs and prognostic biomarkers to identify at-risk patients as candidates for a given therapy. Current clinical health records, proprietary imaging devices, and image management systems designed around patient case management are not suited to discovering, validating, and deploying prognostic biomarkers or validating the new class of clinical endpoints required to get ahead of the problem of degenerative eye disease.
Drug molecules and biologics are necessary for a new drug, and clinical endpoints are the outcome measures for assessing safety and effectiveness. Clinical endpoints form a battery of tests that measure structure, function, and impact on activities of daily living at each phase of clinical trials. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides guidance on selecting endpoints for clinical trials[5]. The primary concern of the FDA is constraining Type I errors – minimizing the risk that an ineffective drug is cleared through the process. The bar is high. The FDA mandates that the probability of clearing an ineffective drug be below one chance in 40. Statistical rigor requires the prospective selection of endpoints and prospective analysis protocols that eliminate statistical inflation and data dredging. Tight control of Type I failures can increase the probability that good treatment candidates end up being rejected – the Type II failures. Developing robust clinical endpoints for slowly degenerative diseases and rare diseases that are candidates for gene therapy is a significant challenge and a major barrier to progress in ophthalmology.
Clinical endpoints are not born; they are made
It is critical to develop appropriate clinical endpoints in parallel with new drug development from the earliest phases. The FDA recognizes primary, secondary, and exploratory endpoints (or endpoint families). The primary endpoint is the main test that a treatment has worked. Secondary endpoints provide evidence of additional clinical benefits or elucidate mechanisms of action; secondary endpoints are only considered following success against the primary endpoint. On the other hand, explanatory endpoints are experimental and provide flexibility to test additional clinical hypotheses and evaluate new biomarkers that may evolve into future primary or secondary endpoints.
New imaging and testing modalities are increasingly moving from the laboratory to clinical trials. Innovative new techniques testing patient sensitivity to light[6] and micromotions of the retina[7] show promise as early markers of disease operating at the eye-brain connection. Such new endpoints do not need to be derived from clinical standards of care. Inclusion as exploratory endpoints in clinical trials maximizes the leverage of expensive clinical trial processes to clear new treatments that benefit patients while advancing the development of future primary and secondary endpoints for degenerative eye disease.
Improving patient care across all sectors
Integrated image and data management across the entire lifecycle of pre-clinical and clinical research, clinical trials, and clinical practice are necessary to advance ophthalmic precision medicine. The more finely grained we stratify patients and target therapies, the more likely we are to realize the value in emerging therapies, improve patient care across all sectors of the population, and ultimately reduce healthcare costs. Finely grained medical solutions require large-data solutions with enough power to discover the needed biomarkers and validate clinical endpoints.
Translational Imaging Innovations is leading the way with comprehensive systems that simplify the capture, curation, and analysis of images and data, with transparency and traceability. Our architecture begins with the TII Data Genome, a scalable and extensible relational data structure supported by the ocuVaultTM database and application programming interface (API). ocuVaultTM simplifies data flows, automates data security, and simplifies database deployment across sites and programs. ocuLinkTM is the TII vendor-neutral, multimodal, data curation, visualization, and annotation application, optimized for large-scale image analysis workflows. Mosaic is the TII computational platform designed for batch processing the multi-stage computational recipes required for biomarker discovery and trial data analysis. At TII, our goal is to enable translational researchers to develop better diagnostics and better therapies, with more predictable benefits – faster, at a lower cost, and with less frustration.
Aguilar MC, et al, Automated instrument designed to determine visual photosensitivity thresholds. Biomed Opt Express. 2018 Oct 18;9(11):5583-5596.
Sheehy CK, et al, Fixational microsaccades: A quantitative and objective measure of disability in multiple sclerosis. Mult Scler. 2020 Mar;26(3):343-353.
The new Growth Plan is widely being referred to as the ‘mini budget’ in the media – what does it really mean? And how bad really is Britain’s economic forecast?
What are the terms of the mini budget?
The budget is normally announced in the Spring, hence the term ‘mini budget’ for the Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng’s latest Growth Plan.
It details a number of economic policies including:
Corporation tax rise cancelled
Basic rate of income tax cut to 19% in April 2023
Cuts to Stamp Duty
Ambitious targets set for 2.5% trend of growth
‘Economic growth isn’t some academic term with no connection to the real world’
The Chancellor of the Exchequer, Kwasi Kwarteng, commented: “Economic growth isn’t some academic term with no connection to the real world. It means more jobs, higher pay and more money to fund public services, like schools and the NHS.
“This will not happen overnight but the tax cuts and reforms I’ve announced today – the biggest package in generations – send a clear signal that growth is our priority.
“Cuts to stamp duty will get the housing market moving and support first-time buyers to put down roots. New Investment Zones will bring business investment and release land for new homes in communities across the country. And we’re accelerating new road, rail and energy projects by removing restrictions that have slowed down progress for too long.
“We want businesses to invest in the UK, we want the brightest and the best to work here and we want better living standards for everyone.”
What does our Prime Minister Liz Truss have to say?
Truss has defended the mini budget, claiming that the Conservative government had to act on the energy crisis.
We are facing difficult economic times globally.
We must put this country on a trajectory for long-term growth whilst maintaining fiscal discipline.
Cutting taxes will boost investment, creating jobs and opportunities for all.
What has been Labour’s response to the mini budget?
It will come as no surprise that Labour is extremely unhappy with the mini budget. The Leader of the Opposition, Sir Keir Starmer, has urged Liz Truss to recall Parliament and abandon the budget.
Starmer: ‘A self-inflicted crisis’
Starmer, like many others, believes that the Conservative Party has lost control of the economy: “Unlike other situations where it may be a world event, an unexpected event that causes this sort of crisis this is self-inflicted. This was made in Downing Street last Friday.
“And for what? For uncosted tax breaks for those earning hundreds of thousands of pounds.”
The Treasury has rejected calls to reverse any of last week’s budget. Parliament is currently suspended while the two main parties hold their annual conferences. It is due to come back on 11 October.
The government’s economic chaos is already clobbering those like Rabia who're trying to get a mortgage or to re-mortgage.
This crisis was made in Downing Street but it’s being paid for by working people.
The Tories must get back to Parliament and reverse their kamikaze budget. https://t.co/bw8B2TOUgl
The mini budget blatantly, and unapologetically, favours the wealthiest people in the UK.
Kwarteng announced that the 45% additional rate income tax band for those earning more than £150,000 will be scrapped entirely. The 40% higher rate, charged on incomes above £50,271, will remain.
The basic rate of income tax will be cut from 20% to 19% to April 2023. In other words, the basic rate of income tax payable on earnings over £12,571 will drop to 19p from 20p in the pound from April 2023. This means you’ll be £130 a year better off if you’re a basic rate taxpayer and £360 a year better off if you’re a higher rate taxpayer.
The Growth Plan will also cancel UK-wide rise in corporation tax which was due to increase from 19% to 25% in April 2023
Will my universal credit and benefits stay the same?
The short answer is no, not really.
Rules around Universal Credit will be made stricter by reducing benefits if claimants do not fulfil job search commitments.
Benefits will be reduced
In fact, roughly 120,000 more people on Universal Credit will be asked to do more to seek work; and if they do not fulfil this expectation, their benefits will be reduced.
Jobseekers over 50 will be given extra time with work coaches to help them return to job market
Are there cuts to Stamp Duty?
First-time buyers will be eligible for Stamp Duty cuts. As of last Friday, anyone completing a house purchase will pay no stamp duty on the first £250,000 of your property‘s price.
How will the mini budget affect my energy bills?
The government plans to freeze energy bills at £2,500 per household which Kwarteng claims will reduce inflation by 5% points.
This means the average household will have to pay £2,500 a year for energy over the next two years. There has been no immediate new support announced, besides the £400 energy grant.
What does the public have to say about the mini budget?
It’s easier to think the mini-budget was a mistake or simple incompetence.
It now seems increasingly likely that it was calculated and deliberate.
The pound shortened and now public services in the U.K. ripe for private takeover.
Listening to a professor being interviewed on BBC news, making sense of the mini budget. The interviewer was so disappointed when he was positive about a lot of it. The media are really fuelling things…again.
VolkerSmart Technologies introduce their work in decarbonising the NHS, discussing their role in lessening transport emissions with their numerous services
Transport emissions are the cause of around 2% of our overall carbon footprint in the UK, with the NHS accounting for over 3% of all road travel in the UK. As a major road user, the NHS has a goal of at least 90% of NHS service vehicles having low-emission engines (hybrid or fully electric) by 2028. Over the next two to five years, decarbonising the NHS will involve upgrading its existing fleet to electric vehicles, which will require a network of charging infrastructure to facilitate its and its users’ transition.
Having worked on the highway since 1959, VolkerHighways, a leading integrated highways services provider, understands why action is required, now, more than ever, and is proud to be finding innovative sustainable solutions for its clients.
VolkerSmart Technologies and electric vehicle charge points
VolkerSmart Technologies was established by VolkerHighways in 2018 to meet the needs of its public sector clients for electric vehicle charging capability, helping them to reach their climate and net zero ambitions. We are a leading installer and maintainer of electric vehicle charge points (EVCP) and are proud to have installed over seven percent of all public charge points in the UK so far.
The business provides integrated project management and a seamless, end-to-end solution for sourcing, installing and maintaining EVCP, in an array of complex environments. We have built collaborative relationships with many public sector clients, including local authorities, the Ministry of Justice, and NHS providers, making VolkerSmart Technologies a go-to provider.
VolkerSmart Technologies has already worked successfully with the East London NHS Foundation Trust in reducing its carbon footprint, by providing staff with EVCP at the John Howards Centre in Hackney. We have also installed charging points at seven prison estates in England and Wales on behalf of the Ministry of Justice, which is introducing electric vehicles into its fleet to save fuel costs and reduce its environmental impact.
Having extensive experience in these environments, VolkerSmart Technologies understands some of the struggles faced by public sector organisations, such as an increased requirement for security checks, restricted working hours and increased footfall in public areas and can adapt to suit individual requirements.
Sustainable transport technologies
We are an approved supplier on lot five – sustainable transport technologies – on the Crown Commercial Services and Associated Services framework which is a specialist framework helping the UK public sector to save money when buying common goods and services.
Being the biggest public procurement organisation in the UK, the framework eliminates the need for time-consuming and costly tender processes, while ensuring best value for money from an organisation which has been rigorously tested.
As a member of the National Electrical Registration Scheme (NERS), VolkerSmart Technologies can deliver independent connections to metered and unmetered local DNOs. This in-house capability has the benefit of reducing the time required for electrical installations, such as the installation of EVCP, while mitigating programme risk and reducing costs.
LED lighting
Not only will the adoption of electric vehicles help with decarbonising the NHS, but the installation of LED lights is also a proven way for the organisation to save thousands of pounds each year.
LEDs can produce electricity savings of up to 75%, while improving reliability and reducing ongoing maintenance, and offers adaptable lighting, which enables dimming and a range of colour temperatures. LED technology has seen a considerable reduction in cost and an improvement in quality over the last few years, making it an efficient alternative.
VolkerHighways is a UK leader in the delivery of street lighting and electrical services, providing long-term lighting term maintenance services for local authorities, as well as smaller contracts to meet our clients’ street lighting requirements. We thrive on finding sustainable solutions for our clients and have been supporting them with the switch to LEDs for the past six years.
VolkerHighways’ reputation is reflected in its high levels of repeat business and performance-based contract extensions, as well as its expanding client-base over recent years. Working with Oxfordshire County Council, the business is currently replacing over 35,000 units with LEDs as part of its large-scale LED programme, which will save the council thousands of pounds each year. This year alone, the business is moving forward with 25,000 LED conversions in Oxfordshire.
Energy cost savings of up to 70%
In the last six years, VolkerHighways has converted in excess of 120,000 streetlights to LEDs, providing energy cost savings of up to 70% for our clients.
VolkerHighways’ capability is built upon the experience of its teams and their local knowledge, providing a full turnkey solution, from the design and installation of street lighting, to ongoing maintenance. We provide a fully integrated approach, working seamlessly with premium manufacturers to ensure that the latest technological advances, best value for money and sustainable solutions are brought to our clients.
The business has all the necessary associated electrical accreditations to deliver works to the highway. This includes Highways Electrical Associations (HEA), National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC) and The Lloyds’s Register EMEA under the National Electricity Registration Scheme (NERS).
Since we spend the majority of our adult lives at work, it is vital that employers provide sufficient employee mental health & well-being support – here’s how
Work plays a crucial role in our lives – after all, it’s where we spend the most significant amount of our time in our adult years. Therefore, it is important that businesses take the time to create a work environment that is conducive to happy, healthy employees.
It is important that businesses take the time to create a work environment that is conducive to happy, healthy employees
This is where employee mental health and well-being support comes in, which refers to both your team’s physical and mental health while they’re at work. Physical well-being in the workplace could involve the temperature in the office, their activity level and even the ergonomics of their chair. Mental well-being supports issues like stress, depression or anxiety.
A healthy, happy workforce is more valuable to a company
Employee engagement, productivity, and a number of other issues are all closely related to employee mental health and well-being. A healthy, happy workforce is more valuable to a company, according to research. According to a study by the mental health charity Mind, 60% of workers think that if their employer made steps to support their health and well-being at work, it would increase their motivation and the likelihood that they would recommend their company as a great place to work.
So, what is the takeaway from this? Well, it’s that supporting employees’ mental health and well-being is essential to a successful organisation. This article outlines how you can promote and support well-being in the workplace.
The importance of health and well-being at work
According to Research conducted in 2017, poor mental health costs UK employers between £33 billion and £42 billion a year. Considering the significant costs, it would seem beneficial to invest in the well-being of your employees.
Poor mental health costs UK employers between £33 billion and £42 billion a year
In fact, it has been shown that having a happy, healthy workforce is good for business. Many companies are now recognising that their staff are more than just ’employees’; they are individuals who serve at the foundation of the organisation.
Employee mental health and well-being support benefits both employee and employer
Looking after the health and well-being of these employees is not only the right thing to do but also a sound decision that can impact the success of the business. It actually offers both employees and employers a host of benefits, such as:
Lower absenteeism – Employees who feel that their well-being is being supported are less likely to take sick days. This means more people are at their desks more often, which means work will get done.
Increased productivity and performance – Happy employees who feel valued will be more enthusiastic about their work, resulting in increased efficiency and productivity.
Greater employee retention – Businesses that focus on creating a workplace culture where employees are valued will foster employee engagement and loyalty, which means staff will choose to stay with your organisation.
More effective recruitment – Caring for and protecting your employees will demonstrate your commitment to your employees, boosting your reputation. This will make your organisation attractive to the best talent in your sector.
What does the research say?
Investing in your employee’s mental health and well-being will not only benefit your staff but will also significantly boost your bottom line. This is further supported by research, as studies show that organisations with effective employee well-being programmes consistently outperform their competition.
The London School of Economics found that, between 2004 and 2007, an investment of £45 million into employee mental health, physical health and well-being generated a return of £225 million. According to the report, if the 13 UK industries with the weakest performance did the same, the British economy would gain £1.45 billion.
Another study carried out by the American Psychological Association in 2016 found that, in companies where employee mental health and well-being was supported, 91% of the staff felt motivated to do their best. Comparatively, only 30% of staff felt motivated in companies where well-being was not supported.
15 ways you can support employee well-being in the workplace
There are immense benefits that come with increased employee mental health, physical health and well-being support. How can you actively offer this support? Below you’ll find 15 simple ways you can do this:
Encourage continuous learning
Continuous learning is vital to increasing the skillset and knowledge of your employees. However, it also has the added benefit of boosting employee satisfaction and engagement while also fostering a collaborative culture.
2. Create a mentor program
Mentor programs present an excellent opportunity for employees to learn from one another and get to know colleagues they may not otherwise meet. Additionally, such a program also provides a support system, which is necessary when depression and anxiety are at an all-time high.
3. Encourage collaboration and innovation
Open, communal workspaces are a breeding ground for collaboration and creativity. Collaboration also fosters a sense of ownership in employees as those involved feel a sense of purpose and belonging.
Open, communal workspaces are a breeding ground for collaboration and creativity
Design your office space with this in mind by providing ample seating around large tables. This way, teams can sit together and find innovative solutions to complex problems.
4. Stop multitasking
Multitasking actually hinders productivity rather than boosting it. Jumping between jobs, such as reading emails and returning calls, makes it more difficult for your employees to concentrate on their current tasks. Encourage the team members to concentrate on one task at a time.
5. Promote a work/life balance
We’re all guilty of engaging in weekend email checking and late-night work. Making this seem normal, though, will make your employees more stressed and burned out.
The ergonomics of our workplace can significantly contribute to maintaining the physical well-being of employees since it reduces discomfort, enhances blood flow, and strengthens muscles. The attention and general mood will consequently improve. Therefore, be sure to provide ergonomically sound, cosy, and well-maintained workplaces.
7. Align your environment with your culture
Your company’s culture and working environment should complement one another. Employees will sense the gap if your office is a sterile boiler room with little to no personality while you’re trying to promote a culture of fun, enthusiasm, and teamwork.
8. Provide an EAP
Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) provide employees with a platform where they can seek help regarding personal or work-related issues that may be negatively affecting their work performance. These programs often include qualified professionals who can provide employees with the advice they need.
9. Give your employees a break (room)
Having a break room gives your employees a dedicated space where they can sit back, relax and recharge for a short while. A break room will not only serve as a space where they can get away from their desks, but it will also encourage employees to socialise, which can strengthen company relations.
This is perhaps one of the simplest well-being initiatives to implement. Showing appreciation and recognition to your employees will show them that their contributions are valued. Evidence has shown that 70% of employees feel happier and more connected to their colleagues when they receive recognition.
Whether you choose to praise your staff in public or private is up to you; however, the importance of giving frequent recognition cannot be ignored – without it, you run the risk of employees becoming disengaged.
11. Harness the power of your data
Your people data holds some powerful insights into the health and well-being of your employees. Find out which of your teams are feeling disengaged, who is underperforming or which offices have the highest levels of employee satisfaction. You can then use the insights from this data to make effective changes to your workplace that will promote the health and well-being of your employees.
12. Let the light in
Office lighting may seem like a trivial factor influencing employee well-being, but it can make a huge difference to employee productivity. Information provided by the ILO has shown that poor lighting can contribute to fatigue, headaches, stress and eye strain. On the other hand, good, natural lighting can positively influence productivity, boosting it by 18%, according to the World Green Building Council.
13. Provide healthy food options
If you had to choose between an apple and a snack bar, we all know that the snack bar will win every time. Providing healthier food options for your employees will help them to make better choices.
14. Ask your employees what they need
No one is a mind reader; you’ll never know what your employees are lacking if you never ask. So, ask your employees for their input to learn how you can best support their health and well-being. They might think of some fantastic ideas that you never even considered!
15. Schedule social events
Social wellness is essential in any organisation. After all, work is where employees spend the majority of their time, so the social connections made here have the ability to positively or negatively affect employees’ stress levels, productivity and overall view of the organisation.
Encourage your staff to socialise with one another, whether it be over drinks after work or a lunchtime stroll. This will enhance morale and employee engagement.
How to initiate your own employee well-being programme
Considering the considerable benefits both you and your employees can gain through the support of well-being initiatives, it would seem evident to implement your own programme.
However, issues will arise. For example, you may have to convince a sceptical board that an employee well-being programme is worth it. You will have to consider the financial cost and also the struggle of getting a workforce to change their old habits. Luckily, it is possible – follow these four steps to initiate an employee mental health and well-being programme in your organisation.
Sell the benefits to both sides
The first step is to get both your board and workforce on your side. The biggest challenge will be convincing the board that it makes financial sense. To do this, you’ll need to use statistics and other data to prove how important employee well-being is and how beneficial it will be for the business.
Next comes the challenge of getting the workforce engaged and on your side. This may not be as tough as talking to the board, but you’ll need to prove to your employees that a well-being programme will make them happier and healthier. By proving that they have a take in the process, you’ll be more likely to win them over.
Be sure to get your employees involved in the process through surveys or seminars. Ask them what types of well-being initiatives they would like to see so that you can create the most effective programme to suit their needs. Below are a few examples of regular wellness initiatives:
Once you have got all the necessary parties on board, it’s time to start planning. Be sure to map out your aims and objectives, then work out how best to go about achieving those aims successfully.
You’ll need to think practically about factors such as who will run the programme and whether it will be done internally or by a third party. It’s also necessary to consider financial resources, such as finances, facilities and time.
Some other important questions to consider before beginning the programme include:
Will you require any additional services such as training, discounted gym memberships, or access to health and well-being portals through your benefits providers?
Do you need to purchase anything to make the programme a reality?
Do you need to reorganise the workplace or install anything?
How will you work employee engagement into your daily schedule?
Small changes go a long way
You may have a strategy, but you might still be unsure of how it will ultimately turn out. So it’s a good idea to start small so you can determine what works and what needs to be improved. Additionally, it will help those in control get back into the swing of things.
Once things are running smoothly, you can start to build on your initial programme. At this stage, you’ll also be able to identify those who have responded positively to the programme, your ‘well-being champions’ if you will. Use these employees to promote the programme across the workforce and encourage others to take part so that they can enjoy the benefits of better well-being.
Monitor progress
As with anything in the business world, you need to monitor progress. Keep checking in on the programme and ask yourself questions such as:
Which initiatives are working and which are failing, and why?
What segments of the workforce are the most and least engaged, and why?
How much does it cost to run each initiative?
Use your answers to these questions to further refine and improve the well-being programme to ensure ongoing engagement and sufficient returns.
Final thoughts on supporting well-being in the workplace
The benefits of workplace well-being programmes are clear – they are both good for people and good for business. There are many ways you can promote the well-being of your employees.
You should engage the board and your staff before implementing a well-being programme in your company to make sure you have a clear plan in place. You may then implement a programme that strengthens your company and enhances the health and well-being of your employees by tracking progress and making adjustments to the initiatives to improve results.
Written by Sarah Dowzell, COO and Co-founder at Natural HR. Natural HR Natural HR is an award-winning system designed for HR professionals by HR Professionals. For us, it’s not just about providing you with great software; it’s about helping you get the most out of our system from day one.
Following school closures due to COVID-19, schools need to reopen with safer designs in mind to protect students and help them attain an education
According to UNESCO figures, 94% of the world’s student population — almost 1.6 billion learners — were impacted by school and university closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Until today, more than 800 million students worldwide still suffer from complete or partial school closures.
As most students find it hard to access connectivity and lack the digital tools and skills required for remote learning, the education system awaits the real-world response from the design domain, states Liviu Tudor, President of the European Property Federation.
While COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdowns have been billed as a ‘great equaliser’, affecting people regardless of their age, economic status, and gender, the reality has been much different. The experience was perceived differently from person to person, not just in dealing with the waves of infections but in experiencing the levels of associated disruptions.
While most working professionals were either working from home or under furlough schemes, children and, in turn, single parents were amongst the worst affected. Confined to their homes for months and forced to learn their lessons virtually, children have been deprived of the true learning experience and enjoyment, while parents had to deal with childcare often at the expense of their work.
100 million kids are failing to meet the required level of reading literacy
Against the background of a lasting halt of learning worldwide, students and kids also ran a greater danger of losing out on their future. Recently, UNESCO’s research demonstrated that school closures have resulted in more than 100 million kids failing to meet the required level of reading literacy. The threat of gender inequality also reared its head amid school closures as many girls were increasingly exposed to gender-based exploitation. Addressing the worsening situation of learning gaps and the long-term danger it carries are among the urgent concerns that need to be addressed.
The pandemic has made it clear that we cannot continue to operate as usual – we need a new way of thinking and philosophy, especially when it comes to designing our lives and livelihoods. Central to this is creating a safe environment for everyone, as we spend most of our time indoors – at home, in the office, or in school.
We came to terms with the reality not too long into the onset of the pandemic. Back in April 2020, as schools and offices were shut and towns and cities were thumped into an eerie silence, it was clear that our industry would be greatly affected if we did not re-establish confidence. I firmly believe that establishing trust with people worldwide needed measured scientific thinking and not a marketing campaign.
We immediately set to work, investing 1 million Euros into R&D to develop and deliver a scientific response to creating a safe indoor environment for people around the world to adopt quickly. This resulted in the Immune Building Standard™ (IMMUNE™), developed with an international team of experts in health, technology, architecture, constructions, engineering, and facility management, as a blueprint to improve the immunity of office buildings against health risks.
Since then, the IMMUNE™ standard has gone on to be adopted and implemented by offices and residential complexes around the world and has now been adopted at St Catherine’s Business School in Athens.
Minimising the impact of potential bacteriological threats
It is paramount that we do not get back to lockdowns or isolations while at the same time limiting flare-ups of the disease. Therefore, as demonstrated by the IMMUNE™ Standard, we need to re-design the indoor environment to be capable of not only preventing the spread of infections but ensuring that it does not intervene with the normalcy that the world clings to.
A scientific response to this would mean better ventilation, installing air and water purification, bio sanitisers and self-cleaning mechanisms, anti-microbial paint, and robust monitoring of various factors, including air quality and humidity. The IMMUNE™ certified building usually has over 130 such measures and is therefore well equipped to efficiently prevent and fight against health risks, minimising the impact of potential bacteriological or toxicological threats.
The cost of implementing these measures is usually 1% of the total value of the property – a negligible investment towards ensuring safety and security on the long term.
As schools re-open this year, they do not need a massive overhaul, they just need the right intervention to ensure a safe environment and get learning back on track.
This piece was written by Liviu Tudor, President of the European Property Federation.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, healthcare is being transformed through AI and technology, improving patient care in the NHS and beyond
Providing the best patient care is the top priority for healthcare professionals. However, with limited staffing and resources and high outpatient visits to medical facilities, the ability to access quality medical care has been hampered. Alongside this, the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the situation.
Waiting lists are at record highs, with more than 6 million people waiting for treatment according to recent NHS figures. Receiving treatment quickly and efficiently is vital, particularly for those with chronic or life-threatening illnesses. The reality, however, is that these patients do not even get their first meeting with specialists or consultants before 16 to 20 weeks, irrespective of the urgency of their condition. The healthcare sector has tried various ways to address this issue, but little has changed for patient care.
Digital solutions in lockdown
In the wake of the pandemic, digital solutions became more prevalent with children learning via Zoom, and the medical field was no exception. Video conferencing technology revolutionised the way medical appointments were conducted. However, digital adoption in healthcare needs to be accelerated far greater than just this. Investing in other technologies can also help in reducing waiting lists, with the need to improve access to medical care becoming increasingly apparent.
In response, the Walton Centre has partnered with Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) to develop an AI chatbot for headaches customers to collect preliminary details of symptoms from the patient, which are then passed on to a doctor to progress and refer the patient to a relevant specialist.
Correcting treatment through personalised patient care
The chatbot will take patients through structured questions to collect information about their symptoms. Clinicians can then review this information before the first appointment in conjunction with patients’ medical history so that more time can be spent on providing the correct course of treatment.
AI, sensors and analytics are being used in several ways to improve medical care and reduce the burden on clinicians. For example, AI is used to quickly and precisely analyse medical images to identify anomalies and examine critical areas such as the GI tract. This is especially important in identifying serious diseases such as cancer. The technology can also help track the progression of healing of wounds, ease the workload for radiologists, and further reduce variables and outliers that take the subjectivity out of diagnosis.
AI is also being developed to support surgery preparations and serve as building blocks for remote surgery. These include auto-instrument positioning during eye surgeries, tool detection and identification, smoke detection, and surgical visualisation. All these capabilities can benefit patients and health professionals by reducing surgery duration and minimising possible complications.
AI, sensor, and analytics technologies have been advancing significantly and are now at a point where they can identify, in non-intrusive and cost-effective ways, key indicators of serious medical conditions. The patterns identified by such technologies track the signs of early-stage developmental and brain disorders, mental illnesses, and degenerative neurological diseases, helping doctors and patients better predict, monitor, and follow these conditions ubiquitously at a considerably lower cost than before —revolutionising how screening and rehabilitation can be conducted.
Healthcare providers need to take the leap
With an already stretched healthcare system in the UK, embracing digital tools and solutions could be a game-changer. It’s time for healthcare providers to take the leap and set the pace for a revolution in healthcare, leading to better patient care and clinician experience and outcomes.
Shalini Mathur, Vice President and Business Unit Head of Public Services for UK, Europe & ANZ at Tata Consultancy Services, helps public sector organisations in their digital transformation journeys. She believes innovation in the public sector is the key to enhancing user experience and improving quality of service, bringing in efficiency, transparency, convenience and greater security in service delivery. One of her current responsibilities is leading the development of the AI chatbot service for patients at The Walton Centre in Liverpool.
Artist's rendering of a super-Earth-type exoplanet, TOI 1452 b
Scientists have discovered two ‘super Earth’ type planets about 100 light-years from our Earth where 1 year is 8.5 days
Two planets discovered by a team of international scientists have been observed to be orbiting a small, cool star called TOI-4306 or SPECULOOS-2.
Published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, the study led by astrophysicist Laetitia Delrez has revealed a planet around 30% bigger than the Earth that completes an orbit around its star in just 2.7 days.
Exoplanet against red dwarf, elements of this image furnished by NASAGETTY
Nasa’s TESS project was launched in 2018 and will survey 200,000 of the brightest stars near the sun to search for transiting exoplanets.
By using the ground-based telescope SPECULOOS telescopes (Search for habitable Planets EClipsing ULtra-cOOl Stars) the team have been able to confirm and characterise this planet, and also to probe the system in depth for other planets that might have been ‘missed’ by TESS.
‘TESS searches for exoplanets using the transit method, by monitoring the brightness of thousands of stars simultaneously, looking for slight dimmings that could be caused by planets passing in front of their stars,’ explained Delrez.
Observing stars and ‘super-Earths’ in high precision
In contrast, the telescopes of the SPECULOOS consortium are optimised to observe this type of star with high precision, thanks to cameras that are very sensitive in the near infrared.
The observations have not only helped to confirm the first planet but have also made it possible to detect a second, previously unknown one.
Image of a previously discovered exoplanet known as ‘Exoplanet HD 189733b’ Image Credit: ESO/M. Kornmesser
A new and habitable ‘super-Earth’?
Both planets rank in the top 10 candidates for atmospheric characterisation among all terrestrial exoplanets so far discovered, the team says. That places them in the same category as one of the most famous planetary systems: the seven roughly Earth-sized planets around a star called TRAPPIST-1. The TRAPPIST-1 worlds and several other rocky exoplanets are already on the list of observation targets for the Webb telescope.
The second ‘super-Earth’ planet explored by the team labelled, LP 890-9c or SPECULOOS-2c, is about 40% larger than the Earth but has a longer orbital period of about 8.5 days, placing it in a ‘habitable zone’ around its star.
‘Although this planet orbits very close to its star, at a distance about 10 times shorter than that of Mercury around our sun, the amount of stellar irradiation it receives is still low, and could allow the presence of liquid water on the planet’s surface, provided it has a sufficient atmosphere,’ said Francisco J. Pozuelos, one of the co-authors of the paper.
‘This is because the star LP 890-9 is about 6.5 times smaller than the sun and has a surface temperature half that of our star. This explains why LP 890-9c, despite being much closer to its star than the Earth is to the sun, could still have conditions that are suitable for life.’
Accroding to the researchers this planet and others like it are prime candidates for further research using the popular James Webb Space Telescope.
Matthew Bradfield, Managing Director at Fairford Medical Ltd conducts a case study of Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and its new CT scanner
In 2020, Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was awarded funding for a new CT scanner under the first round of Government funding for additional scanners and upgrades.
Although the Trust had ordered a CT Scanner from Siemens, there was no designated site for the new CT.
The trust decided that a relocatable modular solution would allow them the flexibility to put the CT into service more quickly than identifying and equipping a static setting within an, as yet, unidentified hospital, whilst also giving the trust the flexibility of redeploying the system in future to another site if needed, with minimal impact and downtime.
Quality and efficiency in better patient experience
The trust ultimately selected Fairford Medical’s CT ScanBox as the ideal solution as its compact size worked well across a number of potential sites, and the quality of the ScanBox meant there would be no compromise in staff comfort, efficiency and overall patient experience.
The trust was able to procure Fairford’s CT ScanBox without complications through one of a number of national frameworks Fairford is on.
A number of sites across Merseyside were being considered whilst the relocatable was being built at Fairford’s coachbuilders in the UK, and after several weeks an area at Aintree Hospital was identified as the ideal site.
Fairford Medical’s project team handled all project management and advised the trust and Aintree’s Estates team on the pad construction as well as power, water and data connections required as there was nothing in situ (other than a bike shelter).
The finished bespoke CT ScanBox was delivered to Aintree on time and on budget, ready for Siemens to install a new Siemens Edge water-cooled CT scanner.
“Fairford Medical took the time to understand our needs and requirements in detail and worked closely with us every step of the way to enable us to achieve our tight project deadlines and to have our scanner in place as quickly as possible. I would recommend the quality of Fairford Medical’s support and also their excellent CT ScanBox which has now been in service for several months and has proved to be a great success with our staff and patients” – Nancy Nicholas Senior Commissioning Manager
Contact Fairford for more details including pricing, financing options and project management
In fact, since the pound sterling first went into free float in 1971, no event has sent Britain’s currency lower than the mini-budget announcement by the new chancellor of the exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday.
Why has the British pound sterling dropped?
The pound dropped as an immediate result of the new Conservative government’s spending and tax plan.
Further measures have been introduced to help mitigate the sharp rise in energy prices.
British pound sterling conversion rates
1 British pound sterling now equals 1.12 Euro
1 pound sterling equals 1.10 United States Dollar
1 pound sterling equals 1.69 Australian Dollar
1 pound sterling equals 1.50 Canadian Dollar
1 pound sterling equals 158.80 Japanese Yen
1 pound sterling equals 8.63 Hong Kong Dollar
1 pound sterling equals 64.33 Russian Ruble
What does a weaker pound mean for the UK?
A slump in the British pound sterling will have profound impacts on the UK economy.
A slump in the British pound sterling will have profound impacts on the UK economy
It means prices will be more expensive for UK consumers buying foreign goods. It also means that travelling to the US, or in any country that uses the US dollar, will become considerably more expensive.
The UK imports 50% of its food – not to mention oil. The cost of everything, from bananas to petrol, will rocket.
The Bank of England had to intervene
In an extremely rare move, the Bank of England intervened.
The Bank is going to lend funds to the government to bring down the interest rates on government debt.
It plans initially to spend £65bn – £5bn a day – buying UK bonds until mid-October.
Should we be worried?
Most would agree that the pound dropping to its lowest ever levels is of great concern.
The British pound just hit its lowest level ever against the dollar, $1.04. Before the financial crisis it was as high as $2. Before Brexit it hovered between $1.45 and $1.70. $1.04 is extraordinary—and a significant factor was clearly @trussliz announcing tax cuts for the rich.
Buckle up for the week ahead on financial markets — the British Pound is absolutely crashing tonight, mostly because Boris Johnson was even worse than Biden… pic.twitter.com/LQN3ROEaEw
The #British#pound just hit an all-time low against the U.S. #dollar, trading below 1.05 for the first time ever. It looks like the latest round of deficit-financed tax cuts will backfire, as a weak pound causes the cost of living to rise by more than the value of the tax cuts.
Anne Buckingham, Sales Director for SWARCO Smart Charging argues that partnerships will be key to EV charging success and hitting net zero targets
The UK is committed to reaching net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, focusing on improving the number of electric vehicles (EV) nationally, the EV charging stations, and decarbonising the NHS estate. However, reaching net zero requires extensive change across the entire economy and the NHS has a significant part to play. It is one of the biggest employers in the UK and one of the UK’s largest public-sector carbon emitters.
Estimates suggest that the NHS is responsible for 4% of the UK’s total CO2 emissions, and in England alone there are over 9.5bn NHS-related road miles travelled by staff, visitors, and patients – accounting for about 3.5% of all road travel in the country.
The NHS has several initiatives in play to reduce emissions, and in 2019 released its NHS Long Term Plan which, crucially for fleet managers, includes a commitment to roll out the use of low-emission vehicles and reduce emissions from transport fleets and business mileage by 20% by 2024. So, for those teams within the NHS responsible for fleets there is a fast-approaching deadline along with longer-term commitment to electrify – which means future-proofing now to avoid wasted investment.
The reality of EVs and low-emission alternatives
The challenge is significant especially when you consider the complex range of vehicles required, from A&E ambulances and specialist fast response vehicles to doctors’ cars and patient mini-buses. Some NHS vehicles may have obvious low-emission alternatives available today, others most certainly do not.
The most common place to start when transitioning to a low-emission vehicle strategy is the vehicles themselves. However, you must also take into consideration how you’re going to charge/recharge them as this could have a significant impact on the vehicles you choose – impacting your whole transition approach.
Vehicle specification has to take into account what type of journeys they make, what sort of regional coverage they need to have, and the demands of the geography and climate (i.e. do they have to contend with hilly areas, hot/cold temperatures etc) or to carry a heavy payload. So set out clear evaluation criteria, including cost and performance.
It is worth getting other stakeholders (e.g. your FM team, a charging infrastructure partner, energy consultant etc) involved at the same time as you start engaging with OEMs or leasing companies. There is no point in choosing a particular vehicle (e.g. a 400kW vehicle) only to find you don’t have the energy supply capacity or won’t have sufficient capacity in the future.
Think about whether they will be returning to a depot or hospital site, will they need charging en route or used across shifts? What will the dwell time be, will they be able to charge overnight? As for potential EV charging locations you’ll need to consider whether they are freehold or leasehold, as the complexities of leasehold can add several months to the process. Similarly, an older, power-restricted depot will be more challenging than a newly built site, so it is important to engage your building management services and energy supplier to understand what energy capacity is available to you.
If capacity is low, you may be able to work with the district network operator to get additional power from the local grid – at a cost of course. Or, depending on space, using solar panel and battery storage could help top up the available capacity.
Charging infrastructure
Selecting the right charging infrastructure is always a challenge, and the biggest challenge is when companies like ours are consulted too late in the process. In our ten years experience, we’ve witnessed this first hand. In one example, a Trust wanted to install four charge points at five hospital sites for fleet and employee use. Using site data from the FM team, and the vehicle usage profile from the Operational team, the plan was to have AC 22kW chargers throughout.
However, the actual power supply headroom capacity meant that this was only possible at one site immediately. At three others we were able to adapt plans and support with software to load balance available supply and enable scheduling. One of the original sites, however, was postponed and an alternative freehold site was identified, to avoid an expensive DNO power upgrade unbudgeted for in the current plan.
As well as NHS Trusts we have been working with the Scottish Ambulance Service. Experience tells us that collaborative long-term partnerships are key to the success of a project and future investment. It should always start with a feasibility study, which is much easier to do when you’re working with a partner who knows the right questions to ask, and can provide consistent liaison throughout planning and programming, with other stakeholders.
Forecasting usage and making decisions
There is plenty to think about, so choose your partners wisely and find the ones that you’re confident will be around to support you in the years to come. Try not to think about electrification projects in isolation – always have an eye on the future. We can model for future requirements, forecasting for usage increases and the likely increases in battery sizes to help with future-proofing.
You may think the simple way of future-proofing is to put in high power charging in for every site, but this may not be necessary or financially viable. However, what might be viable – and prudent – is to invest in the ducting and cabling to accommodate more powerful chargers that you may need later and to support with load balancing and scheduling software and/or on-site generation (PV) or battery storage (BESS). Decisions made today will likely impact the operational and financial success of future projects – and whether or not the net zero targets are met.
Patients in Gwent have benefited from a multi-million pound Wales-wide investment in new ambulances, complete with MIPV solar panels
More than £13.5m was spent on 111 new vehicles to be deployed across Wales. 71 of these will be emergency ambulances, and there will be 33 non-emergency patient transport vehicles and seven specialist emergency vehicles that will attend major incidents. They will replace some of the existing fleet of Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust ambulances as part of a 10-year programme.
The new ambulances have been fitted with the most up-to-date communications systems and equipment, are more reliable, and deliver better performance and lower running costs.
They are also cleaner and greener, performing to the latest Europe-compliant emission specifications.
33 of the ambulances fitted with MIPV solar panels
“I’m particularly pleased that all 33 of the new non-emergency patient transport vehicles were fitted with MIPV solar panels to convert available sunlight into electricity,” said health minister Vaughan Gething.
He added: “Using solar panels instead of mains chargers negated the need to install multiple charging points, which will reduce our energy consumption, as well as the health and safety risks posed by trailing leads.”
Louise Platt, the ambulance trust’s interim director of operations, commented: “Our fleet is some of the most modern and well equipped in the UK and will allow us to continue to replace our vehicles as they reach the end of their working life.
“Modern vehicles are essential in order that we can continue to provide the best treatment and patient care possible. It is also key for our staff who spend the majority of their working day out and about in the community. We are very grateful to the Welsh Government for their continued support.”
The Need: Working in partnership to create a greener, more reliable fleet
The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST) vehicles required electric power via a shoreline from the grid when parked overnight to support live on-board equipment. Failure to do so depleted the battery overnight and the vehicle could fail to start thus impacting on service delivery to patients.
Solar modules were chosen as the means of remotely trickle charging the battery. The trial verified whether solar PV could supply the required energy over the critical winter period when sunshine levels were low and power demand of vehicles high. WAST’s Fleet Environmental lead Gavin Lane, a Regional Fleet Manager for the Trust, contacted MIPV as part of his review of available technologies.
MIPV’s CIGS technology based flexible modules were chosen for an initial trial on three ambulances because they were flexible and unlike glass framed silicon cell modules, did not crack and fail prematurely, as evidenced elsewhere within NHS. The superior low light performance and aerodynamic integration onto the vehicle made it an ideal choice.
In September 2018, three ambulances were fitted with 2 X 110 Watt MIPV modules and connected to the battery via charge controllers.
The Results: MIPV modules satisfied requirements
The batteries of the three ambulances were kept charged throughout the entire winter period. MIPV modules satisfied the primary requirement of keeping the battery charged.
The modules have the potential to generate 181 KWH per annum, based on vehicle usage and the potential to save 181 litres of fuel per annum by reducing the load on the alternator.
The other benefits include reduction in idling times as well as reduction in CO2 and NOX pollution by reducing load to engine via the alternator while also extending battery life.
Testimonial
The Welsh Ambulance Service is delighted with the performance of major investment into Welsh ambulances. They were easy to fit, elegant and unobtrusive. The modules met the demands of the three trial ambulances during the critical winter period from November 2018 to end of March 2019. We have since fitted 33 further ambulances and to date have had faultless performance from the MIPV modules. The low light efficiency, robustness and the architecture of these modules make them ideal for vehicle integration.
Since the initial trial and roll out WAST has adopted MIPV technologies to all the new ambulances rolled out during the pandemic and we at MIPV are delighted to have helped reduce emissions and improved reliability of service with zero premature battery failure to date.
Gavin Lane – Regional Fleet Manager, Welsh Ambulance Services.
More than half of neurointerventionalists, neurosurgeons, neurologists and radiologists are currently experiencing burnout as a result of provider shortages, covering multiple hospitals simultaneously, and increasing demand for emergency stroke care, and this is only expected to get worse
Neurologist burnout is caused by a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to provider shortages, covering multiple hospitals simultaneously, and increasing demand for emergency stroke care. Among neurologists specifically, the shortage is only expected to get worse — projected to increase by 19% by 2025.
The human and financial cost of this burnout can be felt at all levels of healthcare. It’s estimated that the U.S. healthcare system alone spends $4.6 billion (£3.0 billion British pounds) per year on burnout caused by physician shortages, physician turnover, and expenses to effectively hire and train replacements. Worse yet, this growing problem can also greatly increase the number of medical errors and compromise the overall care of patients.
Fortunately, emerging technologies can help reduce many of the burdens leading to burnout among those working in neurology. Two areas showing the most promise so far include workflow technology and clinician decision-making Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Intuitive clinical workflow technology can help
One of the top complaints from neurologists – and many other physicians – is the challenges they face with interhospital communication. When a patient needs to be transferred from a spoke hospital — often a smaller, potentially rural hospital with a more limited-service offering — to a larger and more comprehensive hub hospital to receive proper care, there is often a lot of information about the patient that gets lost along the way.
This information may include their presenting symptoms, or any medical history collected upon arrival, both of which can be critical for physicians to determine the proper treatment. These ineffective communication processes not only make it challenging for physicians to treat stroke patients effectively but ultimately contribute to increased stress and burnout.
Intuitive clinical workflow technology is one of the simplest and clearest ways to address this issue. Technology should help connect care teams from the minute a patient arrives to when they are discharged. This includes allowing physicians to view, organize and track cases from multiple sites and communicate with stroke teams in a single application.
Another important benefit of many workflow applications is that they provide increased convenience and flexibility for physicians when they are remote — not unlike the technology being implemented across many other industries. It improves quality of life for physicians by providing anytime, anywhere access to results and critical patient images on their mobile devices, allowing them to support the responding team virtually, through a secure, GDPR and HIPAA- compliant messaging app. Finally, all these improved efficiencies can also make it easier for physicians to efficiently manage a higher capacity of case volume and deliver more consistent patient care.
Clinical decision support AI
We know that time is of the essence when it comes to stroke, which is why often physicians are under enormous pressure to make quick treatment decisions day and night. With the number of emergency stroke patients on the rise, physicians may be more likely to make a mistake.
They are, after all, only human. Artificial intelligence and automated scan review technology can help improve accuracy in diagnosis and support physicians by serving as a second set of eyes – and enabling faster and more accurate treatment decision-making. By assisting burnt-out clinicians with algorithms created and approved by fellow neurologists, the technology helps ensure patients are triaged with appropriate treatment options.
A great example of this is the RapidAI
stroke platform, which automates image processing and analysis and provides easy-to-read, near real-time views of the brain. It also provides clinicians with standardized results for assessing whether a patient is eligible for endovascular treatment, minimizing the variability associated with interpretation by individual clinicians. Clinical decision support AI can ultimately reduce a great deal of stress on healthcare providers by offering a second opinion and alleviating some of the burden off clinicians.
Looking to the future
While there is no quick fix to solving burnout, workflow and clinical decision support AI are two of the ways hospitals can begin to ease some of the burden on providers. As health systems begin to think about new investments for 2023, it’s important to keep the costs of burnout top of mind, as it is so closely related to clinician stress — and even patient care. Health systems must act now to improve the experience for patients and providers alike.
