We extend a heartfelt welcome to the January 2026 edition of Open Access Government, brimming with insightful, high-quality content covering a wide array of policy and research themes.
This issue promises to engage readers with thought-provoking articles and expert analyses that delve into pressing topics shaping our society today
One key highlight within our health and social care focus is Jennifer Ahenakew’s editorial, Vice President of First Nation and Métis Health at the Saskatchewan Health Authority. She emphasises the importance of reconciliation in healthcare for Indigenous peoples, focusing on respect, trust, and shared responsibility to overcome systemic barriers and ensure equitable access to services.
We recommend reading the piece by Francesca Campolongo, Director of Digital Transformation and Data at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC). She discusses how the European Commission is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to shape policies that impact us all.
Additionally, we feature insights from David Walker, a representative of The Humanities Association, who emphasises the importance of integrating the humanities into school curricula. We are pleased to welcome back Tim Boerkamp, Founder and Philosophy Writer at Examined Mind, a platform dedicated to practical philosophy. Tim explores the philosophy of loneliness, arguing that solitude is not an enemy.
In this volume, the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, emphasises a Team Canada approach to strengthen Canada’s economy in the G7 amid global agricultural uncertainty.
As we have turned the page to a New Year, we extend our warmest wishes for joy and prosperity to all our readers. We look forward to providing you with even more engaging and insightful editions in the future.
Neighbourhoods need digital – without it, integration won’t happen
Rezina Hakim, Senior Policy Adviser for Digital at NHS Confederation, emphasises the crucial role of digital infrastructure in enhancing the effectiveness of neighbourhood health teams (NHTs) and supporting timely, coordinated, and person-centred care
Addressing a hidden crisis: The global neglect of bone health
Professor Nicholas Harvey, President of the International Osteoporosis Foundation, posits the urgent need to address the burden of bone health and the associated chronic conditions, which are putting immense strain on public health and health services
Boosting the EU’s research and innovation through the Multiannual Financial Framework
MEP Carla Tavares from the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament discusses how to enhance the European Union’s research and innovation through the Multiannual Financial Framework
The new Transport Technology agreement supports modernisation and clean energy goals
Discover how Crown Commercial Service’s Transport Technology agreement enables public sector organisations to access comprehensive transport solutions while supporting the UK’s shift to clean energy
Enhancing cognitive function in mind sports athletes through targeted training interventions
Geoffrey Borg and Dr Arun Basil Mathew investigate ways to enhance cognitive function in mind sports athletes through targeted training interventions
Beating nitrogen pollution to rebuild the economy and restore trust in a world-famous lagoon
Natalia Alekseeva, the Principal Coordination Officer at the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), explores ways to combat nitrogen pollution while aiming to rebuild the economy and restore trust in a world-renowned lagoon
Strengthening global immunisation response
As Gavi begins its sixth strategic period, Lorna Rothery spoke to An Vermeersch,
the Chief Vaccine Programmes & Markets Officer, about the organisation’s ongoing
commitment to supporting immunisation in fragile contexts and the importance of
fostering impactful cross-sector collaboration and sustained global support
Pioneering human-centric sustainable tech must be central to the EU’s energy strategy
Pioneering sustainable technology centred on humans must be key to the EU’s energy strategy, argues Robert Ackrill, Professor at Nottingham Business School
Trade unions can enhance productivity at the workplace
Philip Von Brockdorff is a member of the EESC and the rapporteur for the EESC opinion on The role of trade unions in improving productivity. In this piece, he discusses how trade unions can enhance productivity in the workplace
Europe’s climate pathway: Why leadership and competitiveness must advance together
Ilias Grampas of the European Bureau for Conservation and Development and the Secretariat of the MEP Group on ‘Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development’, examines Europe’s climate pathway, emphasising the need for leadership and competitiveness to progress together
