Industry news

JPMorgan Chase (JPMC) has finished the deployment of one of the world’s largest private cloud platforms.

The PaaS platform will play host to over 2,000 business apps and will cover five data centres globally.

The platform is designed to provide high levels of flexibility and will become essential to all arms of JPMC. The PaaS service itself employs technology from Apprenda.

Ian Penny at JPMC said: “Apprenda has the technology that could deliver on the private PaaS vision of savings and agility, transforming the way we develop and run applications firm-wide."

The Department of Health (DoH) and the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) have joined together to provide guidance on ensuring the security of digital health records.

The collaboration between the two groups comes as the NHS moves towards the complete digitalisation of patient records by 2015.

The joint guidance released by the DoH and BCS provides specific guidance on creating strong passwords, analysing where data is shared, and highlighting the importance of storing data on secure devices.

Health services which have faced difficulties in the past in upgrading records to a digital system, will be faced with the challenge of ensuring that records are digitalised by the deadline, and ensuring that thousands of professionals in remote locations have access to the records, while all at the same time ensuring that highly sensitive records do not fall into unauthorised hands.

Dr Wai Keong Wong, head of guideline development on behalf of the BCS, said of the advice: “These records contain potentially sensitive personal information, so it’s important that individuals know how to keep them safe. Everyone should take the same care with their health and social care records as they do if they use online banking. This guidance explains how to access records safely, keep them secure, and key factors to consider before choosing to share them with others.”

NHS looks to paperless savings

A new system developed by Kent Community Health NHS Trust (KCHT) will allow staff to employ mobile working, as the trust looks to increase efficiencies.

The system known as the Advanced Community healthcare platform, will allow the Trust’s 5,400 staff to increase flexible working and efficiencies, as part of a three year contract minimum.

The platform will allow employees to move from a paper based records system to digital working, including appointment booking and patient records.

Eldon Macarthur, head of ICT operations and telecommunications at KCHT, said: it will provide a joined-up approach to care. It will also free-up administration time and cut duplication of effort, allowing clinicians to see more patients and spend longer with patients during visits."

NHS looks to paperless savings

A report published by the Committee of Public Accounts (PAC) entitled, Department for Transport: Lessons from the West Coast Work franchise competition, points towards a basic lack of common sense combined with a failure to account for risk, leading to the scrapping of the procurement program.

Civil servants according to the report failed to accurately access the risk involved for each bidders proposal.

PAC has criticised the DfT in the past for procurement failings, including the failure of Metronet, which went into administration after it failed to deliver spending requirements.

In failing to follow best practice the transport department suffered from a lack of accountability, with Margaret Hodge, chairwoman of the PAC, saying the government departmnet:“failed to respond appropriately to early warning signs that things were going wrong.”

PAC also highlighted a lack of key skills within the DfT which contributed to a lack of procurement understanding and effective oversight, due to budget constraints.

West Coast Rail Line procurement failure caused by ‘major’ public service failures

A study released by the Wales Audit Office highlighted failings within the public sector which undermined attempts to achieve value for money.

The study which looked at public spending on consultants found that while savings had been achieved, opportunities were missed which saw public sector departments fail to capitalise on other large million-pound cost savings.

A combination of a failure to adopt good practice, poor data and inefficient collaboration resulted in greater savings being missed from government spending over 2010-2011, with an estimated £23 million lost from potential further savings.

In a statement Huw Vaughan Thomas, auditor general for Wales, said consultants: “are risks if they are not managed effectively. Although expenditure on consultants has reduced since 2007-08, public bodies need to adopt the good practice”.

HMRC drives savings as a savvy customer

The Metropolitan Police’s technology strategy is to be reviewed by the London Assembly in order to analyse the impact of reduced budgets on services.

The review will attempt to understand the service level impact of goals to achieve £42 million in technology savings in 2014-15. High savings are expected to be achieved from contract renegotiation.

The Metropolitan Police’s future strategy includes plans to roll out mobile devices to officers in order to facilitate mobile working, increased flexibility and a reduction in paper work.

The London Assembly will attempt to realise best practice over the coming weeks by speaking to industry specialists, regarding new technology and its potential impact on police service.

Justice Minister brands the justice system’s use of IT a ‘terrible failure’

Centrica has reported operating profits of £2.7 billion with a 14 percent increase. Centrica owned British Gas also announced strong growth with an 11 percent increase in profits, reaching over £600 million.

Centrica has also experienced setbacks, including the scrapping of a bid for the construction of a series of new UK nuclear power stations.

The company stated that it is seeking to increase expansion in North America , with a focus on shale gas extraction.

Despite criticism of British Gas’ profit announcement after the company raised gas and electricity prices over the winter, the company defended its position. Sam Laidlaw, Centrica's chief executive, said: “It's important that Centrica makes a fair and reasonable return so that we can continue to make our contribution to society and to invest. Last year we incurred a tax charge of over £1bn and invested over £2bn to secure new sources of energy for the UK, well in excess of our profits."

Expectations turn to China for future power as Centrica pulls out of nuclear project

Ofcom have applied to the European Commission to force BT to reduce the price of its high-speed line network services.

The move follows the regulators view that there is insufficient price competition within the telecommunications market, in receiving permission from the EU, Ofcom will pressure BT into reducing prices by around 8 percent over the next three years.

The price reduction would be aimed at services outside of London, where competition is stronger. The EU commission is expected to rule on the application within a month. The application comes after fears of a lack of competition with BT’s dominance of EU supported superfast broadband contracts across the UK.

BT secures a further two superfast broadband projects

In a statement Ofcom said the move would: “help ensure the UK has a backbone of high-speed business networks capable of supporting not only companies, but also consumer services that ultimately rely on these networks, such as superfast broadband and mobile video streaming."

In response BT said: “We believe Ofcom’s decisions to regulate very high bandwidth Ethernet and optical services outside of London for the first time is mistaken", adding "We provided clear evidence to Ofcom that the market is highly competitive and that there is no market failure that needs regulatory intervention”.

Technology spending has reached a new peak with over £1 billion of venture capital was invested in technology in 2012, the highest amount since a peak in 2001.

According to research from corporate finance firm Ascendant, 2012 saw around a 28 percent increase in investment from that in 2011, with the internet sector receiving the greatest investment with a total of £456 million.

The high levels of technology investment come as the coalition government seek to develop the UK IT industry and focus on technology development with new hub facilities and ‘Tech City’ start-up projects.

Government provides £50 million for Tech City development

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The Government Procurement Service (GPS) has launched the first national public sector procurement framework for insurance services alongside a buying consortium.

The GPS alongside buying consortium Pro5 have entered into a four-year agreement worth £850 million. The framework is designed to allow public sector departments to have easy access to insurers, without length procurement times and avoiding duplication.

Over 40 insurers are available through the framework with services available including brokerage services, insurance underwriting, claims and risk management.

David Pyle, insurance category lead at GPS: “This is a relatively new area for many suppliers who are looking to expand the scope of their services into the public sector. We have collaborated with Pro5, the insurance market and our customers to deliver not only the first, but the best possible competitive and value-for-money solution for all concerned.”

Paul Smith, director Pro5, said of the framework: “The demand was there, but surprisingly nothing was already in place. Now, with the ability to buy insurance services under a single agreement, it will help public sector bodies reach their efficiency and financial savings targets”.

London council authorities create procurement IT framework