Digital Health Exclusion Mapped
The Digital Exclusion Risk Atlas (DERA) has been launched as an online tool to pinpoint areas in England where residents face barriers to digital health services, such as poor connectivity, affordability constraints, or limited digital skills. By combining device access, internet speed, digital confidence, and demographic indicators into a single risk score, DERA offers neighbourhood‑level insights for health and care planners. The platform is open‑source, with guidance, methodology, webinars and case studies available through NHS England’s Futures collaboration. It is intended for integrated care boards, NHS providers, local authorities and voluntary organisations to design more inclusive digital health pathways.
Shared Vision for Local Government Shaped by GDS Local
The UK Government Digital Service’s GDS Local team is forging a unified digital strategy for local authorities, debuting the Local Government Architecture Model to standardise technology descriptions and procurement. The model, created with input from over 60 participants per session, seeks...
New AI-Powered Tool to Unlock Decades of Planning Data
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, together with the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology’s AI Incubator, has built an AI‑driven tool called Extract to digitise decades of planning records trapped in scanned PDFs, historic maps and paper...
LGA Appoints Interim CEO
Jenny Rowlands has been appointed interim chief executive of the Local Government Association, taking the role on 11 May while Joanna Killian is absent. Rowlands brings a track record of leading Camden Council and Lewes District Council, as well as sector‑wide improvement...
Entries Open for Police Tech Innovation Awards
Nominations are now open for the 2026 National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) Innovation and Digital Awards, which honor police officers and staff deploying technology to enhance public safety. The program spans 11 categories, ranging from cybersecurity and business transformation to...
Prisons Pledged £82 Million Digital Modernisation
The UK government has committed roughly $103 million (£82 million) to a digital overhaul of its prison system aimed at eliminating accidental releases. Central to the plan is the Justice ID platform, which will use fingerprints and facial recognition to track offenders...
Public Demand Transparency on Data Sharing
Qualitative research commissioned by the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology reveals mixed public attitudes toward the proposed National Data Library. While participants see potential service improvements, they demand transparency about who accesses data, clear personal benefits, and strong...
Claude Mythos Preview Demonstrates Advanced Cybersecurity Capabilities
Anthropic’s Claude Mythos Preview, released on April 7, was evaluated by the Government’s AI Security Institute (AISI). In capture‑the‑flag challenges it solved expert‑level tasks 73% of the time, the first AI to achieve that benchmark. It also completed three of ten...
NHS England Develops New Tool to Streamline APIs Integration
NHS England has launched Proxygen, an automation tool that streamlines API proxy creation for its national API platform. The new solution slashes onboarding time from an average of 12 weeks to three or four weeks, addressing a surge in API...
Top Universities Sign in Support of AI for Science Strategy
A coalition of leading UK universities has formally endorsed the government’s AI for Science Strategy, describing it as a chance to cement the UK’s position in AI‑driven scientific research. Signatories—including Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, King’s College London and others—pledge expanded AI...
DSIT Explains DVS Statement Requirements
The UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has issued guidance clarifying that digital verification service (DVS) providers may only claim certification against the national digital identity and attributes trust framework and its supplementary codes, not against specific regulations...
Northamptonshire ICB Ranked England’s Most Digitally Mature
Northamptonshire Integrated Care Board has been ranked as England’s most digitally mature integrated care system, a dramatic rise from its low‑performing status just two years ago. The new Northamptonshire Care Record now aggregates health and social data for over 800,000...
Scotland's Water Industry Commission Consolidates IT Services
The Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) has issued a four‑year, £144,167 (≈$185,000) tender to appoint a single supplier for consolidated IT services, covering Microsoft 365 support, cybersecurity, and technical consultancy. The procurement places a heavy emphasis on quality—80% of the...
Homes for Ukraine Data System Goes In-House
The UK Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has migrated its Homes for Ukraine data system from a 2022 emergency supplier platform to a new in‑house solution called Share. Built in under a year, Share consolidates three years...
Tech to Support New Models of Care Says NHS Chief Executive
NHS England’s 2026/27 priorities place technology at the heart of service improvement, with Sir Jim Mackey emphasizing technology‑enabled productivity. The plan calls for wider adoption of Ambient Voice Technology to accelerate clinical workflows and new digital solutions to boost theatre...
Tetra-Networks-for-Mission-Critical-Voice-Communications
Motorola Solutions highlights TETRA private mobile radio (PMR) networks as essential for mission‑critical voice communications in public safety. Operating around 400 MHz, TETRA offers longer reach and better indoor penetration than 4G/5G, especially in reinforced concrete structures. Built‑in redundancy and direct‑mode...
Humber Trust to Lead Roll-Out of New NHS App Features
Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust has been chosen by NHS England to spearhead the rollout of new Wayfinder‑driven features in the NHS App for 11 other trusts that use the SystmOne electronic patient record. The enhancements will let patients view,...
Building Safety Regulator Enhances Digital Processes
The Building Safety Regulator (BSR) announced a digital upgrade to speed remediation of high‑risk buildings. A new online portal will give applicants real‑time visibility of submission status. Enhanced data sharing with funders such as Homes England will improve monitoring of...
API Architecture Updated at GDS
The Government Digital Service (GDS) is overhauling the API architecture that powers GOV.UK, moving from a page‑centric Publishing API to a more modular, data‑focused system. The team is evaluating GraphQL as the primary query language to deliver only the content...
DVLA Adopts Natural Language Processing for Call Handling
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has replaced its traditional touchtone IVR with a natural‑language voice recognition system powered by Google DialogFlow and Content Guru’s Storm platform. Around 900,000 callers per month now describe their issue in their own...
Access Consortium Sign up to Digitisation
The UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has taken the chair of the Access Consortium and unveiled a 2026 action plan focused on shared digital infrastructure and work‑sharing. The five member regulators—Australia, Canada, Singapore, Switzerland and the UK—aim...
New Change Management Contract for Welsh Transport
Transport for Wales has awarded a £667,735 (≈$855,000) contract to Bristol‑based WCL Infrastructure for specialist programme management support as it prepares to assume rail infrastructure duties from Amey. The one‑year agreement, commencing 1 April 2026, covers strategic planning, business change management, and...
IBM Win NHS App Deal
NHS England awarded IBM a two‑year contract worth £160.1 million (about $203 million) to advance the NHS App. The deal, running from May 1 2026 to March 31 2028, focuses on expanding features, AI‑driven triage, and user‑centred pathways. It marks a shift from IBM’s previous operational...
Cleveland Police Put More Drones on the Beat
Cleveland Police has rolled out a Drone as First Responder (DFR) system, enabling drones to be launched from weather‑proof boxes in as little as 90 seconds. Operators control the aircraft from the control room, providing live aerial footage to guide...
Welsh Development Bank Invests in AI Skills
Welsh government‑backed Development Bank of Wales has awarded a £60,000 (≈$73,000) contract to Cheshire‑based Generative AI Strategy B.V. to run a year‑long AI upskilling programme beginning 17 April 2026. The initiative will teach staff generative AI fundamentals and safe use of Microsoft...
New EPR Goes Live in Torbay and South Devon
The Epic electronic patient record (EPR) system has gone live across Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, linking hospital and community sites. The rollout initially connects Royal Devon University Healthcare and Torbay and South Devon Trust, with University Hospitals...
NCSC Warns of Russian Cyber Hijack Threat
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warned that Russian state‑linked group APT28 is hijacking popular routers such as TP‑Link and MikroTik to reroute internet traffic through malicious DNS servers. By compromising these devices, the group conducts man‑in‑the‑middle attacks that...
Unlocking the Common Components of a Digital Backbone for Modern Services
The UKAuthority’s Powering Digital Public Services conference will run three virtual mornings in April, focusing on the common components of a digital backbone—platforms, cloud, identity, data infrastructure, and funding models. Speakers from the NHS, Ministry of Defence, local councils and...
Kent Seeks AI Partner for Musculoskeletal Care
Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust is set to procure an AI‑driven digital physiotherapy service that will replace traditional musculoskeletal care pathways across the county. The selected UK supplier must provide a standalone, end‑to‑end clinical pathway, handling referral, triage, treatment...
NIHR Fund Leeds AI Expansion
Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust will broaden its artificial‑intelligence capabilities after receiving a £1.5 million (≈$1.9 million) award from the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The funding will finance a trial of an AI‑enabled handheld cardiac ultrasound device aimed at...
Fire Chiefs Create Digital Insight Into Fire Control Operators
The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has launched dedicated webpages that showcase the role of fire control operators in the UK’s emergency response system. These pages detail the operators’ responsibilities, from handling the first 999 call to coordinating multi‑agency resources...
New Digital Funding for Transport Improvement Projects
The UK Department for Transport has allocated roughly $51 million (£40 million) to help local authorities trial digital solutions that streamline travel, cut congestion and reduce disruption. A $7.6 million (£6 million) pilot in the Peak District will synchronize rural bus services with train...
Highway Licence Application Forms Digitised at TfL
Transport for London (TfL) has digitised all highway licence application forms, moving from paper and Word‑based processes to an online system built on the FixMyStreet Forms platform. The new workflow guides applicants, validates data, and redirects fee payers to Paybylink,...
Data Will Underpin Transport Better Connected Strategy
The UK government unveiled the Better Connected transport strategy, leveraging data to integrate buses, trams and trains with contactless tap‑and‑go travel. A £40 million (≈$51 million) fund will support local authorities testing digital technologies to cut congestion and improve journeys. The plan...
What Impact Does AI Search Have on the User Journey?
The Department for Education reports that AI‑driven search tools like Google’s AI Overviews and Microsoft Copilot are pulling users away from official public‑sector sites. While these assistants deliver faster answers, they often strip away the contextual safeguards and step‑by‑step guidance...
New Government Commercial Agency Launches DOS 7
The Government Commercial Agency (GCA) launched Digital Outcomes and Specialists 7 (DOS 7) shortly after its formation on 1 April, merging the previous DOS 6 and Digital Specialists agreements. DOS 7 uses an open‑framework model that reopens every 18 months, allowing new suppliers to join and...
NCSC Warns of Messaging App Targeting Public Sector
The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has warned that Russian‑based threat actors are targeting public‑sector personnel through popular messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Messenger and Signal. High‑risk individuals—those with access to or influence over sensitive information—may face login‑code theft,...
GDS Explores Common Architecture Platform for Councils
The Government Digital Service (GDS) Local team is investigating a shared technical architecture platform for UK councils after finding no common model exists. An expression of interest attracted responses showing 54% of councils already document architecture, largely via spreadsheets, which...
Essex Awards £29m Network Contract to MLL
Essex County Council awarded a £29 million (≈ $36.8 million) managed network services contract to MLL Telecom. The agreement covers roughly 175 sites and serves about 9,000 council staff, public and guest users daily. It aims to modernize the enterprise network for hybrid...
Your Housing Group Integrates Housing and Asset Management
Your Housing Group (YHG) has awarded Infinity Group a £9.15 million (≈ $11.6 million) contract to replace its legacy housing, asset and repairs management software with a single, fully integrated platform. The new system, Infinity’s BRIKHousing, runs on Microsoft Dynamics 365 and consolidates repairs,...
London Care Record Saves Estimated £190m in Time
The London Care Record, launched in 2020 by the OneLondon programme, now underpins more than 100 million care interactions across London and neighboring areas. An independent study estimates it has saved health and social‑care staff roughly £190 million (about $242 million) in time,...
Driver Offender Education Body Gets Major Upgrade
UKROEd has appointed public‑sector IT specialist Cranmore to build a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system, a core component of its Management Application (MApp) modernization program. The nonprofit oversees the National Driver Offender Retraining Scheme, delivering courses to more than...
Mining Remediation Authority Extends Relationship with CGI
CGI has secured a £20 million (approximately $25 million) contract to support the Mining Remediation Authority (MRA) for up to eight more years, extending a 15‑year partnership. The deal makes CGI the MRA’s strategic delivery partner, responsible for the Enterprise Mining Information...
Government Datasets Are Poorly Labelled and Will Fail AI
The Open Data Institute’s four‑month NDL‑Lite prototype scanned more than 100,000 public datasets from six UK sources, exposing pervasive labeling gaps, outdated records, and accessibility hurdles. Notably, a major Home Office crime dataset has not been refreshed since 2018, while...
Cheshire Fire Authority Chooses New Command System
Cheshire Fire Authority has signed a six‑year contract worth £1.11 million (approximately $1.41 million) with Motorola Solutions UK to deliver a new incident command system software. The digital platform will be deployed across the authority’s operations in Warrington, enhancing coordination and decision‑making...
North East Lincolnshire Expands Case Management System
North East Lincolnshire Council has gone live with System C’s Education Case Management Early Years module, extending its digital platform that already supports Children’s and Early Help case management. The new module will run alongside the legacy system for the current...
AI and Standards to Track the Value of Volunteering
The Open Data Institute, Do IT and Team Kinetic, backed by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport, have launched a unified open data standard for volunteering opportunities across the United Kingdom, accompanied by an AI‑powered ChatGPT demo tool. The...
AI to Be Traffic Sheriff in Nottingham
Nottingham City Council has awarded Alchera Technologies a contract to build an AI‑powered transport data platform, funded by the Department for Transport’s Future Transport Zones programme. The cloud‑based system will ingest real‑time feeds from sensors, cameras, EV chargers, and public‑transport...
DPA and DSIT Reuse Strategy Reduces Digital Exclusion
The UK’s IT Reuse for Good Charter, a joint effort by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the Digital Poverty Alliance and partners, has redistributed more than 22,000 laptops, tablets and smartphones to people in need. The programme targets...
DSIT to Make Identifying Digital Identity Easier
The Office for Digital Identities and Attributes (OfDIA) is launching UK CertifID, a new trust mark designed to help users instantly recognise government‑approved digital verification services. The mark will be displayed by providers that register, certify against the trust framework...