MSPs given digital go ahead
Members of the Scottish Parliament have been told they can now use digital devices in the Holyrood chamber while it is sitting. Previously the Wi-Fi has been turned off.
It will give them access to online information during debates, and allow them to take part in social media discussions.
Ken Macintosh, the presiding officer of the Scottish Parliament, said the ruling should be interpreted liberally and he would not tell MSPs how to exercise the new capability, as long as they conduct themselves with courtesy and respect.
“My decision is in line with the Parliament’s commitment to invest in online access to allow members to work digitally,” he said. “It is part of my ambition to promote a modern, accessible Parliament.”
Leicestershire launches ECT app
Leicestershire Health Informatics Service (LHIS) has developed a mobile app providing information on electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) as part of an effort to overcome the stigma around the treatment.
The app was designed using CommonTime’s mDesign platform and has been made available on the Apple App Store and Google Play, and is the first in a programme of app development by the Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, within which LHIS operates.
Dr Girish Kunigiri, consultant psychiatrist at the trust, said: “The app describes the whole ECT procedure from preparation to recovery, allowing people to make informed decisions in the consent process.”
North Lanarkshire joins SWAN
North Lanarkshire Council has joined the Scottish Wide Area Network (SWAN) through a framework contract with Capita IT Enterprise Services. It joins more than 50 other organisations including 14 local authorities on the network, which connects public service organisations around Scotland.
Brian Cook, head of revenue and e-government solutions at North Lanarkshire, said: “We have high hopes that SWAN will lead to a greater level of collaboration and sharing across the public sector and that North Lanarkshire will benefit from that both functionally and financially”.
Image: Scottish Parliament, by Klaus K, Creative Commons 3.0 through Wikimedia
