Ipswich moves employee relations to the cloud
Ipswich Borough Council has replaced its paper based employee relations (ER) case management system with the cloud based ER Tracker from Software Europe.
Currently there are seven separate case types in use with ER Tracker: performance, disciplinary, grievance, absence, tribunals, and a bespoke case type specifically for Ipswich. The latter is used to allow parameters, data and steps within a case to remain flexible and changeable as specific cases require.
Vicky Young, HR adviser at the council, said the software is being used by the HR team, with three of them ‘super users’ who can run reports and make changes to the system. It sends alerts and reminders when things are due, and it is possible to upload documents to the system and set up due dates in colleagues’ cases.
Sir Mark Walport to lead UK Research and Innovation
Sir Mark Walport (pictured), currently the Government’s chief scientific adviser, has been named as the first chief executive of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).
Legislation is currently going through Parliament for UKRI to replace the seven research councils, Innovate UK and the research funding and knowledge exchange parts of the Higher Education Funding Council for England. It is scheduled to go into operation in April 2018.
Professor Philip Nelson, chair of Research Councils UK, said: “I am confident Mark will ensure UKRI delivers on the potential of a more coordinated and strategic research and innovation system, with a stronger and clearer voice.”
Walport recently highlighted some of the awkward issues and possible threats that could arise from an increase in the use of artificial intelligence in public services.
Summary Care Record passes usage milestone
NHS Digital has reported that the Summary Care Record (SCR) has hit a milestone of 100,000 views per week.
This is with 96% of the population having an SCR and 99% of GP practices contributing to it, with take-up among secondary care providers increasing.
The electronic record was launched in October 2010 and enables clinical staff in the NHS to view important patient information, such as that on medication and allergies.
