Northgate-is

Adel Al-Saleh to combine Chief Executive roles for NorthgateArinso (NGA) and Northgate Information Solutions

2013-04-30T23:00:00+01:00

Adel Al-Saleh to combine Chief Executive roles for NorthgateArinso (NGA) and Northgate Information Solutions

Northgate Information Solutions today announces the appointment of Adel Al-Saleh as NorthgateArinso (NGA) Chief Executive, replacing Mike Ettling who is leaving the company. Adel will assume the function in addition to his role as the Northgate Information Solutions Group Chief Executive.

With the recent sale of Northgate Managed Services, the company has further opportunity to improve the focus on accelerating its growth plans, simplify the management structure, and move its resources closer to its clients.

Adel Al-Saleh joined Northgate Information Solutions as Group Chief Executive in 2011 and will now also assume the role of NorthgateArinso CEO.

Northgate Public Services will continue to operate as a standalone division part of the Northgate Information Solutions group.

Adel says ‘NorthgateArinso remains firmly committed to customer satisfaction and growth in the global HR services market. As we continue to partner with organisations around the world, our aim is to continue to help companies transform their business-critical HR operations.’

PR contact:
RLM Finsbury
nina.suter@rlmfinsbury.com

Completion of the sale of Northgate Managed Services to Capita

2013-03-12T00:00:00+01:00

Completion of the sale of Northgate Managed Services to Capita London, 12 March 2013: Northgate Information Solutions (NIS) today announces the completion of the sale of Northgate Managed Services (NMS) to Capita Plc for £65 million net of tax relief / £69 million gross. The sale was first announced on 14 February 2013, and has now concluded following the receipt of necessary approvals.

More details here (pdf)

Capita Agreed to Acquire Northgate Managed Services from Northgate Information Solutions

2013-02-14T00:00:00+01:00

Capita has agreed to acquire Northgate Managed Services Limited (NMS) from Northgate Information Solutions for an enterprise value of £65 million net of tax relief (£69m gross). This comprises £22 million payable in cash consideration and, in addition, the assumption by Capita of a pension deficit of £17m net of tax relief (£21m gross) and finance leases for equipment used in the business of £26 million.

NorthgateArinso (NGA), the leading global HR technology and services provider, and Northgate Public Services, the software and services provider for Public Sector, are excluded from the transaction.Northgate Managed Services provides cloud-based, infrastructure solutions and specialist managed services to public, private and third sector businesses. NMS made a pro forma operating profit for its financial year to 30 April 2012 of £10 million on a turnover of £141.6 million. Headquartered in Newtownabbey in Northern Ireland, NMS has approximately 1,000 employees and a local IT services delivery centre.

Adel Al Saleh, Group Chief Executive, Northgate Information Solutions, said: “Northgate Managed Services has achieved significant new business wins over the last few years. The decision to sell NMS to Capita is the right strategic decision for both NMS customers and employees. Northgate Information Solutions will continue to build on the leading positions in Human Resources technology solutions and services, and Public Sector software solutions and technology services. We are well positioned to continue to grow NorthgateArinso (NGA) and Northgate Public Services.”

Paul Pindar, Chief Executive of Capita plc, added : “As the pressure mounts for businesses to gain efficiency, technology has a growing role to play. By combining NMS’s managed IT services with Capita’s complementary business process and IT outsourcing capabilities, Capita will enhance its offering to clients and enable them to transform the way they do business.”

Completion of the transaction is subject to approvals from the necessary parties.

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Media Enquiries

RLM Finsbury

Nina Suter+44 (0)20 7251 3801

nina.suter@rlmfinsbury.com

For more information on Capita IT Services visit www.capita-its.co.uk

Northgate supports delivery of Powerteamʼs Electronic Document Management System

2013-01-14T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate was delighted to be involved as one of the key suppliers supporting the delivery of Powerteam's Causeway Document Management System project

Powerteam, Northern Ireland's largest high voltage (HV) electrical design and build company, which specialises in the construction and maintenance of electrical substations and overhead lines, has invested £275k in a state-of-the-art document management system.

Alastair Dawson, Managing Director, Powerteam, said: “We handle thousands of documents a year, including plans, drawings, contracts, tenders and many financial documents across seven corporate sites and various project offices throughout the UK and Ireland. The need to keep up-to-date data that is easily accessed by personnel, suppliers and in some cases clients, across our networks is paramount to our continued success.

“It is a significant investment for Powerteam and will lead to a streamlined business saving time, money and improving efficiencies – important considerations as we continue to enjoy a period of high growth.”

The document management system was installed by three companies.

Carol D Massay, Customer Relationship Account Manager, Causeway, said: “We are delighted that Powerteam has selected Causeway’s Enterprise Content Management system to help take control of drawings, emails and other documents and manage them with maximum efficiency. This latest investment builds on a strong relationship between our companies that has already seen Powerteam using Causeway Project Accounting, Causeway Financials and Tradex at the heart of its business processes. We continue to take pride in our working relationship with our customers as strategic partners to maximise the use of IT within their business.”

Edyta Wright, Project Manager and Information Management Consultant, Equiniti ICS said: “As an experienced provider of electronic document and record management systems (EDRMS), Equiniti ICS worked in partnership with Powerteam as its subject matter expert and primary consultant for the management and successful delivery of the project. This involved the introduction of new business processes through specialist EDRMS consultancy services alongside project management to help Powerteam co-ordinate this deployment with their product suppliers, and the integration of the system into the business. The project provides a clear demonstration of our expertise in this area and we look forward to building on our relationship with Powerteam in the future.”

Ed Brown, Managing Director, Service Delivery, Northgate Managed Services said: “As Powerteam’s existing Managed Service Provider, Northgate was delighted to be involved as one of the key suppliers supporting the delivery of the Causeway Document Management System project. We provided a stable, resilient and high performing virtualised platform for hosting the Document Management System, alongside key technical project management skills to ensure successful project implementation. Provision of this solution is a further endorsement of Northgate’s capability and track record in providing leading edge ICT infrastructure solutions and skilled project management to the utility sector.”

Powerteam is an electricity infrastructure design and build company which designs, supplies, installs, commissions and project manages the construction and refurbishment of substations and overhead lines to distribution network operators, windfarm developers and private network owners in the UK and Ireland. A wholly owned subsidiary of ESB, Powerteam, with offices in Perth, Basingstoke, Manchester, Omagh and Belfast employs 190 staff directly and regularly engages more than 100 agency or subcontracted workers to service its growing portfolio of clients across the UK and Ireland.

Northgate select Websense to Protect 1,200 Northern Ireland Schools from Malware, Cyber Bullying and Data Loss

2012-12-14T00:00:00+01:00

Granular management of social media delivers safe enriched e-Learning experience

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has selected Websense, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBSN), a global leader in unified web security, email security, mobile security and data loss prevention (DLP), to safely enable social media use, combat cyber bullying, and prevent malware across 1,200 Northern Ireland schools and support 350,000 students and teachers.

The complete ‘Education Network Northern Ireland’ (ENNI)) contract worth £170m has been awarded by C2k to Northgate who will design, implement, manage and support Europe’s first Education Cloud environment for schools in Northern Ireland, in partnership with selected suppliers. The new service has been designed to create a dynamic, future proofed, flexible service which provides schools with increased access to learning resources. A security solution was required to allow students to utilize the internet for a greater learning experience by providing access to dynamic web pages such as: YouTube, Facebook, blogs, Twitter and other collaborative social networking sites.

Websense Web Security Gateway Anywhere (WSGA) was selected for its granular management of content within dynamic web pages. By analyzing the individual links and comments on each page, Websense categorizes the content and gives administrators the ability to determine what is appropriate for students, block malware and stop confidential data from being lost or stolen. Students can use the web for e-learning while being protected in real time against the latest cyber threats. Granular policy settings also allow administrations to restrict internet posts that use language associated with cyber bullying.

Northgate Managed Services also selected Websense Cloud Email Security to provide real-time protection against spam, inappropriate content and email-based malware.

Websense Web Security Gateway Anywhere and Websense Cloud Email Security are parts of the Websense TRITON architecture. The Websense TRITON solution unifies all the key components of threat defense and data theft prevention into a cohesive content security system. It brings together web security, email security, mobile security, and DLP defenses with unified security intelligence and a unified management console. TRITON solutions can be deployed on enterprise-grade appliances, as cloud-based services, and as powerful and efficient hybrids of on-premise and cloud elements working together.

“Websense is the perfect fit for the ENNI project because it provides a rich user experience for students, while maintaining the highest levels of network security to protect against internet-based malware attacks,” said Andy Ross, chief executive at Northgate Managed Services. “Classrooms rely on the social web as a teaching tool and students use it to connect with classmates. Websense is providing a scalable way for schools to enjoy all the benefits of the social web without the cyber bullying, malware and data loss that is ever-present. Websense also made it cost effective because we consolidated previous technologies.”

Northgate's Contract Win Opens Windows to the Cloud for Hartsbrook E-ACT Free School

2012-11-30T00:00:00+01:00

Leading ICT services provider, Northgate Managed Services, has won a £220k educational contract to deliver the latest cloud-based technology solution to a new community-focused Free School in North London.

Hartsbrook E-ACT Free School in Tottenham is one of the first of a new concept of Free Schools which aims to set new standards in educational excellence by responding directly to the need of local communities. Sponsored by E-ACT, Hartsbrook opened in temporary premises in September 2012, with 120 reception and Year 1 pupils and aims to increase pupil numbers to 420 before moving to its new school building in 2015.

Hartsbrook’s clear objective is to deliver innovative learning. Northgate has collaborated with E-ACT and Microsoft to develop a cloud-based solution which incorporates both Windows 8 and Office 365. As the first Free School in the UK to use Windows 8 operating system, Hartsbrook’s IT services are hosted in the Cloud, totally eliminating the need for server hardware or infrastructure on school premises.

The integrated technologies and remote management provided by Northgate offers the highest level of interactive learning across touchscreen desktops and mobile devices – enabling teachers to decide which are best suited to the different elements of the curriculum. This includes the use of games-based learning tools to help pupils develop key skills such as problem solving.

The cloud-based solution also ensures all pupils and staff have secure, remote access to their individual email accounts, while documents and projects can be securely stored, shared and developed on line. By implementing E-ACT’s Wide Area Network, Hartsbrook staff also benefit from the sharing of information and best practice across all E-ACT’s 29 Free Schools and academies.

As the school is growing year on year, the new technologies offer longer term cost efficiencies as they can easily be up-scaled in line with growing pupil numbers and requirements. The cloud solution provided by Northgate also offers significant cost savings in terms of technical support, maintenance and energy use.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, of Northgate Managed Services said: “The ethos of this project is to provide innovative cloud-based technologies which will not only enhance the learning experience for children today but which can also be easily and cost-effectively adapted to meet the needs of future generations in the Tottenham area.”

School Principal, Sonia Mallick commented: “Hartsbrook is delighted to be part of this innovative project. Our whole community is looking forward to the benefits of this system and, with Northgate, Microsoft, E-ACT and Hartsbrook all working together, we are confident that our most important participants, the children, will gain a great deal and be supported in their learning.”

Akhlas Mohiuddin, IT Manager, of E-ACT added:

“The E-ACT Head Office ICT Team is extremely excited to be working closely with Northgate and Microsoft to provide Microsoft cloud based solution to the Hartsbrook E-ACT Free School. As the first school to have this system installed we look forward to seeing the new benefits in improved teaching and learning. E-ACT is dedicated to ensuring our students work with 21^st Century technology to give them the best skills in which to enter the globalised world of work and high education. The cloud solution is secure and with nothing stored locally it means less ICT management cost for the school.”

Northgate Managed Services highly commended in Organisational Excellence Award

2012-11-26T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate is delighted to have received highly commended status at the recent UK IT Industry awards, held on 14 November at Battersea Park Events Arena, London.

Obtaining shortlisting in three categories and being highly commended in the 2012 ‘Organisational Excellence - IT Employer of the Year’ category represents a significant achievement for Northgate, after being recognised as ‘ICT Company of the Year’ in both 2009 and 2011.

Northgate to provide infrastructure services to NHS in England

2012-11-05T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services is to introduce its specialist ICT outsourcing solutions to the healthcare market in England.

The company will showcase its comprehensive portfolio of ICT services – including the launch of its Virtual Desktop Infrastructure service to the market in England – at EHI Live 2012 on 6th- 7th November at the NEC Birmingham.

Northgate already has a strong healthcare presence in the UK and currently works in partnership with every health and social care trust in Northern Ireland and more than half of all health boards in Scotland.

Its expansion into England comes as pressure to transform NHS patient services intensifies in the wake of increased demand, reduced resources and major healthcare reform.

Northgate will provide ICT infrastructure services and flexible managed services delivered on-site via their regional IT team from service centres across the UK in a move designed to help local health organisations deliver QIPP efficiencies, and meet the requirements of the recent information strategy for the NHS.

The NHS IT strategy encourages clinicians, commissioners and providers to communicate electronically to minimise gaps in treatment pathways and join up services to improve patient care. It also promises to provide NHS patients with secure online access to their personal GP records by 2015. However it is widely accepted that the current IT infrastructure of the NHS must be improved if the opportunities presented by electronic healthcare are to be realised.

“Increasing access to vital patient information can only improve health outcomes and lead to a safer, more efficient and more effective health service,” said James Turnbull, managing director sales, Northgate Managed Services. “But if the aims of the IT strategy are to be met and patient services are to be transformed, local organisations across the NHS in England will need help.

“Implementing and maintaining IT solutions is not a core competency for healthcare professionals, it’s just expected, yet healthcare organisations’ IT departments are under increasing pressure to deliver more for less, particularly as organisations merge or newly establish, and services consortiums emerge. The trick is to identify and partner with technology experts, who can help determine how to improve IT services to end users while reducing costs.”

Northgate Managed Services works as a strategic partner with NHS organisations to help develop innovative and cost-effective ICT services and reduce inefficiencies. It partners with leading healthcare applications and solutions providers to enhance patient care, focusing on delivering improved:

• Quality of information
• Efficiencies
• Collaboration and communication
• Patient data security
• Access to clinical systems and electronic health records

The company, which currently works with over 2,000 customers, has been responsible for the successful deployment and management of technologies that have helped build patient-centric services across the NHS in Northern Ireland and Scotland. This includes the introduction of comprehensive clinical portals that bring together all aspects of the patient record to form a single view for clinicians, as well as Northgate’s mobile Virtual Desktop Infrastructure solution.

The Virtual Desktop solution enables clinicians to access data at the patient’s bedside and provides centralised information using a single sign-on. Traditional desktop management can consume between 35-45% of a provider’s IT budget. Centralised management of IT using Northgate’s Virtual Desktop Infrastructure solution is offering IT departments a more efficient and cost-effective way of providing desktop support – with clear benefits to patient services.

Northgate Managed Services now plans to offer these solutions to the NHS in England – and their introduction could not be better timed for local health organisations.

“Incoming clinical commissioning groups and existing healthcare providers could benefit greatly from partnering with managed services experts that can help them optimise technology to improve patient care,” said James Turnbull.

“Evidence increasingly shows that where the implementation and management of healthcare IT systems has been outsourced, the strain on NHS resources has been reduced and health organisations have been freed to focus on patient care. In the process, innovation has flourished, patient satisfaction has increased and health outcomes have improved.”

Northgate Managed Services will present its portfolio of ICT services on Stand 63 at EHI Live 2012, at Birmingham’s NEC on 6th & 7th November.

NORTHGATE LENDS ITS SUPPORT TO THE E-SKILLS UK COMPUTER CLUBS FOR GIRLS INITIATIVE

2012-10-21T23:00:00+01:00

Female students encouraged to get involved with ICT through after school clubs

Newtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services has once again given its support to the e-skills UK ICT initiative ‘Computer Clubs for Girls’ (CC4G). Now in its second year, the clubs form part of schools’ extracurricular programme and encourages girls aged 10 to 14 to consider IT related education and careers. Northgate’s continued sponsorship will allow schools throughout Northern Ireland to access this specially designed online resource.

Created by e-skills UK and designed by Aardman, the creators of ‘Wallace & Gromit’, the colourful and exciting virtual world of CC4G aims to inspire girls aged 10 to 14 to consider IT-related futures by bringing technology to life through projects based on topics that girls enjoy, such as music, fashion and sport.

The specially designed web portal gives students the ability to log on to the platform from either school or home and gives parents and guardians the ability to interact with their child, while monitoring progress. Learning therefore is continuous and carried out in a secure environment.

Since being launched last year, CC4G has done much to address research data that pointed to a lack of interest in ICT and technology based subjects in girls between 10 and 14 years of age. The clubs have also challenged the stereotype that ICT is ‘geeky’ and only for boys.

Commenting on the CC4G project Eleanor Lee, Marketing Director, Northgate Managed Services said, “The decision to once again support CC4G was a simple one. Having witnessed firsthand the impact of the clubs last year, and level of interest shown by the girls that participated we were keen to get involved for a second year.

“With ICT forming a core element of the curriculum and playing a major role in today’s economy it is vital that we encourage the next generation to consider their futures within the sector. Recent research conducted by e-skills UK highlighted a low number of girls choosing an ICT based career. CC4G is making a real impact and is, without question, helping to address many of these issues.

“I am confident that the clubs will do much to encourage more female students to at least be more open to the idea of using ICT and to consider taking their interest further into their studies and future careers.”

Commenting on CC4G, Ciaran O'Hare, Primary School Teacher, Christ the Redeemer School, Belfast said, “We implemented the clubs last year with P6 and P7 year groups. The female students that took part really enjoyed learning about ICT as well as engaging with the various interactive options offered through the dedicated website.

“The most pleasing thing from my point of view was the positive comments made by the students. I would say that everyone got something out of the clubs and now have a greater appreciation for ICT and the advantages it can bring. We will be running the clubs again this year and I have no doubt the girls will enjoy learning more about ICT and how they can make it work for them.”

To find out more about CC4G, please go to: www.e-skills.com/cc4g , and to find out how to sponsor a school or a group of schools, please contact: carol.mcconville@e-skills.com

BCS & Computing IT Industry Awards shortlist Northgate in three categories

2012-10-14T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), one of the UK’s leading ICT service providers, has been shortlisted in the ‘Cloud Provider of the Year’ category for the forthcoming BCS & Computing IT Industry Awards to be held in November.
The shortlisting recognises the significant strides Northgate has made in the area of Cloud solution development over the last number of years and in particular for its ‘My-School’ platform.

Developed for schools and colleges, this third generation portal allows students and teachers the ability to access online systems and applications 24 hours a day. Ground breaking in its design, My-School allows users to access applications and files from any device, from anywhere and boasts features such as single sign on and social media integration.

In March, Northgate was awarded the prestigious Education Network NI contract. Worth more than £170m, the contract will see Northgate apply its Cloud expertise to develop and launch Europe’s first education cloud. The solution will be rolled out in 1,250 schools across Northern Ireland and will offer access to more than 350,000 users (teachers and students).

In addition to its Cloud Provider of the Year shortlisting, Northgate also received further nominations in the categories of‘IT Supplier and the Year’ and ‘Large Supplier of the Year’.

Commenting on the shortlisting, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “Receiving any shortlisting nomination is fantastic, but to be given three is a tremendous achievement for the team. As a company we have all pulled together and worked hard to develop our solutions so that each can positively impact our clients.

“I very much look forward to the awards ceremony, but given the stiff competition we’ll face, I think it is best not to speculate on any possible success. However, I believe we deserve the three nominations and I am very proud of the team for getting us to this stage. Fingers crossed we have a successful night come November.”

These latest shortlisting nominations follow on the heels of Northgate picking up the Belfast Telegraph ‘Outstanding Service to Business’ award, and winning the ‘BETT 2012 ICT Company of the Year’.

St. Aldhelm's Academy partners with Northgate Managed Services to transform its ICT Systems with �1.135m investment

2012-10-03T23:00:00+01:00

St. Aldhelm’s Academy in Poole has awarded a four year £1.135m ICT contract to Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) to design, implement and support a new robust, reliable and scalable ICT infrastructure for its students and teachers. The investment will offer students an enhanced ICT environment facilitating more engaging ways of learning which over time aims to help improve exam results.

The ICT project forms part of the Academy’s £11.1m rebuilding and refurbishment scheme that will see around half rebuilt, and the rest refurbished. The new St Aldhelm’s Academy which is sponsored by the Diocese of Salisbury and Bournemouth University is due to complete in September 2013.

In this time, Northgate will work closely with the Academy’s Senior Leadership and ICT teams to develop and deliver flexible and reliable technology solutions to support the House structure in place, where young people are part of and learn in small family communities from all the year groups.
The Academy’s vision is to ensure each young person has a

say in the design of their learning plan, therefore by introducing Northgate’s cloud based solution, MY-SCHOOL a personalised learning environment will be created for their students.

This online portal enables students and teachers to access school's on-line systems and applications 24 x 7 from any device with internet access. As well as encouraging anytime, anywhere learning, the user can customise the portal to suit them, therefore offering a more bespoke learning experience.

With the solution focussing on the learner rather than device, a variety of ICT teaching and communication tools, such as desktops, tablets, netbooks, thin client devices, interactive whiteboards and audio-visual equipment will form part of the large, flexible teaching spaces. This variety will enable up to 90 children of different ages engage in different learning activities with four teachers. To further enhance resilience, the Academy have adopted a mix of wireless and wired networks and two separate server environments in which services are replicated.

From the Academy’s standpoint the new ICT infrastructure is a step in the right direction; it will support teachers in delivering the curriculum in innovative ways, allowing for richer and more beneficial learning engagements with students and in the longer term advance student attainments.

Commenting on the new ICT services Ms Cheryl Heron, Principal, St. Aldhelm’s Academy, said “This is an exciting time for St. Aldhelm’s. We’re in middle of a major improvement programme to provide the best learning experiences and opportunities for local young people and the wider community. As part of this programme we decided to take a more strategic view of our ICT systems as a means of improving how teachers deliver the curriculum and the ways technology can facilitate greater student engagements.

“In selecting an ICT partner to deliver the School’s requirements we were very clear on what we wanted. Northgate ticked all the boxes! The company had a real understanding of what was required and has extensive experience in the education sector. The solution we decided upon is not only ideal for our young people, but also allows the Academy to engage more proactively with the local community and to offer a modern learning centre for all.”

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “The award of the St. Aldhelm’s contract is fantastic news for the company. We have a wealth of experience in the education sector and I am confident we will use this to good effect over the next four years in not only enhancing services, but also providing the Academy with a robust, flexible and reliable ICT solution capable of meeting the needs of students and teachers alike.”

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK including every school in Northern Ireland through Classroom 2000 (C2k).

IT Apprentice Scheme Praised by HRH the Duke of York as Northgate Announces Next Phase of Recruitment

2012-09-06T23:00:00+01:00

Young people and parents urged to consider the value of Apprenticeship Schemes

HRH the Duke of York has praised Northgate Managed Services for the success of its Apprenticeship Scheme following a visit to the company’s Newtownabbey-based headquarters.

Northgate, which is recruiting a further four apprentices as part of the roll out of the scheme, also urged young people and their parents to set aside any preconceptions they may have regarding the value of such schemes.

Northgate was the first Northern Ireland IT company to launch a bespoke ICT apprenticeship scheme, with the aim of offering young people a direct career development opportunity in one of the economy’s growth sectors. Supported by the Department of Employment and Learning, the scheme provides school leavers or those seeking a change of career with a viable and highly effective route to employment. The scheme has resulted in over 60 current or former ICT apprentices joining the company’s UK-wide workforce.

Structured on an ‘earn as you learn’ basis Northgate’s scheme combines on the job training with college-based study. Upon completion, the apprentices gain NVQ IT Practitioner qualifications and are equipped with the skills and experience which make them highly employable within Northgate and the wider IT sector.

During his visit, Prince Andrew met current apprentice Ben Uprichard, who struggled to find employment in a sporting role and instead opted for the IT route with Northgate. He also met Peter Kane, a former brick-layer who after completing the apprenticeship scheme is now in a permanent technical specialist role with Northgate.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services, is committed to enhancing the educational outcomes and employability of young people. He regards the Apprenticeship Scheme as part of the company’s wider talent development pool and as such the apprentices are fully embedded within the business:

“We value our apprentices highly and believe they play an integral role in the business, accounting for over 5% of our entire team and enabling us to develop a sustainable and valuable workforce for the future.

“Northgate plays a lead role in the delivery of ICT services to the education sector but we also strive to encourage young people, to consider IT as a career option. Graduates schemes are important but we don’t regard a university degree as the only route. For many young people apprenticeships offer an alternative in-road to what can be a highly rewarding career. We would also urge parents to set aside any preconceptions and consider the benefits offered through vocational training and apprenticeships schemes in particular.”

Northgate named as finalist in the prestigious UK Customer Experience Awards 2012

2012-07-16T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), one of the UK’s leading ICT service providers, has been named as a finalist in the IT and Telecoms category of the prestigious UK Customer Experience Awards for the first time. The team from Northgate will present their entry to a panel of industry judges in London in September.

The UK Customer Experience Awards recognise and celebrate the delivery of an outstanding customer experience by those companies and organisations that are considered to be leaders in their fields.

Northgate’s short listing comes on the back of what can only be described has a successful 12 months. The company has delivered strong organic growth across its main business sectors and has steadily grown its UK customer base.

Delivering exceptional customer experiences underpins the way that Northgate approaches each client engagement. Great efforts are made to establish long term relationships and to deliver services and solutions that meet the clients’ needs and offer value for money.

Continuous improvement is also a key element in this process. Northgate has designed and implemented a number of models that promote client and employee feedback in relation to its staff, service and processes. This information is then analysed and used to improve the service delivered. This combined approach has led to high levels of customer satisfaction, loyalty and retention.

Commenting on being named as a finalist, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said,

“Delivering a comprehensive and meaningful customer experience is something we place great emphasis on, and is a business element we believe in. This is the first year that we have entered the UK Customer Experience Awards and to receive a finalist place is a tremendous result from all concerned.
“Being nominated for any award is a great honour, but receiving a nomination as a result of customer feedback and for the high levels of service offered is something special. We will now prepare our submission presentation and look forward to having the opportunity to deliver this to the judging panel in September.”

Being named as a finalist for the UK Customer Experience awards follows on the heels of Northgate picking up the Belfast Telegraph ‘Outstanding Service to Business’ award, and being named as the ‘IT Supplier of the Year’ by the British Computer Society and Computing UK Industry Awards and winning the ‘BETT 2012 ICT Company of the Year’.

Northgate awarded �4.5M education contracts in Leicester

2012-07-02T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has reinforced its reputation as one of the UK's leading providers of education ICT services and solutions with the award of two contracts totalling £4.5m to design, implement and manage new and sustainable ICT environments in the City of Leicester College and Crown Hills Community College.

The contracts which are part of Leicester's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme will see Northgate work closely with both colleges to deliver a flexible, robust and scalable ICT service. The infrastructure has been designed to support a range of desktop and mobile devices; including user owned web-enabled devices and has the ability to accommodate future changes in technology. The colleges will have wireless coverage that will support a high concentration of users who will be able to access Northgate's 'cloud based' learning environment, My-School. This online learning portal allows students and teachers to access school's on-line systems and applications 24 x 7 from any device with internet access.

Each college will avail itself of specific technologies and curriculum software that meet their needs. Specialist Sports College, Crown Hills will use software to enable the analysis of personal fitness data and performance in sport. City of Leicester College will use a number of thin client devices, which increases the student to device ratio.

Once the colleges open next Autumn, they will benefit from central support services from Northgate's Operational Centre of Excellence in Belfast, such as service desk and remote management helping to provide cost effective services. This will be supported by onsite technical teams that will further enhance the user experience.

When completed, the new £47.5m colleges will also present the local community with venues and ICT facilities that offer multi-purpose use and promote adult learning and development.

Councillor Vi Dempster, Assistant City Mayor, with responsibility for Children and Schools said : "This is an exciting time for the City of Leicester and Crown Hill Colleges, as both will be moving into new purpose built schools early next year, increasing the number of schools within our BSF programme, that have received ICT improvements to 8, with a further 13 coming on line very soon. With ICT playing such a key role in education, it was vital we could deploy a state-of-the-art ICT solution that could work in tandem with teaching staff to improve education standards. I feel Northgate's solutions will do just that and help us achieve high educational standards.

The technologies that will be installed are without question hi-tech in design. They will offer our teaching staff an array of delivery tools and will do much to enthuse and encourage students to excel in their studies.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, "We are delighted to be working with the City of Leicester College and the Crown Hills Community College. Our remit was clear - to create an ICT environment that could support educational excellence and be flexible in its deployment. I believe that we have provided a blueprint that will do just that, and I know the team are excited about implementing the new service.

As a company we have extensive experience of the education sector and of its unique ICT needs. I feel this experience has set us apart, and has given each college confidence in our ability to delivery robust and impactful ICT solutions capable of assisting teaching staff and pupils to achieve their education targets."

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK including every school in Northern Ireland through Classroom 2000 (C2k).

Northgate Managed Services secures education contract as ICT Partner for an initial 24 academies and Free Schools in England

2012-05-24T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) which was recently named the UK’s IT Supplier of the Year at the British Computer Society (BCS) & Computer UK Industry Awards 2011, has secured a contract with leading not-for-profit academies sponsor, E-ACT, worth £6.5m in capital allocations alone. The multi-million pound contract will see Northgate developing relationships with all of E-ACT academies and Free Schools across the UK to deliver partnering services ranging from supply through to implementation and management. Northgate will work closely with E-ACT in the delivery of robust and flexible solutions designed to offer pupils innovative and technology led learning environments. These will include virtualised data centres, managed services and cloud based services. Each solution will be customised based on the individual needs’ of each academy.To help more proactively manage the academy accounts and improve the continuity of service, Northgate and E-ACT will put in place structures and processes to ensure greater collaborative working and a sharing of best practice between the academies.Commenting on Northgate’s selection Chris Meaney, Director of ICT at E-ACT, said: “E-ACT is delighted to have appointed Northgate as our ICT partner to help deliver exciting and innovative ICT solutions to our academies and Free Schools across the country. The contract, which includes academies currently open as well as those opening throughout 2012, requires a supplier with extensive experience in education as well as the infrastructure and resources available to proactively manage the individual requirements of each academy.” “Northgate demonstrated a clear understanding of our brief and presented a flexible and cost effective strategy, which we are confident will enable E-ACT to create and provide a rich learning environment for all our students and a greater collaboration between all E-ACT academies and Free Schools.”Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “The award of the E-ACT contract is a huge endorsement of our education work to date and can only help to broaden our experience in this sector. We are all very much looking forward to meeting and working with the academies, learning more about their ICT needs and how we can help to create learning rich environments.”

Northgate Managed Services makes the responsibility shortlist

2012-05-20T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) is very pleased to have made it onto Business in the Community’s shortlist for its 2012 Regional Impact Awards for corporate responsibility.

Northgate has been shortlisted in the NI Responsible Company of the Year category which is sponsored by Allstate NI.

The winner will be announced at the Gala Awards Dinner at Titanic Belfast on 31 May 2012.Commenting on the news Andy Ross Chief Executive Northgate Managed Services “We are delighted to have been shortlisted for the NI Responsible Company of the Year in recognition of our work in promoting social, economic and environmental improvement. We believe that in order to be a better business it is vital to behave responsibly and integrate a sustained approach to corporate responsibility into our business strategy. Our success is due to the commitment of our employees and this year we have further engaged with them to think positively about responsible change, encouraging them to work together with communities in need.”“These awards are about business making a real and tangible difference to the lives of individuals in our society,” explains Paul Rooney, Chair of Business in the Community. “If ever there was a time that this needed to happen, it is now. These awards are not easily won. They are rigorous and robust and every company, whether shortlisted or a winner, should be proud of its achievement.Susan Kinane, Managing Director of Key Award sponsors, Electric Ireland commented: " I am amazed by the work being done across Northern Ireland by all types of businesses – those going the extra mile to do a good deed, give of their services on a probono basis, allocate time for employee volunteering and make sure their employees feel engaged and involved in their business. I look forward to meeting the winners at the Gala Dinner in May in Titanic Belfast.”Five Northern Ireland winners of Business in the Community’s UK Big Tick Awards will also be recognised at the gala event in Belfast this June.

Hugh Christie Technology College awards Northgate Extension to 3 year contract which currently saves College �40,000 per annum in capital outlay

2012-05-09T23:00:00+01:00

Hugh Christie Technology College has awarded Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), BETT Award winning ICT Company of the Year, a £302,000 contract to provide the school with onsite managed services for an additional 2 years, an extension to its current 3 year contract. Northgate, as a leading provider of education based ICT solutions, will use its proven expertise to continue to deliver efficient managed services while providing more innovative ways to make ICT provision sustainable.Included as part of the package will be Northgate’s My-School cloud-based online learning environment which promotes independent learning, successfully piloted at Hugh Christie for a 6 month period, and Arcadu, a personalised homework and revision solution covering 14 national curriculum subjects, which uses arcade quality games to educate, entertain and engage students. An upgraded wireless infrastructure to improve speed and reliability of service, particularly with the increase in mobile users, will also be provided, and work will commence on a joint project to deliver Northgate’s managed services to neighbouring primary schools, Long Mead and Kemsing.Commenting on the contract, Jon Barker, Executive Principal, said, “We are delighted to renew our contract with Northgate, whose managed services and cloud-based solutions have enabled us to save over 20% on capital costs – an estimated £40,000 per annum. The partnership we have with Northgate is strong and has bought significant benefits, enhancing the educational impact of teaching and learning opportunities throughout the school.“We are also very much looking forward to working with Northgate to extend its managed services into local primaries Long Mead and Kemsing and to realise shared objectives to develop community partnerships that will benefit children and their families.”My-School is an online learning portal developed by Northgate, which allows students and teachers to access school's on-line systems and applications 24 x 7 from any device with internet access. The learning platform is a cloud based application offering on demand pay per user licensing costs which schools can deploy without further investment in IT infrastructure. Concluding, Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services, said, “The extension of our contract with Hugh Christie is an endorsement to Northgate’s ability to not only provide efficient managed services but to provide exciting and innovative ICT solutions which promote engaging, relevant and personalised learning. We are delighted to extend our partnership with the College and we will work closely together to ensure the services delivered meet the challenges of the school.”

PRINCE'S TRUST RECEIVE XL FINANCIAL BOOST FOR SCHOOLS PROGRAMME FROM NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES

2012-04-25T23:00:00+01:00

Leading education ICT specialist Northgate Managed Services is financially supporting The Prince’s Trust to help deliver its ‘XL’ programme to seven schools in the Newtownabbey area.

The Trust’s XL programme is aimed at those young people aged between 13 and 19 years who are considered to be a risk of underachieving or exclusion from school. The programme is youth-led and delivered informally with teams of young people working together to deliver enterprise and community projects that promote mutual respect and co-operation.

This format allows the Prince’s Trust to create a learning rich environment that provides young people with the space and attention needed to help build confidence and to take ownership of their work and personal development.

Commenting on Northgate’s involvement with the Trust’s XL programme, Ian Jeffers, Director, The Prince’s Trust said, “Northgate has been a great supporter of The Prince’s Trust through its national membership of our Technology Leadership Group and we are delighted that they are now involved locally in financially assisting the delivery of the XL Programme at seven schools in Greater Belfast and Newtownabbey areas.

“The XL Programme has consistently been successful across the UK in helping young people re-engage with learning and developing a sense of achievement from which they can regain momentum in education. Here in Northern Ireland there are over 100 XL clubs in mainstream schools, special schools, educational guidance centres and youth clubs.

“To have a company with Northgate’s reputation supporting the Trust, and in particular the XL Programme, is fantastic and will do much to not only raise the project’s profile, but also signals an endorsement of what the Trust is trying to achieve with these young people. The project has had real success to date but Northgate’s funding will allow us to extend the project in Northern Ireland and to help many more youngsters.”

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “As a company we are delighted to be in the position to positively help young people from the Newtownabbey area. The Prince’s Trust, and in particular its XL programme offers young people a real lifeline and an opportunity to become more involved in their local communities, experience new learning and to develop a sense of belonging and achievement. We look forward to working in partnership with The Prince’s Trust and to delivering the XL programme locally.”

Northgate recognised for "Outstanding Service to Business" at the prestigious Belfast Telegraph Business Awards

2012-04-25T23:00:00+01:00

Newtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), one of the UK’s leading ICT service providers, is today toasting its success having scooped the ‘Outstanding Service to Business’ gong at the prestigious Belfast Telegraph Business Awards, at a gala ceremony held in Belfast’s Ramada Hotel.

The award recognises Northgate’s successful business to business relationships which enhance the business efficiency and productivity of its clients. Customers benefit from interacting with highly skilled technical teams allowing strong, valued partnerships to be formed.

Despite the tough economic trading conditions, Northgate has delivered strong organic growth across its main business sectors during 2011. It secured more than 80 new customer accounts, increased its revenue by 21% to just over £131m and also strengthened its position outside of Northern Ireland by winning a series of contracts including a £19m project with NHS health boards in Scotland.

Northgate has continued this momentum in the first quarter of 2012 winning the highly sought after Education Network Northern Ireland project. The five year, £170m contract will see Northgate design, implement, manage and support Europe’s first Education Cloud environment for schools in Northern Ireland.

The company has invested in its staff and services in order to ensure its service delivery and quality remains high. This includes a commitment to further develop relationships with key technology partners including Dell, Cisco and Microsoft.

Commenting on the award, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “This award is a fantastic achievement for the company, especially when you consider the calibre of the other applicants. It recognises the tremendous effort made by everyone involved in helping to position Northgate as one of Northern Ireland’s most successful and innovative companies.

“The rationale behind the award is perhaps the most pleasing element for me. To be selected by a panel of industry judges as the company that has done the most to deliver outstanding service to its clients is a great endorsement of our professionalism, but also of the way in which we engage with each of our customers.”

John Simpson, chair of the judging panel, said: “This award is seen by some businesses as being more difficult than others to convincingly articulate. Nevertheless, Northgate Managed Services had a compelling and convincing account of support in advanced knowledge based services which is world class. Their recent new business contracts ranging from services to the education network in Northern Ireland to others in education and health across England and Scotland are building a business with a highly regarded reputation.”

Northgate, also a finalist in the Belfast Telegraph “Excellence in the Development and Leadership” category, employs over 1,150 staff across the UK and is Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous IT services company.

The Belfast Telegraph ‘Outstanding Service to Business’ award follows on the heels of Northgate being named the ‘IT Supplier of the Year’ at the British Computer Society and Computing UK Industry Awards and the winner of the ‘BETT 2012 ICT Company of the Year’.

Northgate Managed Services Secures �170m contract to provide Education Cloud for Northern Ireland

2012-03-20T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has further cemented its reputation as a leading provider of ICT services after being appointed by Classroom 2000 (C2k) to provide the new ‘Education Network Northern Ireland’ (ENNI) contract.

Northgate will take responsibility for all aspects of the service, including the Wide Area Network, Local Area Network and Telecoms which will be delivered in partnership with its subcontractor Eircom.

The five year contract will see Northgate design, implement, manage and support Europe’s first Education Cloud environment for schools in Northern Ireland, providing secure access to resources online, 24 x 7 from a wide range of devices. Eircom will deliver superfast connectivity to the Education Cloud, providing schools with up to 200mb of bandwidth.

The new service has been designed to create a dynamic, future proofed, flexible service which provides schools with increased access to learning resources and the ability to collaborate and develop skills which will equip learners for the future.

Schools will have greater flexibility and choice in how ICT is used across the curriculum. Improving wireless technology supports the growing trend for using mobile devices in the classroom - allowing teachers and students to gain access to the network and resources securely via personal devices such as smart phones, IPads, tablet PCs and laptops. Schools will access a range of applications, educational resources and toolsets through Northgate's innovative My-School learning portal.

The new Education Cloud provides the ability to scale computing resources to meet the needs of schools both today and in the future with schools benefiting from secure cloud computing. Centralised backup and archiving services ensure that schools have access to virtually unlimited storage.

Commenting on the contract, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said "This is a tremendous achievement for the company and is one that clearly positions Northgate as a leading provider of innovative ICT services for schools. Building the first Education Cloud in Europe is a significant point in the company’s history and creates a fantastic platform for future growth in the UK and beyond.

"Winning the contract is also of great significance for the local economy. The continued investment in ICT in schools ensures that every student can attain the vital ICT skills needed for today's technology driven workplace and support the continued growth in Northern Ireland’s vibrant technology sector”

Jimmy Stewart, Director, C2k said, "The new ICT service has been designed to recognise the educational requirements of Northern Ireland schools, deliver technology driven learning environments and incorporate the latest innovations in technology.

Northgate Managed Services secures contract to provide Christian Aid with state-of-the-art desktop service

2012-03-01T00:00:00+01:00

International development charity, Christian Aid, has awarded a three year ICT contract to Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) to upgrade and manage its PC estate. Christian Aid’s investment of over £500k in this new IT solution is set to deliver efficiencies and provide an improved and consistent service enabling the organisation to focus on its vital fundraising activities. The contract award, testament to a highly cost-effective, quality service at a predictable, flexible revenue cost, further strengthens Northgate’s position in the Third Sector.

The project will see Northgate refresh more than 520 desktop machines (mix of new PCs, laptops and notebooks) to support 500 staff in 20 offices throughout the UK and Ireland – each machine will operate the most modern software. The timing of the upgrade couldn’t have been better for Christian Aid as much of the existing kit is outdated. The aging estate has resulted in high maintenance costs and Christian Aid’s support being stretched.

Northgate, recently crowned UK IT Supplier of Year at the British Computer Society (BCS) & Computer UK Industry Awards 2011, will provide comprehensive user training for Christian Aid staff. Delivered by an experienced Northgate team, staff will be able to access key learning resources via a dedicated e-learning portal as well.

Commenting on the new ICT contract Dr. Philip Humphries, Head of ICT Services, Christian Aid said “This is an ambitious project for Christian Aid as it will be our greatest reliance on external IT support to date. As a charity it was vital that any investment was able to reflect value for money and a degree of flexibility in the way the contract was to be costed, and indeed delivered. Northgate’s solution not only met these requirements but also provided us with the quality of service we were looking for in a partner. Northgate is clearly committed to developing a lasting relationship with Christian Aid and we are looking forward to working with them.”

James Turnbull, Northgate Managed Services commented, “We are delighted to have been awarded the Christian Aid contract. This decision is a vote of confidence in Northgate’s ability to deliver a high quality, modern and functional service which is flexible and supportive in its design. Christian Aid is keen to ensure that the new ICT solution is not only robust and demonstrates a clear return on investment, but is one that its staff can take full advantage of as the Charity works towards realising its vision of ‘ending poverty’. Northgate’s extensive experience within the Third Sector will help them to do this.”

Northgate has been working with Third Sector organisation for more than 10 years and currently supports more than 1,700 IT users in organisations such as the NSPCC, Children’s 1st as well as a number of Housing Associations.

Northgate Managed Services Achieves Cisco Master Managed Services Certification

2012-02-23T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) announced today it has achieved the Cisco^® Master Managed Services Certification. This certification recognises Northgate’s investment in the ITIL® processes, practices and tools necessary to provide high-quality managed services.

Commenting on the certification, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate, said “To be the first Irish based company, and one of an elite number of companies across the whole UK and Ireland, to hold this certification, is a tremendous achievement. It comes about as the result of significant investment and commitment from all at Northgate and recognises the importance and relevance of this certification to optimising our managed services business for our customers.

By attaining the highest level of achievement for partners delivering Cisco technologies as a managed solution, we not only strengthen our relationship with Cisco but truly differentiate Northgate and enhance our customer offering through state-of-the-art technologies and services.”

As a Cisco Master Managed Services Certified Partner, Northgate has demonstrated the ability to deliver sophisticated solutions, met stringent requirements that reflect a depth of capabilities, and undergone an independent audit by an objective third-party auditor. Northgate was also required to offer at least two managed services using the resources and procedures necessary to deploy, manage and support Cisco solutions.

“Northgate’s investment in the Cisco Master Managed Services Certification ranks it among an elite group of channel partners with the resources to deploy, manage and support services for multiple technologies,” said Edison Peres, senior vice president of worldwide channels at Cisco.

Cisco, the Cisco logo, Cisco Systems and Cisco TelePresence are registered trademarks of Cisco Systems Inc. in the United States and certain other countries.

Northgate Managed Services Secures �1.3m Education Contract with the Hastings Academy

2012-02-10T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services, winner of BETT 2012 ‘ICT Company of the Year over £3million turnover’ award, has further cemented its reputation as a leading provider of education based ICT solutions with the award of the £1.3m managed service contract for The Hastings Academy, East Sussex. Northgate, with its significant portfolio of ‘direct to school’ contracts, will use its proven expertise to help the Academy deliver a technology led environment designed to assist student learning and to raise standards.

The £1.3million 3 year contract will see Northgate working closely with the Academy to develop, design and manage a state-of-the-art ICT infrastructure to promote active learning to the Academy’s 900 students. This will include the introduction of new hardware and software, Wi-Fi, a host of audio visual equipment and a new cashless catering system operated using the latest biometric technologies. Northgate will help support this multi-platform infrastructure from its service desk in Belfast, ensuring that the Academy has access to a broad range of specialist staff and systems.

Many of the Academy’s students come from areas of deprivation. Despite this the dedicated staff in Hillcrest, the predecessor school, led a dramatic improvement in results. Following the opening of the new Academy in September 2011 this great work is continuing and accelerating. The team are helping students attain better GCSE results and improve their life chances by preparing them for the world of work or further study.

The Academy is part of the Hastings Academies Trust whose main sponsor is the University of Brighton. Additionally the Trust has East Sussex County Council and BT as co-sponsors. The combined power of highly motivated staff and strong sponsorship means the outlook for students is even brighter. In support of this and by way of adding value to its partnership with the Academy, Northgate has made a number of places available on its in-house apprenticeship scheme for eligible students when they leave the Academy. Each will have the opportunity to train with Northgate; to achieve ICT related qualifications and with the added incentive of possible full time employment.

Theresa Phillips, Principal, The Hastings Academy said: “We are delighted that Northgate Managed Services has been appointed as the ICT contractor to the Hastings Academies Trust, following a highly competitive procurement process. The Hastings Academy has specialist ICT status and Northgate will work with us to make sure that cutting-edge ICT solutions are delivered as the new build takes shape over the coming months. Together we will ensure that our students’ life chances are improved through unprecedented access to technologies that inspire, stretch and support learning.”

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services added: “The award of The Hastings Academy contract is a real testament to the quality of the work we do across the UK’s education sector and, alongside the company’s short listing in the BETT Awards, underpins our reputation as one of the UK’s leading educational ICT solution experts.

“We will be working closely with the Academy to ensure we design and deliver a solution and change programme that meets the challenges of the school. The Academy is keen to ensure that the new ICT solution is not only robust, but is also one that teachers can take full advantage of in order to benefit their students. Northgate’s extensive experience with schools across the UK will ensure this is delivered.

“I am also delighted that we are in a position to offer students access to a number of places on our apprenticeship scheme with a view to enhancing their employability skills. I personally feel that this type of training, especially at a time when University fees continue to rise, can make a real difference, particularly to those students who feel the academic route is not for them. I look forward to working with The Hastings Academy to develop this part of our relationship further.”

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK including every school in Northern Ireland through Classroom 2000 (C2k).

Northgate Managed Services wins 2012 BETT Award - ICT Company of the Year

2012-01-12T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services, leading provider of IT services to the education sector, is celebrating today having scooped ‘ICT Company of the Year - over £3million turnover’ at the 2012 BETT Awards which took place on 11th January 2012, at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. The BETT Awards form an integral part of the annual BETT show and celebrate the creativity and innovation that can be found in technology for education. The winners are chosen on the basis of excellence in ICT provision and support for nurseries, schools, Academies, colleges and special schools alike, with a clear focus on what works in the classroom.

The award recognises Northgate’s outstanding provision of ICT services and its contribution to the success of schools which has led to a six to seven percent increase in GCSE results at A*-C within the schools with which it works. It also recognises Northgate’s commitment to building solid partnerships, provision of first class customer service, significant investment in staff training and development and improving the employability and education opportunities for young people. This success is reflected in the company’s strong financial performance and dynamic growth of 13% in revenue in the education sector.

Commenting on his company’s success, Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services said: “Northgate Managed Services is really delighted to have won ICT Company of the Year in the 2012 BETT Awards! It demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with schools and Academies across the UK to deliver effective IT services and solutions within the education sector and to improving outcomes for teachers and learners. We have highly committed employees who take pride in delivering a high standard of service. Each one should be very proud of their contribution to this achievement.”

The judges, including key government agencies, teachers and local authority representatives, commented “Northgate is clearly committed to working with schools and has adapted well to the changes in funding to produce solutions that will work with schools. The size of the company means that they are able to supply many different solutions and sustainability options.”

Northgate works with 1,250 schools and colleges providing a full range of innovative and flexible IT services and solutions, supporting over 430,000 teachers, students and IT users across the UK. The company works in partnership with its customers to gain a deep understanding of their objectives to design, implement and deliver services and solutions to meet these needs.

Northgate Managed Services Named as Preferred Supplier for the Education Network Northern Ireland Contract

2012-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has further cemented its reputation as one of the UK’s leading providers of ICT services by being named as Classroom 2000’s (C2k) preferred supplier for the new ‘Education Network Northern Ireland’ (ENNI) contract. The news was announced today at BETT 2012, Europe’s largest education ICT event in London.

The five year contract will see Northgate design, implement and manage a completely new and innovative Private Cloud environment for all schools in NI, providing secure access to resources online, 24 x 7 from a wide range of devices. The new ICT investment will bring schools the benefits of cloud computing while ensuring students and teachers are secure online. The new Education Cloud provides the ability to scale computing resources to meet the needs of schools both today and in the future. Schools will access a range of applications and educational resources through Northgate’s My-School learning portal.

The continued investment in ICT in schools ensures that every student can attain the vital ICT skills needed for today’s technology driven workplace and support the continued growth in NIs vibrant technology sector.

The new infrastructure will also offer greater device connectivity - allowing teachers and students to gain access to the network and resources securely via personal devices such as smart phones, IPads, tablet PCs and laptops. Broadband provision will be improved with schools being provided with up to 200Mb. This contract will see Northgate take responsibility for the Wide Area Network, Local Area Network and Telecoms.

Commenting on the award of preferred bidder status, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said “This is a tremendous achievement for the company and is one that clearly positions Northgate as one of the UK’s leading providers of ICT services for schools. Our previous experience in this sector both in NI and across GB has enabled us to propose a solution that we feel proactively and innovatively offers the end user a more intuitive system and one that is based on the very best in Cloud technology.

“Achieving preferred supplier status is also of great significance for the local economy. Securing technology jobs in NI can only be viewed as a positive boost for Northern Ireland.”

Jimmy Stewart, Director, C2k said, “When preparing the ENNI contract specification we were very clear that it should recognise the educational requirements of NI schools, have the ability to deliver technology driven learning environments and for its solution to be innovatively designed and developed in a manner that provided flexibility – Northgate’s submission offered us this and much more.

“The award for preferred supplier status to Northgate is as of a result of the company’s innovative response and of its extensive experience in the sector. Northgate has continuously demonstrated excellence in the education services it has developed and has a highly talented and dedicated team in place. I look forward to working with Northgate in the coming months and to deploying the ENNI infrastructure in schools across NI.”

Northgate Information Solutions appoints Adel Al-Saleh as Group Chief Executive

2011-11-28T00:00:00+01:00

(London, 28 November 2011) Northgate Information Solutions, the leading international systems and outsourcing Group, is pleased to announce the appointment of Adel Al-Saleh as Group’s Chief Executive Officer. Adel will succeed Chris Stone, who previously announced his decision to leave the firm.

Adel, aged 48, is an experienced technology business leader who has worked across multiple industries and geographies. Prior to this appointment, Adel spent 5 years at IMS Health, a leading technology based analytics and services company for the healthcare industry, where he held several senior positions including president of EMEA, senior vice president Global Pharma Solutions, and president of US.

Prior to joining IMS Health in 2007, Adel spent 19 years at IBM, working his way up after joining as a systems engineer. Adel held several senior positions at IBM across the world, including general manager of Sales and Industries in the Group's European region, general manager Global Wireless Business, vice president of Communications Sector Americas (covering Telecommunications, Utilities, Media and Entertainment industries), and vice president EMEA Sales and Services Personal Systems Group.

Adel said: "I am delighted to accept this prestigious role. In the past few years Northgate has grown to become a global leader in HR outsourcing and systems, managed services and public sector systems. Under KKR's ownership it is poised to continue that development, build on recent acquisitions and consolidate the leadership positions it has taken in its chosen sectors."

Todd Fisher, Northgate's Chairman, added: “We are very pleased to have persuaded Adel to join us. His successful track record at IBM and IMS Health speaks for itself. He is a technology business leader through and through and we feel he is exactly the man to build on Northgate's successful track record and work with its talented management team to deliver growth in this demanding environment. I look forward to working with him."

Adel is married and has four children. His hobbies include fitness training, cooking, the performing arts, and he plays an active role in improving education standards.

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES SUPPORTS 'COMPUTER CLUBS FOR GIRLS' IN 40 PRIMARY SCHOOLS

2011-11-14T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate and e-skills UK provide schools with access to online IT club for girlsNewtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services, one of the UK’s leading providers of educational IT services and solutions, has sponsored ‘Computer Clubs for Girls’ (CC4G), an e-skills UK after-schools club initiative which encourages girls aged 10 to 14 to consider IT related education and careers. Northgate’s support allows 40 schools from across Northern Ireland to access this specially designed online resource.Created by e-skills UK and designed by Aardman, the creators of ‘Wallace & Gromit’, the colourful and exciting virtual world of CC4G aims to inspire girls aged 10 to 14 to consider IT-related futures by bringing technology to life through projects based on topics that girls enjoy, such as music, fashion and sport.The website allows learners to log-on from school or home and share their progress with parents and guardians, bridging the gap between what happens at home and at school. CC4G was born out of industry wide research which showed that girls begin to lose interest in technology from between 10 and 14 years of age; with most believing it to be unappealing, ‘geeky’, and just for boys.This attitude is very much reflected in the low number of women working in the sector; only 17% of the 1.2 million individuals designing, building and running the systems on which we all depend are female and just 8% of computing A-level candidates in 2011 were girls.Commenting on the CC4G project Eleanor Lee, Marketing Director at Northgate Managed Services said; “It is fantastic for Northgate to have the opportunity to play an active role in this hugely worthwhile initiative. As ICT is imbedded across the curriculum ensuring all learners are confident in using ICT is critical. e-skills UK research has shown that girls are less confident in using IT and this also impacts on the number of girls choosing to pursue technology-related careers. Technology offers fantastic career opportunities which can be incredibly rewarding, not least in terms of salary and travel opportunities.“The importance of engaging with the next generation as early as possible cannot be overstated. In today’s economic climate nothing could be more important than giving young people the resources to have bright futures, and now more than ever that means technology. 90% of all jobs require IT skills and every year 110,000 new people across the UK are recruited into IT specialist careers. These facts and figures cannot be ignored and that is why Northgate is firmly behind CC4G.”Carole McConville, e-skills UK, said; “Having an organisation of Northgate’s stature on board is just fantastic and a real endorsement of CC4G. Their support and sponsorship has been invaluable and has allowed 40 schools from across Northern Ireland to take part in the project and to run a CC4G club. These clubs will not only teach the girls valuable IT skills, but will also show them the importance of teamwork and project management , and help develop their communication skills.“We know that there are many more schools that want to set up a CC4G club, but without further sponsorship this is just not possible. I would like to take this opportunity to encourage other businesses to follow Northgate’s example and get involved with their local school.”To find out more about CC4G, please go to: www.e-skills.com/cc4g , and to find out how to sponsor a school or a group of schools, please contact: carol.mcconville@e-skills.com

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES WINS '2011 IT SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR' AWARD AT PRESTIGIOUS UK IT INDUSTRY EVENT

2011-11-14T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services has been nationally recognised as the IT Supplier of the Year at the British Computer Society (BCS) & Computing UK Industry Awards 2011.Newtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services has cemented its reputation as one of the UK’s leading providers of ICT services by being named ‘IT Supplier of the Year’ at the British Computer Society (BCS) and Computing UK Industry Awards 2011. The award recognises Northgate Managed Services' dynamic growth and its strong financial performance which saw the company return a 21% increase in its revenue, successfully win more than 80 news clients in a range of sectors; invest significantly in staff training and development, strengthen industry partnerships, and create more than 100 new jobs across its UK operation. Commenting on the award, Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services said, “We are delighted to have won the 2011 IT Supplier of the Year Award. This is the second time in 3 years that we have won this award and reflects a huge amount of hard work over many years and is a fantastic endorsement of the services and IT solutions we provide to our clients. “None of this would be possible without our staff. Each individual plays a vital role in the client engagement lifecycle and in support of this we have rolled out a significant programme of training and development. The results have been pleasing, with customer satisfaction surveys returning a rating of 98%. “Being named 2011 IT Supplier of the Year is a great honour for all of us, especially against such strong and notable competition. I know that winning this award will motivate us all to work even harder to retain the high standards to which we all aspire.” David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: “On behalf of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, I’d like to congratulate all our winners, medallists and finalists. The awards are very rigorously judged so to be a winner or medallist means that you really are the best of the best. “The variety of organisations from across different sectors that collected awards this year reinforce the fact that today the IT profession is integrated into the business and is increasingly being seen as a partner that can help deliver real value, benefit and success. “It also highlights the extent to which IT is embedded in our society, from our healthcare, the high street and car production, to the stage; IT is the enabler behind so many businesses in the UK.” The awards are sponsored by Computing Magazine and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT.The BCS & Computing UK IT Industry Awards provide a platform for the entire profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence. In total, this year’s Awards featured 23 categories which covered: project, organisation, technology and individual excellence. The categories were open to organisations and individuals involved in IT across the public, not for profit and commercial sectors.

Northgate Managed Services named Finalist in 2012 BETT Awards in two categories - 'ICT Company of the Year' and also 'ICT Service and Support'

2011-11-14T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services, a leading IT services provider to the education sector, is delighted to announce that it has been shortlisted as a Finalist in the BETT Awards 2012 in two categories – ‘ICT Service and Support’ and ‘ICT Company of the Year’. The 2012 BETT Awards will take place on 11th January, 2012 at the Hilton Hotel, Park Lane, London. Commenting on his company’s success, Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services said, “Northgate Managed Services is delighted to be announced as Finalists in the upcoming BETT Awards 2012. It demonstrates our commitment to working in partnership with schools and academies across the UK to support improving outcomes for teachers and learners. “Being amongst the Finalists in both the ‘ICT Company of the Year’ and the ‘ICT Service and Support’ categories is something we are extremely proud of and demonstrates our ability to deliver effective IT services and solutions within the education sector. We have highly committed employees who take pride in delivering a high standard of service. Each one should be very proud of their contribution to this achievement.” The BETT Awards celebrate the best digital products and technological companies supplying ICT for education. As a partnership between the BETT Show organisers Emap Connect and BESA, the awards are widely regarded to be the most highly esteemed awards in the industry and truly showcase outstanding education sector products and learning solutions. Northgate works with 1,250 schools and colleges providing a full range of innovative and flexible IT services and solutions, supporting over 430,000 teachers, students and IT users across the UK. The company works in partnership with its customers to gain a deep understanding of their objectives to design, implement and deliver services and solutions to meet these needs.

Productive New School Term for Northgate Managed Services

2011-09-28T23:00:00+01:00

Over 380,000 teachers and learners across the UK now benefiting from Northgate’s expertise…including those at the country’s first Free School.

As pupils and teachers settle into routine after the back to school rush, the first month of the new school term has proved to be highly productive for Northgate Managed Services, a leading provider of education-based ICT services and solutions.In September alone, an additional 7,000 teachers and learners benefitted from the delivery of new ICT and Northgate’s educational expertise. The contracts, which are worth over £9m to Northgate, are a firm indication of the company’s strength and reputation within the education sector across the UK. Included in the new education contracts is the UK’s first free school, Aldborough EACT Free School, as well as three new Academies including Richard Rose Morton Academy in Carlisle, Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton and Havelock Academy in Grimsby.Pleckgate High School, the first of 18 schools in Blackburn to be completed under the former Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, is also benefiting from a flexible ICT rich learning environment supported by Northgate. For each school, Northgate has tailored bespoke services and solutions to meet its specific requirements. These incorporate a range of teaching and learning tools including wired and wireless networks, remote access, cashless catering, access control, managed print and Northgate’s cloud-based online learning portal, My School. Northgate's service desk and onsite teams will continue to support and manage the ICT in these schools. In addition to maximising the potential for learners and enriching the educational experience, the services will also deliver long term cost savings and efficiencies. Commenting on the company’s ever expanding reach into the UK education sector, Chris Wiseman, Education Sales Director of Northgate Managed Services said:“The new academic year has highlighted the key role Northgate is playing in delivering ICT in education today. This is not only good news for learners and teachers at the many schools, colleges and Academies we are servicing, but it is also recognition for the educational team at Northgate Managed Services. “Ensuring each establishment was ready for the new school year was a top priority and was achieved thanks to the expertise and dedication of our on-site and service desk teams. This approach, coupled with our partnerships with suppliers, local authorities, contractors and the schools themselves has ensured every teacher and pupil – no matter what stage they’ve reached on their educational journey – has access to the very best resources and most up to date learning environment.”

Third Year Lucky for New IT Apprentices at Northgate Managed Services

2011-09-21T23:00:00+01:00

For the third successive year, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) is offering young people a career development opportunity in Information Technology (IT) through the recruitment of up to 10 apprentices. The announcement reflects the strength of the IT sector and in particular the demand for IT & Telecoms professionals in Northern Ireland which is forecasted to grow by 3.71% in the next decade. The Northgate IT Apprenticeship Scheme which is supported by the Dept for Employment & Learning has been hugely significant in helping to build a skilled and qualified workforce. Since it was first launched in NI in 2009, the apprentices who have successfully completed the training scheme are now working as full time Northgate employees. Following its success in Northern Ireland, this year the company has extended the scheme across the UK with apprentices now accounting for over 5% of the company’s workforce. The 18-month ‘earn while you learn’ programme is targeted at school-leavers or those who are by-passing university. In addition to studying for their NVQ (levels 1, 2 and 3) the Apprentices gain hands-on experience across a variety of roles and departments within Northgate, with a permanent job on offer to those who successfully complete the Scheme. As a huge advocate of the apprenticeship concept, Andy Ross, Northgate Managed Services’ Chief Executive is delighted to extend the programme for the third year. “We work very closely with the education sector in Northern Ireland so it is fitting that we are also helping those leaving school to get a first step up the career ladder. I would actively encourage young people - irrespective of their qualifications and training - to consider this as a viable career option. Working in the ICT sector can be highly dynamic, stimulating, and rewarding and this will be vouched for by many of our employees, a significant percentage of whom do not have degrees but have the determination, drive and ability to succeed. “I’ve no doubt that coupled with our graduate recruitment programme, the Northgate Apprenticeship Scheme is forming the backbone of a sustainable and valuable workforce that will not only strengthen our own business but bolster the NI economy as a whole.” As well has having an interest and passion for ICT, anyone interested in applying for the Apprenticeship Scheme must hold GCSEs in Maths and English. Further information is available on www.northgatemanagedservices.com

Northgate Managed Services and Abraham Guest High School launch National Level 3 Certificate in ICT for pupils.

2011-09-14T23:00:00+01:00

Pupils from specialist sports and arts college, Abraham Guest High School, Wigan are set to benefit from a new and innovative partnership with one of the UK’s leading providers of education ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) with the creation of a new ICT based course that aims to provide students with a unique mix of theory based learning and ‘industry ready’ experiences.The ‘Northgate Academy’ builds on the strong relationship that exists between Northgate and the School. Northgate provided and now manages the technologies which facilitate true anytime, personalised learning for the school’s 900 students. The Academy will offer groups of year ten pupils, with an aptitude and enthusiasm for ICT, the opportunity to study for an OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations) National Level 3 Certificate in ICT. The course comprises six modules and will be facilitated by staff from Abraham Guest and Northgate over a two year period.Students will be given the chance to engage directly with Northgate by travelling to the company’s Northern Ireland headquarters for a number of work based learning days. During their time at Northgate’s Newtownabbey site, students will participate in specially designed workshops and be mentored by staff from departments such as Customer Services, Technical Services, Servicedesk Support, Sales, Marketing and HR.Northgate is playing a key role in the curriculum for the course and has provided input into modules covering issues such as collaborative learning and problem solving. Northgate will provide the students with a practical case study for some of the topics explored and its staff will act as ‘online mentors’ for the students on an ad hoc basis.Commenting on the new Northgate Academy, Paul Bousfield, Headteacher, Abraham Guest High School said, “Creating the Northgate Academy is a great development for the School. Having the ability to offer students the opportunity to attain such a high level qualification at Key Stage 4, in partnership with an industry leader such as Northgate, is not only fantastic, but also singles out the School as a forward thinking and progressive learning institute.“Northgate’s input and professionalism throughout this process has been second to none. The students that have already begun the course have all enjoyed their time in Northern Ireland and have learnt a lot from their Northgate mentors.”Chris Wiseman, Education Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services commented “The ‘Northgate Academy’ is something that we’re all very proud of. Being asked by a school to get involved, and indeed to actively shape the learning of its pupils is a tremendous honour for us and is certainly something that we feel very passionate about.“Taking a hands-on approach offers us the opportunity to ensure that we provide the Abraham Guest students with skills required by the ICT industry. Over recent years and as a result of our own recruitment process we have identified a number of gaps in skills in young people wishing to pursue ICT based careers. This is something we wanted to address and getting the opportunity to do so using the Northgate brand is fantastic. We very much look forward to strengthening our relationship with Abraham Guest High School and to developing the ‘Northgate Academy’ further.”

Northgate Managed Services Announced Finalists in UK IT Industry Awards

2011-09-13T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has been recognised as a leader in the IT industry by being named finalist for two categories in the prestigious UK IT Industry Awards. With offices across the United Kingdom, the firm which is a leading cloud, infrastructure and ICT managed services provider are finalists in both the IT Supplier of the Year and IT Employer of the Year Categories. Held in November (10^th), the UK IT Industry Awards are the ultimate recognition of achievement for any company involved in ICT in the United Kingdom. Northgate, which employs over 1,300 people across the UK, made it through to the final stage in the Employer of the Year Category in recognition of the excellent employment and career opportunities which are offered to their workforce. The company invests heavily in skills and personal development for all employees. Being named finalist in the IT Supplier of the Year, compliments last week’s announcement of the company’s strong financial results for the full year ended April 30th 2011. Strong growth is demonstrated by Northgate Managed Services due to the roll out of orders won in previous years. The company continues to demonstrate business successes and recently secured a UK wide deal with estate agents Strutt and Parker to provide IT services across all of their 50 offices. Northgate also won a number of schools and academies deals including
a £5.8m contract with the Isle of Sheppey Academy in Kent, a £1.5m contract with Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton and a £2.5m contract with Rushey Mead School in Leicester. They continue to grow in the Health Sector and are currently working with every health board in Scotland and Northern Ireland to deliver smarter, more efficient ways of operating. Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services, said: “This nomination underpins a hugely successful year for the company and demonstrates the brilliant work which our team have been involved with. Already in 2011 we have secured a long line of contract wins across the UK and are confident that this will continue. Being amongst the finalists for IT Supplier of the Year is something which we are extremely proud of and demonstrates our ability to deliver effective IT services and solutions across a range of sectors. Our services are provided by highly committed teams of employees, so being recognised for their achievements by being shortlisted in the Employer of the Year category is very important to us”. The awards are sponsored by Computing Magazine and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT. David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, says: “Congratulations to the finalists; the competition to reach this stage of our prestigious Awards is tough. Our Awards are central to our mission to recognise the innovation and professionalism of those working in IT and I’m delighted that every year we have such a variety of high quality entries. They are an excellent reflection of the impact IT has on so many aspects of our information society and the potential IT has to transform business, society and our lives.”

Northgate Seminar Unleashes the Power of SharePoint

2011-09-12T23:00:00+01:00

IT, Finance, Marketing and HR Business Managers Urged to Attend Seminar

Proof that Microsoft SharePoint 2010 is one of the most most flexible and robust application platforms in use today will be shared with the public and private sector at a seminar hosted by Northgate Managed Services (22 Sept 2011).

The half-day workshop (8.30 - 1pm) is the first to be held at Northgate's new sales and marketing office in Mossley Mill. Experts from Microsoft and Ergo will offer delegates a detailed insight into why Sharepoint 2010 has earned its reputation as a robust application platform - predominantly due to its relevance and compatibility across business units. In essence it makes it easier for people to work together through better management, workflow and sharing of information.

As a Microsoft Gold Partner, James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services, explained why the seminar is a valuable opportunity:
"Our research indicates a lack of understanding regarding SharePoint 2010 and its full potential, not only within different business units but ultimately across organisations as a whole. We're confident the expert opinion and customer endorsements on offer at the seminar will help businesses appreciate how this unique solution can help them streamline business processes, free up management time and drive efficiencies throughout."

One such customer is Nadene Aspel, Software Solutions Manager from the Western Health & Social Care Trust who will explain how SharePoint 2010 has helped integrate service delivery across the organisation which spans five Council areas and employs 12,000 staff:
"Having gone through a period of organisational change I'm delighted to have the opportunity to share the positive experience of working with Northgate and Ergo to highlight the benefits which SharePoint 2010 has delivered to the WHSCT. From the establishment of common practices and procedures, to the integration of services and enhanced information sharing it continues to deliver positive results throughout the Trust which can only be good news for those who work for us and for those who use our services!"

Places, which are free of charge, can be reserved by contacting Ciara on 028 9085 7025 or by registering online at www.northgatemanagedservices.com/sharepointevent

Northgate Information Solutions delivers 12th successive year of increased profitability

2011-09-08T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions (“NIS”), the leading international systems and outsourcing Group, announces its results for the full year ended April 30th 2011.

Malcolm Arnold Academy invests in ICT to engage and stimulate students

2011-08-24T23:00:00+01:00

Malcolm Arnold Academy in Northampton is to benefit from a new robust, flexible and sustainable Information & Communications Technology (ICT) service and change management programme from Northgate Managed Services. The £1.5million contract will help equip the Academy with the tools and skills required to further engage their students when it re-opens in September 2011.

Opened in September 2010 and sponsored by the David Ross Education Trust, the academy represents an initiative to broaden the horizons of its students and is committed to increasing achievement through provision of an innovative curriculum. The Academy believes in the potential of ICT as a tool to deliver and support their innovative teaching and learning approaches and have invested in the most up to date technology and resources.

Through engaging with teaching and support staff, Northgate will be supporting the academy to prepare for change as it moves to the new ICT rich environment. After analysing existing needs, an extensive training and developmental programme has been designed to build confidence and encourage wider use of ICT in the classroom. A 'proof of concept' room has been set up so that teachers can familiarise themselves with the new hardware and software.

Teachers and students will be able to access the academy's educational resources from any device connected to the internet, at any time, with the implementation of a mix of technologies such as thin client, virtual desktop, wireless and Northgate's "cloud-based" learning environment, MY-SCHOOL. Northgate will ensure the entire program is successfully delivered through effective project management of the ICT solution which will be supplied, installed and managed by Northgate.

Principal, Philip Cantwell,

"It was important for us as an academy to have a robust IT solution that would integrate seamlessly with the existing school environment. Not only did we want a solution that was technically viable, we wanted one that was highly effective in the classroom as a teaching and learning tool. We realise the potential of how the effective use of ICT can engage and stimulate students and improve and enhance their learning. It was important for us to unlock that potential.

Teachers are already thinking about how they can use the new Interactive White Boards (IWBs) and visualisers to develop the way they can use ICT in their classrooms, such as recording clips of practical demonstrations for upload into the students' resources on MY-SCHOOL, where students can watch whenever they need to, at school or at home.

We're also very excited at the opportunities to expand teaching and learning outside the classroom with the introduction of the new campus-wide wifi network. We're looking forward to our fantastic new redeveloped atrium being used for cross-curricular and informal learning opportunities, with students collaborating in small groups with staff, using our new wifi thin client laptops and mobile IWBs.

Working closely with the team at Northgate Managed Services, we will be developing an on-going training programme to ensure that both teaching and non-teaching staff can develop their skills to ensure they benefit fully from the new ICT provision. We look forward to working in partnership with Northgate in the future"
Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services
"We are delighted to be working with the David Ross Education Trust and Malcolm Arnold Academy. We have focussed on designing a solution and change programme that meets the challenges of the school. The academy is keen to ensure that the new ICT solution is not only robust, but is one that the teachers can take full advantage of to benefit their learners. Northgate's extensive experience with schools right across the country will help them to do this."

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK including another David Ross Academy, Havelock Academy in Grimsby.

Northgate Managed Services exhibits at NHS Scotland Event

2011-08-22T23:00:00+01:00

On August 23rd and 24th, Northgate Managed Services is exhibiting at Stand No.42 at the NHS Scotland Quality in Action Event, at the Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre, Glasgow.

Together with their partners, Northgate will be demonstrating the latest healthcare and industry ICT services and solutions that support patient focused health services.

As one of the leading health events in Scotland, It provides an opportunity for individuals working in, and with, NHS Scotland to consider and discuss some of the important challenges and opportunities for health now and in the future. The 2011 event will be showcasing the successes NHS Scotland has had in improving sustainable quality of healthcare in Scotland and share examples of best practice in quality.

As part of this, Martin Egan, Director of eHealth at NHS Lothian, will be presenting a session "Nearly The Holy Grail - Clinical Portals For Faster, Better and Borderless Care". This session explores the piloting of a clinical portal giving clinicians across NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, instant electronic access to patient data in order to deliver better, faster care. The session examines what the portal provided, how it was assessed, how the system was set up across four NHS Boards and how it is being rolled-out. The portal solution is based on technology from Carefx who is working in partnership with Northgate to deploy and support the system.

Partners exhibiting with Northgate Managed Services include CareFX, Imprivata, G2Speech, Data fusion International, Tracline, MetaCompliance, Patientrack and Courion.

New jobs for Hartlepool and the North East created by Northgate

2011-08-17T23:00:00+01:00

Twenty five new jobs in the local area are being created by Northgate Public Services as the company celebrates a number of new contract wins including the national Blue Badge Improvement Service for disabled drivers.

The Regional Business Centre, based in Wynyard Business Park, is currently on the look out for local people to fill a number of new vacancies to work on Blue Badge, benefits assessment and other support functions carried out by the Centre. The recruitment is underway and is planned to be completed by January 2012.

The Centre, which works with local authorities across the UK to transform processes and help deliver better services for less, opened in 2006 with a staff of just six. Since then it has gone from strength to strength and now employs 42 people. The Centre will be involved in delivering the five-year national Blue Badge Improvement Service contract recently awarded to Northgate on behalf of central government and local authorities. The service is aimed at responding to the challenge of continued high demand for badges and preventing fraud, while also improving customer service and the administration and enforcement of the Blue Badge Scheme.

Northgate is also teaming up with Hartlepool College as part of a modern apprenticeship programme. The scheme will offer local young people the opportunity to gain valuable on-the-job experience. The first four students join next month.

Joe Bradley, Executive Director for Northgate Public Services said: “The Business Centre opened in 2006, in a small office on Wynyard Park, with a team of 6 people and has gone from strength to strength. We now occupy a much bigger office and employ 42 people who work on various contracts. This is a really exciting time for us as we work to support new economic opportunities in the local area. We are delighted to bring approximately 25 much needed new jobs to Teesside and are now actively recruiting for a variety of vacancies.”

Steven Wallis, Assistant Principal, Hartlepool College said: “Hartlepool College are delighted to be working in partnership with Northgate in order to offer apprenticeships to local people in the field of business and administration. Northgate will provide the employment, training and mentoring in an attractive and progressive working environment, while we will provide the structured learning and assessment consistent with national standards. It's a superb opportunity to earn and learn at the same time, work for a superb company and achieve excellent qualifications.”

Northgate to provide newborn hearing screening service in Ireland

2011-08-16T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services in association with the English Newborn Hearing Screening Programme Centre (NHSP) announces that it has been awarded a framework contract by the Health Service Executive (HSE) to provide a newborn hearing screening service in Ireland.

The two year deal, which comes with the possibility of a further extension for a year, builds on Northgate’s and the NHSP’s long track record in both infant and adult screening in the UK.

The service which has initially been commissioned in Cork University Maternity Hospital will be rolled out across the whole of HSE South by early 2012. Once completed, Northgate will be screening over 17,000 babies per year at hospitals in Cork, Wexford, Waterford, Tralee, Kilkenny and Tipperary.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to have been selected by HSE as their partner on this important programme. We all want to give our children the best possible chance in life and infant screening programmes help to achieve this. This Newborn Hearing Screening Programme is one of a number on national initiatives to improve hearing services for children. It will make a real difference to Irish families and their children.”

Northgate backs Glasgow City Ladies as final countdown for Europe begins

2011-08-03T23:00:00+01:00

Glasgow City Ladies FC were today celebrating another great result without even kicking a ball – as ICT firm Northgate Managed Services renewed its sponsorship of the club. The Scottish champions will again display Northgate’s logo on the sleeve of first team shirts for another year, starting with next week’s UEFA Women’s Champions League ties. Glasgow City head off for Europe this week to prepare for qualifying games against Serbian cracks �FK Spartak Jaffa as well as Mosta FC of Malta and Faroese outfit KÍ Klaksvík. They will do so boosted by Northgate’s second year of sponsorship after the company confirmed their backing for another season. City’s General Manager, Laura Montgomery, expressed the club’s delight in the renewed sponsorship. She said: “These are really exciting times for our club just now, as we head off into the UEFA Women’s Champions League once more, to take on some of Europe’s best. “To do so, on the back of the fantastic news that Northgate Managed Services have signed up once more to be a principal sponsor is a great boost for everyone at Glasgow City. “We strive to set standards both on and off the park and to have a company the stature of Northgate renew their partnership with us, hopefully re-affirms their belief and our own in the level of ambition at this club.” ICT firm Northgate has a Scottish base in Glasgow and is headquartered in Belfast, with more than 1,300 staff providing cloud services, infrastructure services and ICT specialist managed services to public, private and third sector organisations across the UK.

James Turnbull, managing director of Northgate Managed Services, said: “As Northgate grows its own reputation in Scotland, so too are Glasgow City with another league title achieved and representing their country in Europe – again – just days away.

“We were only too happy to commit to backing the club as they aim to break new ground and become the first Scottish team to qualify into the knockout stages. “At Northgate we continue to attempt to find new ways to use technology to help firms increase their potential and allow our own business to grow, so both organisations are similarly ambitious. “We wish everyone at Glasgow City LFC all the very best for their European matches and are sure they will do Scotland proud.”

South Derbyshire partnership leads the way

2011-08-01T23:00:00+01:00

The first year of a pioneering partnership between South Derbyshire District Council and Northgate Public Services has been a success, both organisations announce today.

Launched on August 2nd 2010, the partnership showed an innovative response to the age of austerity by focusing on delivering better services for less.

Under the terms of the agreement, Northgate took on responsibility for managing much of the District Council’s Corporate Services and guaranteed to deliver £2.1m of savings over seven years, to continuously improve services and to create economic opportunities for the area.

Over the past 12 months, Northgate has been looking at a variety of ways of making additional savings and helping to further improve the Council’s back and front office services in areas such as Finance, Organisational Development, Revenues and Benefits, Customer Services, IT and Business Improvement. This has helped deliver positive results for local residents and the Council’s employees.

Increased staff training and investment in technology has seen service improvements including a reduction in the time taken to process a benefit claim from 23 days to 12 days. Abandoned telephone calls have reduced from 10 to 2.8 per cent. Overall, this has helped customer satisfaction to reach an all time high of 96 per cent.

One of the key features of the partnership was the creation of new jobs in the area. Working with Burton and South Derbyshire College, the partnership has been able to provide new opportunities for local residents at Northgate’s Regional Business Centre, based in Swadlincote, South Derbyshire.

The pioneering work was recognised this year when the partnership was awarded the Government Business Outsourcing Award 2011. It has also drawn interest from across the country, with other authorities using it as an example of best practice.

Cllr Bob Wheeler, the Leader of South Derbyshire District Council, said: “I am delighted that our partnership with Northgate is helping us to continue to improve our services to the public. Northgate’s understanding of local government, its commitment to deliver on promises, and the emerging relationships built up with the Council have empowered our staff to achieve more at an already high performing authority. Our shared vision has allowed us to continue delivering high quality, efficient services and realise savings. This will continue into the future.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Northgate Public Services, said: “We are proud to be working closely with South Derbyshire District Council to enhance services and deliver better for less. Together, we’ve helped to drive forward innovation and offer high performing, accessible and personalised services for residents. Northgate and the Council have fostered an extremely good relationship in which a culture of collaboration, quality and value for money is growing and getting stronger all of the time.”

Northgate awarded place on new Government Procurement Service framework agreement

2011-07-31T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services has today announced that it has been successful in being awarded a place on the new Government Procurement Service (formally Buying Solutions) Local Government Software Application Solutions framework agreement.

The new framework has been set up by Government Procurement Service to give local government bodies an easy and cost effective procurement route for a range of application solutions and associated goods and services. The framework will cover all business areas, including revenues and benefits, performance management, social housing and social care.

Northgate has previously been awarded places on a number of other Government Procurement Service framework agreements, including Software Application Solutions and IT Managed Services.

This current award will enable the company to continue to offer its full range of solutions and associated goods and services to customers across the public sector through the framework route.

Peter Rottier, Director of Innovations and Partnerships at Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to have been awarded a place on the Local Government Software Application Solutions framework. This will continue to allow local authorities and other local government bodies to gain access to our full range of solutions and services that will help them to deliver better for less. We look forward to using the framework to develop partnerships focused on meeting the challenges that the public sector currently faces.”

Northgate scores a Customer First with the Award of prestigious UK standard for its excellent customer service in schools sector

2011-07-31T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has successfully been reaccredited with the prestigious ‘Customer First UK Standard’ for its outstanding levels of customer service and continuous improvement within the Schools Sector. Northgate implements and manages a range of IT services to more than 1,300 schools throughout the UK, including every school in Northern Ireland. Northgate was first awarded the ‘Customer First UK Standard’ by Customer First UK in 2009 and since then has invested time and resources to further improving the level of service and support it provides to clients. Northgate were assessed against 30 statements , covering three key areas; the; building customer relationships, maximising market awareness and developing people . The assessment team looked for a consistency of approach throughout the business and how best practice and development areas were communicated and actioned. The organisation was highly commended for its strong client relationships, quality monitoring, improved internal communications and commitment to training and development. Commenting on retaining the ‘Customer First UK Standard’ Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services, said “I am delighted that the business has once again been recognised for its customer-orientated culture. Client support is central to what we do an area that we pride ourselves in. This award is a fantastic achievement for each and every Northgate employee. “We are committed to maintaining a leading marketing position in schools ICT and we constantly strive to improve by listening to our customers and responding to feedback in an innovative way. Retaining this accreditation further demonstrates our continued commitment to customers and the importance we place in building strong relationships.”

Northgate Managed Services and Imprivata Partnership Delivers Single Sign-On to NHS Scotland

2011-07-27T23:00:00+01:00

No-Click Access^TM for Health Workers across Scotland to Provide Enhanced Security for Electronic Health Records to Support Scotland’s ‘Better Health, Better Care’ StrategyNHS Scotland has confirmed a purchase of a single sign-on and password reset (SSO/PR) solution to improve access to health systems, increase productivity and enhance data security for health workers across Scotland. The solution from Imprivata will provide No Click Access™ to the many patient systems that run in hospitals and health communities across Scotland. The agreement was procured through value added reseller, Trustmarque Solutions and will be facilitated via a partnership between Imprivata and leading ICT service and solution provider Northgate Managed Services, which will deliver and support Imprivata OneSign^® across all of Scotland’s NHS boards.In support of its “Better Health, Better Care” initiative, a strategy and action plan established by the Scottish Government in 2007, NHS Scotland wanted to remove unnecessary cost, delays and better manage the workflow complexity associated with accessing electronic patient data. Building the best security was also a key priority to help protect the increasing volumes of sensitive information while allowing for maximum clinician-patient service improvement. After Northgate and Imprivata delivered a successful pilot ahead of schedule, NHS Scotland worked with Trustmarque through the tender process to secure a country-wide agreement to include licenses for Imprivata’s OneSign, services, and five years of maintenance and support. “NHS Scotland is committed to ensuring the highest levels of data security while enabling all employees to work as efficiently as possible to deliver high quality patient care,” said Ronnie Monaghan, Head of e-Health Programme at NHS Fife. “Through a smart combination of healthcare and IT security expertise, Northgate Managed Services and Imprivata demonstrated the importance of understanding the complexities in patient and clinician workflow, ensuring that our patient data remains highly secure, and the need for maximising the time available between patient and clinician. As the appliance-based solution required no changes to existing infrastructure such as Active Directory, Imprivata OneSign can be seamlessly integrated with our existing IT systems at NHS Boards across Scotland. This will prove significant for improving access and usage of key clinical systems for providing care on a National scale.”James Turnbull, managing director, infrastructure solutions at Northgate Managed Services, added, “Northgate and NHS Scotland have a strong relationship built on trust and expert insight. We are delighted to build on this relationship by delivering industry leading healthcare technology and services that will improve productivity and efficiency, and ultimately contribute to better care for more patients in Scotland.”“Imprivata is pleased to have been selected as a core technology for NHS Scotland’s ‘Better Health, Better Care’ programme,” stated Omar Hussain, president and CEO at Imprivata. “NHS Scotland is a highly regarded technology innovator that leads the way for healthcare initiatives in countries around the world. We are very proud of the role that OneSign will play in the Boards’ pursuit of clinical excellence, one of the key pillars of their action plan.” Mark Garrity, Regional Sales Director at Trustmarque Solutions, commented, “Trustmarque has a rich heritage of providing innovative solutions and value added services to the public sector in the UK, particularly within the NHS. Through the longstanding relationship and trust we enjoy with NHS Scotland we are delighted to provide the advice and support necessary to help NHS Scotland identify the information security solution for Scotland’s healthcare boards.”

Northgate competes to Make a Million

2011-07-05T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services is one of ten Northern Ireland businesses pitching their finest entrepreneurial ideas against each other to help raise funds for The Prince’s Trust. The companies have joined The Trust’s Million Makers competition in a bid to see whose innovative ideas will generatehe most return for the youth charity. Million Makers challenges teams to turn a seed fund of £1,500 into a fundraising profit of £10,000 by coming up with original and inspiring enterprises and implementing them over a period of six months. Teams from Allstate Northern Ireland, BNI Northern Ireland, Delta Packaging, Hewlett-Packard, Marks & Spencer, Northgate Managed Services, Parker Green International, RSM McClure Watters, ShredBank and Tughans are coming together with other teams across the UK to ‘make a million’. For their first task, teams will present their business plans to a Dragon’s Den style panel in order to secure their seed funding. Safe in the knowledge that they have a robust and water-tight plan, they will then deliver their own mini enterprise. Million Makers is a no-cost learning and development tool proven to build essential skills and motivate employees. Eleanor Lee, Marketing Director for Northgate Managed Services said, “Northgate are committed to improving the life chances and education for children and young people. The Million Makers challenge allows us to deliver on our CSR objectives through employee participation and volunteering. We are delighted to be involved in the Million Makers Challenge, we are only at the very beginning, but already our team is very enthusiastic about how we can turn our ideas into a winning enterprise. We have really enjoyed the team development days and we are identifying the key strengths and skills of our team members, Million Makers is an ideal opportunity to try something completely different. “The real bonus is that any funds we raise will go to help The Prince’s Trust work with young people in Northern Ireland which is a real incentive for us to come up with a winning enterprise.” Ian Jeffers, Director of The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland welcomed the support of the companies participating in Million Makers, “Every year more than 3,000 young people take part in our programmes throughout Northern Ireland. Initiatives like Million Makers raise funds to help us make a lasting difference to their lives.” “This competition combines skills development and networking opportunities whilst raising much needed money for our work. At The Prince’s Trust, we pride ourselves on creating mutually beneficial partnerships. For us it makes sense; we provide the learning and development opportunities for companies and they help us to raise vital funds.” “I have every confidence that Million Maker teams in Northern Ireland will lead the way in generating innovative, entrepreneurial and ultimately successful business ideas. All the money raised will go directly to local programmes run by The Prince’s Trust in Northern Ireland.”

Leicester schools commended for providing truly interactive learning experiences through technology

2011-06-29T23:00:00+01:00

A buzz of excitement filled the air at the Leicester Tigers Stadium recently as students and teachers from over thirty schools and colleges across Leicester joined educational technology experts to showcase creative use of technology. Led by the students themselves to share what they believe to be best practice for ICT in the classroom, the Engage, Evolve, Excel event was broadcast live to students all over the country thanks to English Martyrs RC School who operate Leicester’s school radio station SuperSonicFM. Demonstrating new ways to open up the curriculum to learners of all abilities, students from Ash Field Primary School demonstrated the latest 'Eye Gaze' communication device which enables users to control games on screen with their eyes. Soar Valley College, one of the organisers of the event, showcased creative use of the latest handheld technologies, such as Apple iPads and iPhones, Sony PSPs and Nintendo DS’ and Moat Community College demo’d innovative use of robot and coding technology to help engage boys in engineering. The day culminated with an awards ceremony hosted by world-renowned Professor Stephen Heppell, attributed as ‘the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education’ who awarded prizes to the most innovative schools. The winners included Crownhills Community College, Ash Field Primary School, Shenton Primary School, Soar Valley College and Moat Community College. Mel Berry, Principal of Soar Valley College and one of the organisers said: “This has been an outstanding opportunity for schools in Leicester to tap into best practice use of technology across the city. We are so proud to have been involved and delighted to see our students and teachers recognised by Professor Stephen Heppell as one of most innovative learning environments in the area.” Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services - Leicester’s ICT managed service provider, said: “We were bowled over by the wealth of talent in Leicester, with so many teachers and students using ICT in creative ways in the classroom. What we witnessed at “Engage, Evolve, Excel” has been truly inspirational and we commend Leicester’s schools for their commitment to delivering such an interactive and engaging learning experience to young people.” The event was organised by Leicester’s schools and colleges in association with Leicester City Council, Leicester City Secondary EIP, The Schools Development and Support Agency (SDSA) and supported by leading providers of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices). Key event sponsors included world-class education suppliers Promethean, CDEC, Siracom / Meru, and Sahara.

Northgate sends off Make IT Happy competition winners

2011-06-29T23:00:00+01:00

Northern Ireland's Make IT Happy competition winners Christ the Redeemer Primary School pupils are joined by Stuart Gunning, Regional Director Education, Northgate Managed Services at the George Best City Airport as they prepare to travel to London for the UK finals hosted at the Houses of Parliament.

Northgate currently provides IT services to every school in Northern Ireland through C2K, and as part of its ongoing commitment to education are supporting the School¹s trip to London. Christ the Redeemer Primary School are one of twelve winning schools from across the UK will be awarded £1,200 each, and from these entries 3 overall winners will be chosen to receive additional cash prizes. All winners have been invited to attend an awards ceremony on 28th June 2011.

The focus of this year¹s competition was how pupils were able to "Pass IT On" ¬ the pupils produced a DVD that demonstrated how they use IT in their school, how they pass IT onto younger students in their school and also how they manage and update their school website.

Selecting the School as the Northern Ireland winner the judging panel described their entry an inspiration in what was a fiercely competitive regional competition.

The "Make IT Happy" competition has been designed for primary school children in Years 4, 5 and 6 and has been running since 2007. The competition is managed by PITCOM (the Parliamentary IT Committee) and e-skills UK, the Sector Skills Council for Business and IT, with sponsorship from Nominet Trust and the IET.

Rushey Mead School to benefit from �2.5million Investment in bespoke and sustainable ICT Service

2011-06-26T23:00:00+01:00

Teachers and students at Rushey Mead Secondary School in Leicester, which is undergoing a £16m rebuild under the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, have welcomed the news that they will also benefit from a major investment in the very latest Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). The £2.5million five year contract awarded to Northgate Managed Services by Leicester City Council, will provide a bespoke ICT managed service which is robust and fully scalable to support the wide ranging educational needs of Rushey Mead. The investment will enable the school, which has been designated as ‘Outstanding’ following exceptional Ofsted reports, to further enhance its strong track record of attainment and achievement. In light of recent budget cuts across the education sector, Northgate has worked in collaboration with the school and the Local Authority to develop a sustainable service which not only meets immediate needs but is flexible enough to meet requirements in the future. This approach is in keeping with the core objectives of the ICT strategy set by both the City Council and Rushey Mead. The ICT investment will greatly enhance the school’s learning environment, helping to create independent learners as students can access learning “anytime anywhere”. The school is fully wireless enabled and each and every student has access to a personalised virtual learning area where they can work on assignments, sort work and access emails, enabling them to communicate more effectively with teachers and fellow students.

Other aspects of the service provided by Northgate, such as managed print will also benefit the school through significant efficiencies and cost savings.

Carolyn Robson, Head Teacher at Rushey Mead said: "Staff and students at the school are excited at the prospect of moving into their new BSF building in the summer of 2012. With the ever-increasing use of new ICT by young people it is critical that the school environment reflects and adapts to the many technologies available." "Through the use of wireless technology throughout the school, electronic communication with parents, interactive white-boards in each classroom and a world class virtual learning environment Rushey Mead School will be able to build on its Outstanding School status enriching the lives of its 1500 students. Working in partnership, Northgate and Rushey Mead have planned a school based on a sustainable, adaptable and affordable model that will meet students and staff needs for a great many years." Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services added: “Working alongside Rushey Mead and Leicester City Council at this crucially important stage in the school’s development is of great significance to Northgate. We relish this opportunity to play such a key role in the school’s development and to help create an ICT-based learning environment which not only maximises the potential for teachers and students today, but which also incorporates a vision for the future.“With this strong platform now in place we will work with the school to reach an even higher level by exploring other technologies and services such as cloud-based services which has proven to be driving force in ICT in Education throughout the UK.”

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES SECURES MULTI-MILLION POUND STRUTT & PARKER ICT DEAL

2011-06-20T23:00:00+01:00

New IT services across top property group's 50 offices will support future growth. Leading UK Property Consultant, Strutt and Parker has awarded a multi-million pound five-year contract to Northgate Managed Services for the provision of an ICT Managed Service.

Northgate will be responsible for designing, implementing and managing a flexible, secure and resilient IT infrastructure supporting Strutt & Parker's growing reliance on ICT systems to deliver an improved experience for their clients.

The solution will cover data centre services and end user devices. Over 800 staff will be able to access the right systems, applications and data securely across Strutt and Parker's 50 corporate and commercial locations across the UK, in or out of the office.

Northgate will build, own and manage the ICT infrastructure on behalf of Strutt and Parker, which has been designed to be flexible enough to support new mobile technologies as the company grows. This service will be delivered from Northgate's ITIL certified centre of excellence in Belfast and using Northgate's national engineering team to provide local support at Strutt and Parker offices throughout the UK.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive for Northgate Managed Services, said:

"Northgate's strength is working with customers who are undergoing change and need a trusted partner to help shape and drive the business. The main challenge for Strutt and Parker was that they needed to improve the quality of their IT systems to support their changing business needs in a geographically diverse environment to continue to improve the quality of service to their clients.
"Our service goes beyond simply resolving day-to-day IT issues by using ITIL best practice service management tools, we will ensure delivery of strategic outcomes, not only addressing technology issues but, more importantly, the company's IT performance as a whole, thereby maximising return on investment.
"We will effectively utilise the growing potential of fully managed IT, to transform, standardise and rationalise their business - enabling the delivery of standardised systems and applications further supporting their strategic outcomes and future expansion."
Strutt & Parker is one of the largest property partnerships in the UK, offering services and professional support in all aspects of property and land from its offices across the UK.

Andy Martin, Senior Partner of Strutt and Parker said:

"We had a challenge to meet and have chosen Northgate to deliver it. This partnership will provide us with simple to use, secure reliable IT user environment - allowing our staff to access our data securely from anywhere. The flexibility of the solution and the provider will allow us to continue to take advantage of changing business requirements, delivering a quick reliable service to our clients, and with the flexibility to support our future business needs and long term growth plans.

Isle of Sheppey Academy to benefit from new 21st Century ICT rich learning environments

2011-06-14T23:00:00+01:00

The Isle of Sheppey Academy in Kent is to benefit from a new state-of-the-art Information & Communications Technology (ICT) service from Northgate Managed Services worth £5.8million. The ICT service forms part of the overall £54million building and development programme, which will see the opening of two brand new 21stCentury learning environments in the east and west of the island in 2013.

With Business and Enterprise as one of the Academy's Specialisms, ICT is used as a key tool to delivering the Academy's innovative teaching and learning approaches. Each site will benefit from high levels of ICT device provision and the most up to date technology and resources to support and inspire learning in each of its 2,450 students. Not only will teachers and learners have 24/7 access to learning, resources will also be available to parents and the wider community, underpinning the Academy's role as a hub for the island.

Working in partnership with the Academy, Northgate will deliver a robust, flexible and sustainable ICT solution that is tailored and designed to meet the needs of the Academy, yet flexible enough to respond to evolving priorities and changing technologies. Engaging with teaching and support staff, Northgate will also support the Academy in preparation for the move into the new facilities.

The school-based customer support engineers will be supported by Northgate's Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certified service centre of excellence in Belfast.

In addition, the Academy will benefit from Northgate's "cloud-based" application called MY-SCHOOL, which unites a range of the academy's systems and applications under one single sign-on. Teachers and students will be able access the academy's educational resources from any device connected to the internet, at any time. Using a wide variety of widgets such as RSS news feeds, weather, maps, and search functionality, each student will also be able to customise to their individual preference.

Executive Headteachers, Alan Klee and David Rahman, said:

"The Academy aims to instil a culture of high expectation for every student. The new technology-rich environments will help every student raise their attainment and achievement levels across a range of academic and vocational subjects and equip them with the necessary skills to be successful citizens of the future. We look forward to working in partnership with Northgate Managed Services to help us achieve this"

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Northgate Managed Services

"We are delighted to be working with Kent Local Education Partnership 1 and the Academy on these inspiring new learning environments. The academy is keen to take advantage of the latest computer-based teaching and learning approaches, and Northgate's extensive experience with schools right across the country will help them to do this."

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,250 schools, colleges and academies across the UK working with a plethora of exceptional centres of learning, including Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough Havelock Academy in Grimsby, Litherland High School in Sefton and Abraham Guest High School in Wigan.

Leicester schools to share best practice for educational transformation through technology at 'Engage, Evolve, Excel' � 22 June 2011

2011-06-13T23:00:00+01:00

Event: 'Engage, Evolve, Excel' - free event for Leicester schools to showcase and share excellent and innovative practice in the use of technology for teaching and learning

Who should attend: Senior leaders, teachers, trainee teachers, bursars and ICT leads at Leicester primary and secondary schools

Date/Time: Wednesday 22nd June 2011 14:00 - 17:00

Venue: Honours & Legends Suites, Welford Road Stadium, Aylestone Road, Leicester LE2 7TR (free parking available)

You are invited to join over thirty schools, colleges and educational technology experts from across Leicester to experience a showcase of innovative practice in the use of technology at the "Engage, Evolve, Excel" event on Wednesday 22nd June at the Leicester Tigers Stadium.
From exciting classroom projects utilising the latest handheld technologies, such as Apple iPads and iPhones, Sony PSPs and Nintendo DS', to innovative use of robot and coding technology to help engage boys in engineering, "Engage, Evolve, Excel" is set to inspire best practice use of technology across the entire curriculum.

Teachers and practitioners from across all subject areas and across the phases of education, will be able to share their experiences, best practice, resources and methods of how technology can be used to support effective learning and to engage students.
The event is organised by Leicester's schools and colleges in association with Leicester City Council, The Schools Development and Support Agency (SDSA) and supported by leading providers of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices). Key event sponsors include world-class education suppliers Promethean, CDEC and Siracom / Meru.

Keynote, Professor Stephen Heppell, attributed as 'the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education'*, will share his latest experiences and findings on innovation in education to inspire attendees. Josie Fraser, Leicester City Council's ICT Strategy Lead (Transforming Learning Environments) will also talk about the authority's commitment and strategy to ensure that all young people benefit from access to technology to support learning.

The event will close with an awards ceremony led by Professor Stephen Heppell to reward the most exemplary schools.

Schools and colleges interested in attending the event should contact Northgate Managed Services on: T: 028 9085 7159 or e-mail: claire.mcbride@northgate-is.com.

To book a place at the event or discuss your requirements to cover the story, please contact Louise Peto, Account Director at Livewire Public Relations on tel: 020 339 7430 / louise.peto@livewirepr.com.

What can you see on the day?

2:30pm & 4:00pm - Keynote presentations from Professor Stephen Heppell, a recognised leader in the fields of learning, new media and technology.

- Exciting classroom projects utilising the latest handheld technologies, such as Apple iPads and iPhones, Sony PSPs and Nintendo DS.

- Innovative robot and coding technology to help engage and raise the achievement of boys in engineering.

- SuperSonic FM - English Martyrs Catholic School's radio station now broadcasting on the internet to bring Leicester schools a lively mix of music, news, views and interviews with scientists and engineers. (www.supersonicfm.co.uk)

- Use of computers and laser technology to produce key fobs from plastic and wood.

- Best practice use of online learning environments to promote independent learning and collaboration between staff and students

- The latest educational technologies from world-class education suppliers and key sponsors of the event - Promethean, CDEC and Siracom / Meru

Northgate bags Blue Badge Improvement Service

2011-06-09T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces that it has been awarded a five-year contract to deliver the national Blue Badge Improvement Service on behalf of central government and local authorities.

The new service is aimed at responding to the challenge of continued high demand for badges and preventing fraud, while improving customer service and the administration and enforcement of the Blue Badge Scheme.

The Scheme, which was established in 1971, gives 2.5 million disabled people access to priority parking spaces enabling them to park close to where they want to go. The Blue Badge Improvement Service will enable disabled people to apply for and renew badges quickly and easily, help local authorities operating the scheme to deliver more effective services and cut down on fraud and abuse, and supply a new design of the Blue Badge itself.

Northgate, in association with Payne Security who will print, supply and distribute the newly designed badge, will develop a secure web-based service available over Government Connect. The service will provide:

an online eligibility checker and application form available on Directgov, as well as help and support for general enquiries from members of the public;
a secure common datastore of key information on badges and badge holders to enable verification checks to be made quickly and easily through a desktop computer, handheld device or smartphone;
better services for disabled people including quicker, easier renewals for those whose circumstances have not changed, automatic reminders and transfer of records when people move;
a web-based management information system and managed service administration and support.

The new card will be harder to copy, alter or forge through the introduction of sophisticated anti-fraud and anti-copy technologies.

The service aims to go live on 1 January 2012.

In an innovative move, the capital costs of the service will be funded by Northgate and Payne Security. They will recoup this investment over the lifetime of the contract through a charge per badge to local authorities.

Local authorities will also be given the choice to opt for a fully managed Blue Badge Service operated by Northgate on behalf of local authorities. For an additional payment, Northgate will deal with the applicant’s claim from start to finish.

The improvement service is part of a package of reforms developed in close consultation with disabled people and local authorities announced by the Department for Transport in February this year.
The reforms are aimed at ensuring improved customer service and more consistent assessment, efficiency savings and cutting down on fraud. Badge fraud is estimated to cost the public sector £46 million a year.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive, Northgate Public Services said today: “Blue Badge is an essential service for disabled people. We are committed to making it more effective for the millions of disabled people who rely on it.

“This innovative programme is focused on enhancing vital local services for disabled people through preventing abuse, improving delivery and planning for increased demand in the future. In difficult times, it shows that improvements for people really can be achieved through new ways of working and using resources.”

Transport Minister, Norman Baker, said: “The Blue Badge Scheme is a positive help to millions of disabled people every day. In February, I announced major reforms to the scheme and I am now pleased, as the next step, to award this contract for the Blue Badge Improvement Service which will see even more of these reforms come into fruition, helping us to modernise the Blue Badge Scheme to ensure that it provides a fair and consistent local service for disabled people.”

Mark Andrews, Head of Contact Centre Services for Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “Cambridgeshire County Council has worked with The Department for Transport to advise on developments for the Blue Badge Improvement Service. The proposed new service will go a long way to address many of the concerns that are raised by both local authorities and Blue Badge holders and we believe that this self-funded service is an excellent way of delivering better for less - enabling local authorities to provide improved services to citizens while gaining from efficiencies.”

Northgate’s latest achievement is built upon a successful track record of delivering innovative services of a similar nature. These include working with the Insolvency Service’s Redundancy Payment Services, the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme and the National Joint Registry. The company currently works with 95 per cent of local authorities and its strong relationship with these was critical to its success.

The Deputy Governor of the Bank of England visits Northgate Managed Services

2011-06-06T23:00:00+01:00

The Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, Charles Bean took time out of his whistle-stop visit to Belfast to meet with officials from Newtownabbey based Northgate Managed Services. Deputy Governor Bean was interested to learn more about Northgate's business and to hear from staff as he toured the facility.

Julian Phipps, Chief Financial Offer talked in detail about Northgate's business strategies and some of the key business challenges it has faced in what have been tough trading conditions. The Deputy Governor also discussed the economy and the likely prospects for its recovery.

Supermarkets Support Government Crackdown on Blue Badge Abuse

2011-05-31T23:00:00+01:00

Following major reforms to the Blue Badge scheme announced earlier this year, seven major supermarket chains have now given their support for the Government’s drive to eradicate Blue Badge abuse.

Responding to the concerns of disability groups, Local Transport Minister Norman Baker wrote to all major supermarkets urging them to do what they could to enforce the scheme on their premises. So far Aldi, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and Lidl have all responded positively in support of the Government’s drive to ensure strict enforcement of the parking bays in their car parks which are privately owned.

Norman Baker said:

"Many disabled people and disability groups have told me about the problems they have in finding a disabled bay at supermarkets because of their abuse by people who have no justification for parking in reserved spaces.

"I am delighted to have secured the support of the major supermarket groups and to know that they share my view that abuse of Blue Badge parking bays needs to be tackled, protecting customers who rely on such spaces. I hope other large retailers will now follow suit and consider what action they can take to help their Blue Badge customers."

The badges provide a vital lifeline to over 2.5 million disabled people every year by prioritising key parking spaces close to important services. However, rising levels of badge fraud have prevented those who genuinely need to use the parking spaces from doing so.

The seven supermarkets have said that drivers found abusing designated disabled bays will be issued with parking charge notices in some circumstances, alongside other measures including car park patrols, leafleting of vehicles and requests over in-store tannoys.

The major reforms to the Blue Badge scheme announced by Norman Baker earlier this year include a new badge design that is harder to forge, as well as improved enforcement powers for local authorities. However, the scheme does not cover privately owned car parks. The support of supermarkets is therefore an important step in ensuring wider enforcement of the scheme.

Following a competitive procurement exercise, Northgate Public Services and Payne Security have been awarded a contract to help make improvements to the Blue Badge scheme, which will include:

Shared administration between authorities including an online eligibility checker and an online application form available via Directgov, resulting in faster renewals, reduced abuse and operational savings;
a secure central database of all Blue Badges on issue and key information on badge holders that will enable fraud prevention and better enforcement;
secure printing, personalisation and distribution of the new Blue Badge design provided by Northgate’s partner, Payne Security.

A Lidl Spokesperson said:

"At Lidl, we are fully committed to assisting the Department for Transport's successful implementation and modernisation of the Blue Badge scheme. We will continue our ongoing, effective monitoring of our car parks and enforcement methods to prevent abuse of the disabled parking bays at our stores."

Gwyn Burr, Sainsbury's Customer Service and Colleague Director, said:

"We know the Blue Badge scheme is an issue close to our customers’ hearts. In 2009 we became the first supermarket to actively manage all of the disabled bays within our car parks and this led to a reduction in the misuse of these spaces, a fact recognised by the Baywatch survey last year. We are very pleased to support this campaign."

Mark Gunter, Group Retail Director of Morrisons, said:

"We have always been concerned about the abuse of disabled parking spaces and we will penalise those able-bodied drivers that incorrectly park in spaces allocated for blue-badge drivers. However, we also depend on the public to help us ensure that these parking bays remain available for disabled drivers."

The new service delivery improvements to the Blue Badge scheme will be operational from 1st January 2012. The capital costs involved in the development of the system will be funded by Northgate and Payne Security, who will re-coup their investment over the lifetime of the five-year contract via a charge to local authorities per badge issued.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services said:

"The Blue Badge scheme is an essential service for disabled people. We are committed to making it more effective for the millions who rely on it. This innovative programme is focused on enhancing vital local services through preventing abuse, improving delivery and planning for increased demand in the future. In difficult times, it shows that improvements for people really can be achieved through new ways of working and using resources."

NHS reforms must take account of health inequalities

2011-05-26T23:00:00+01:00

The government’s plans for NHS reform must consider the wider issue of health inequalities if patients are to receive better services for less, says Northgate Public Services today in a response to the government’s listening exercise.

In its current form, the Health and Social Care Bill includes details on eradicating inequalities in the provision of care. Northgate says that government plans must address the root causes of poor health by considering areas such as education and housing. Without such an approach, there is concern that much of the work of the NHS will be undermined by persistent health inequalities in local communities.

Northgate’s response also highlights the need for high quality, joined up information around public health, the NHS and social care. By bringing these strands of information closer together, the organisations says the new GP commissioning consortia and local authorities will be better able to identify the needs of their communities and tackle health inequalities.

The provision of information is also key to encouraging citizens to become actively engaged in their own care. Research has shown that there are health and also financial benefits to be achieved by encouraging active citizens and Northgate suggests that this approach will be key to the overall success of the health reforms.

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services said today: “We completely support the government in its ambition to achieve healthcare outcomes that are among the best in Europe. However, we believe that if this vision is to become a reality, the proposed reforms must take a holistic view of well-being and look at the root causes of poor health. This will involve breaking down operational silos and working with other services to ensure that health inequalities are tackled at their source.”

Northgate development success delivers benefits to local authority staff

2011-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

An ambitious, user-led programme to re-develop Northgate Public Services’ revenues and benefits system has been a resounding success, the organisation says today.

Following consultation with local authority staff, Northgate embarked upon a process of re-development to move from traditional to browser-based forms with the aim of increasing customer satisfaction. This involved migrating 1500 Oracle forms using Oracle’s Application Express (Apex) in what was, at the time, the largest project of its kind.

The project has now become a flagship for the Apex community and was the subject of a recent Northgate presentation at the Dutch Oracle User Group’s Apex Day in March.

All 170 authorities using Northgate’s revenues and benefits system have now been working on the updated version for over a year. It provides a fully transactional, HTML based front-end creating a more user-friendly interface for staff. This has lead to an increase in the speed with which enquiries are handled and an improved service for citizens.

The news comes as Northgate announces that 100 per cent of the authorities using its revenues and benefits software have completed their annual billing for Council Tax and Business Rates within the deadlines they had set.

Sue Holloway, Director of Local Government, Northgate Public Services said today: "We are constantly seeking to innovate and develop the support we offer to local authorities further. Engaging with users is a key step in this process. At a time when all organisations are attempting to do better for less, it's great news to see positive results which benefit authorities, their staff and the wider community.

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES HOSTS LIVERPOOL SCHOOL LITERARY VISIT

2011-05-05T23:00:00+01:00

Actor, director and playwright Dan Gordon hosts special “From page to stage” Masterclass for Liverpool students.

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has reinforced its position as one of the UK's leading education ICT specialists and shown a real commitment to the communities in which it works by going beyond simply providing and managing ICT. One of the many schools that Northgate works with, Litherland High School, just outside Liverpool, came on a three day literary and cultural visit to Northern Ireland. Northgate supported the trip by hosting a "From Page to Stage Masterclass" with one of Northern Ireland's most recognisable actors, directors and playwrights Dan Gordon.

Over the Easter holidays, teachers and students from the school visited Northgate Managed Services headquarters in Newtownabbey not only to learn first-hand how their ICT is being managed but to also take part in the Masterclass. The 'Give My Head Peace' actor discussed his background with the Year 10 students and talked about Belfast, its unique culture and how the city had inspired many of his creative works over the years.

Commenting on the school visit, Jim Donnelly, Headteacher of Litherland High School stated, "The students that travelled to Belfast are part of the school's Literary Society. We meet once a week and read a variety of books, short stories and poetry from authors such as Seamus Heaney and James Joyce. Coming from Northern Ireland myself, I was keen to have the students visit and to learn more about the places and culture that inspired these great writers.

"When Northgate suggested the idea of visiting its headquarters and hosting a literary masterclass we jumped at the chance. Dan Gordon was fantastic; his insights into the creative industries were excellent and his stories of his time writing and working in Belfast were both funny and engaging. The students learnt a lot and you could see that each and every one took something away from the event.

"I would like to thank Northgate for hosting the event and for taking a real interest in our school. Northgate has proved that there is much more to its education work than meets the eye. The students' feedback was nothing but positive, with many saying that they had gained a greater appreciation for Northern Ireland, its politics and its people. I have a feeling a few of them might be back here sooner rather than later."

Commenting on the Litherland student visit Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: "We were delighted to be able to support Litherland High School on their cultural visit to Northern Ireland. We believe that in order to help schools achieve their aspirations, it is vital to build active partnerships with the schools we work by supporting them in their educational activities in addition to providing them a highly flexible, scalable and professional service. The students certainly seemed to get a lot out of the event. Each presented their school impeccably and was a credit to Mr Donnelly and his staff."

Mayor Visits Northgate Managed Services Head Office

2011-05-04T23:00:00+01:00

Mayor of Newtownabbey, Alderman Paula Bradley took the opportunity to visit leading ICT services company Northgate Managed Services to learn more about its IT Apprenticeship Scheme.

Northgate's "earn as you learn" scheme offers school leavers and young people a direct route into a career in IT, combining educational study with on the job training. As part of the visit Alderman Bradley, had the opportunity to meet 23 year old, ex bricklayer, and current apprentice Peter Kane from Newtownabbey.

Peter discussed how Northgate have given him the opportunity to develop a new career path which has enabled him to graduate next month with specific IT qualifications and successfully undertake a permanent role within the company.

Peter's commitment and dedication to his training, as well as to Northgate, has led to him being nominated for the prestigious 2011 Department for Employment and Learning's 'Apprenticeship of the Year' award.

Alderman Bradley and members of Newtownabbey Borough Council were accompanied by Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services. Mr Ross discussed the company's plans for growth and explained the significance of the recent expansion to Mossley Mill.

Northgate Managed Services secures deal to help protect patients records from security breaches

2011-04-26T23:00:00+01:00

A data safety solution which improves the protection of the health records of NHS patients is to be rolled out Scotland-wide after a successful trial. Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has secured a contract from NHS Scotland after its FairWarning© privacy surveillance solution proved a success with NHS Lothian. The solution resulted in immediate and significant improvements in the protection of almost one million patients' data in the region and will now be rolled out to all 14 NHS Boards across the country.

It is the latest health contract win by the Scottish arm of Northgate, Northern Ireland's biggest IT company, which recently secured a £6.5M deal to deliver a clinical portal service for an NHS consortium of four NHS boards across Scotland.

James Turnbull, Managing Director in Infrastructure Solutions for Northgate Managed Services, said: "We are delighted to be working with the NHS across Scotland after our successful partnership with NHS Lothian, which further demonstrates our expertise and capabilities in the health sector.

"The issue of data security is one that is affecting more and more organisations in today's technology-based business environment and it has never been so important for organisations in possession of critical information - such as citizen or customer data, intellectual property or trade secrets - to protect it.

"NHS Scotland has moved quickly to update its security protocols and to ensure the proper handling of sensitive and confidential patient information by its staff. I am confident that the solutions provided will only help to reassure patients that any information being held is done so securely."

In response to a need to be more proactive and further enhance data security, Northgate will implement the latest FairWarning© privacy surveillance solution to all NHS Boards, helping protect the electronic record TRAKcare system from internal security breaches.
Records from multiple healthcare applications are processed by pulling audit files from each system identified by any NHS Board to be monitored. The surveillance is non-evasive and systematically identifies users who are engaging in patient record access patterns that are indicative of snooping, password sharing and other suspicious behaviours.

This proactive monitoring enables NHS Boards to review in advance anything likely to be deemed as a data protection breach and take steps to further prevent incidents occurring. It can reduce privacy incident rates considerably and enable a rapid and thorough response to patient privacy enquiries. Replacing the manual review process with an automated system also generates considerable efficiencies and return on investment.

Jackie Stephen, Head of eHealth for NHS Borders, said: "We're delighted to be working with Northgate Managed Services to implement across, all NHS Boards, a data safety solution which has proven to further secure the data and records of patients served by NHS Scotland

"We treat very seriously the management and security of data. The introduction of a privacy surveillance solution will help us as we strive to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act (DPA) and provide assurance to all patients across Scotland that their data is safe and secure."

PRIMARY SCHOOLS TO 'CONVERT' PRACTICE INTO SUCCESS AT THE HOME OF ULSTER RUGBY

2011-04-20T23:00:00+01:00

With the Rugby World Cup only a matter of months away and following on from the great form shown by Ireland and Ulster this season, rugby’s profile has never been greater.

In response Newtownabbey based ICT services company, Northgate Managed Services has joined forces once again with Ulster Rugby to host this year's 'IRFU Ulster Branch Primary Schools' Mini Rugby Festival' at Ravenhill.

The IRFU place a strong emphasis on participation rather than competition and this year's event will be a fun and rewarding day out for each and every team.

The festival takes place at Ravenhill between Tuesday 17th May and Friday 20th May and will see 40 schools take to the famous rugby field to compete in a series of round robin matches. Scores will not be kept so while there won't be an outright winner, the festival will help develop team skills and a genuine love for the game.

Commenting on this year's festival, Brian O'Shaughnessey, Community Rugby Officer at the IRFU Ulster Branch said, "Mini Rugby is a great way for children to get involved and enjoy rugby, and the annual primary schools' mini rugby festival is one that goes straight into the schools sporting calendars. Its format encourages participation and is viewed as a vehicle to spark interest in the game and help to develop players, so, they might have the opportunity to emulate heroes such as Ulster stars Andrew Trimble, BJ Botha and Nigel Brady. Our relationship with Northgate continues to be a very successful one, and I look forward to working with them for another year of Mini Rugby."

Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing and Communications, Northgate Managed Services added, "We are delighted to be working with Ulster Rugby and to be supporting the Mini Rugby festival for a sixth year. It is a fantastic event and one that is enjoyed by all those that take part. Each year the talent on show surpasses that of the previous year, and I have no doubt that it won't be too long before we witness a player from this event representing Ulster and even Ireland."

Local business supports Sure Start Centre

2011-04-11T23:00:00+01:00

Parents and children visiting a Bletchley Sure Start Centre can now enjoy a new outdoor play area thanks to a group of volunteers from a local company.

Staff from Northgate Public Services have recently completed the refurbishment of the outdoor area at The Art Room Sure Start Children's Centre at Drayton Park School in Bletchley. The work involved clearing, repainting and re-covering parts of the play area and also preparing the site for a new sand pit.

The volunteers were taking advantage of Northgate's community volunteering scheme where staff are given time off to support local community projects. They were supported by local businesses; Dobbies Garden Centre and Slab & Tickle both donated materials to the project.

The Art Room Sure Start Children’s Centre provides a place for parents and children to attend play sessions and also access services from a wide range of professionals.

Mark King, Senior Family Support Worker, The Art Room, said today: "We're really grateful that Northgate staff have donated their time to the centre. The work they have done has helped to create a fun and safe outdoor area for parents and children to enjoy just in time for summer."

Nicola Crosbie, Northgate Public Services, added: "The Art Room provides a vital service to parents and children and we are delighted to have had the opportunity to use our community days to support the centre. We're always keen to help out locally and it was great to be involved in a project which can now be enjoyed by families in the area for many years to come."

Calling Leicester Schools and Colleges to showcase innovative use of technology

2011-04-10T23:00:00+01:00

Schools, Colleges and other key partners across Leicester are invited to showcase their excellent and innovative practice in the use of technology at the “Engage, Evolve, Excel” event on Wednesday 22nd June at the Leicester Tigers Stadium.

The event will enable teachers and practitioners from across all subject areas and across the phases of education, to share their experiences, best practice, resources and methods of how technology can be used to support effective learning and to engage students.

The event is organised by Leicester's Schools and Colleges in association with Leicester City Council, The Schools Development and Support Agency (SDSA) and supported by leading providers of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices). This afternoon event, provided free of charge, will enable attendees to take away a wealth of practical ideas and strategies from the full range of exhibitors that they can then apply in their own schools and colleges.

In addition, keynote speaker Professor Stephen Heppell, a recognised leader in the fields of learning, new media and technology, will be sharing his latest experiences and findings on innovation in education to inspire attendees.

Mel Berry, Principal of Soar Valley College who is one of the organisers said "We are delighted to be able to offer this event . There is some very effective and exciting practice in the use of technology to support learning in all of our schools. This event is an excellent opportunity for schools in Leicester to tap into what is seen as best practice across the city. We are hoping that every secondary school, special school and college will be represented at the event

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: "From our work with schools across the UK, we know there is a wealth of innovative talent out there, with many teachers creating fantastic, innovative learning techniques by using ICT in ways which others might never consider, for example using Nintendo Wii Fit for PE classes and incorporating Apple I-touch into music lessons. Our aim is to use the insights of our teachers to create a 'best practice' platform which can be shared by all teachers. Only by hearing from those at the coal face can we really appreciate how ICT will continue to play an inclusive and fully effective role in teaching today and in the future."

Josie Fraser, Leicester City Council's ICT Strategy Lead (Transforming Learning Environments) commented "Leicester City Council is committed to ensuring that all young people benefit from access to technology to support learning. All our learners need the skills and confidence to learn and work with technology, to ensure they can take advantage of the social and economic opportunities on offer in the modern world. This event gives Leicester a chance to showcase and share some of the innovative and effective ways our teachers and learners are currently using technologies within schools."

Schools and colleges interested in showcasing have been invited to submit a short summary detailing the types of innovative work that could be showcased at the event by registering online

www.northgate-managedservices.com/exhibitor or by contacting Northgate Managed Services

claire.mcbride@northgate-is.com or telephoning 028 9085 7159.

Prizes will be awarded on the day for the best showcase.

Northgate Managed Services delivers seamless transfer to Almac's new US HQ

2011-04-05T23:00:00+01:00

More than 15,000 records updated securely each day during a major migration programme thanks to Northgate’s expertise Newtownabbey based IT specialist, Northgate Managed Services has cemented its eight year partnership with global pharmaceutical company, The Almac Group after successfully migrating its global online resources to Almac’s new US headquarters in Souderton, Pennsylvania.The new headquarters houses clinical trial supply and technology services as well as introducing Almac’s analytical services to the U.S. for the first time. Using a specialist web application, up to 15,000 records are securely created and updated each day from Almac’s clients, worldwide. Northgate’s role was to manage the transition of key web services from its old data centre locations to its new operation, whilst ensuring that clients experienced no downtime during the migration process.A specialist team from Northgate was responsible for the highly time sensitive project which demanded meticulous planning together with implementation of the latest Citrix NetScaler web security technology. Now fully integrated, the new solution also allows Almac to meet the growing demands for its services from pharmaceutical and biotech companies world-wide.Commenting on the success of the project Andrew Hillis, Group Head of Information Services for the Almac Group said, “The decision to move key operations to our new Souderton site was based on business growth and development, but the transition process had to be flawless, with absolutely no break in service. Having worked with Northgate for eight years, the company’s experience, expertise and understanding of our business proved vital. The end result was the successful transfer and centralisation of resources, with an enhanced and highly effective infrastructure which is positioned to allow for future growth.” James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services said, “Almac’s feedback on the project is a strong endorsement of Northgate’s expertise and project management skills. Our client understanding and business insight proved key and ensured Almac delivered its three core commitments of innovation, quality and customer service. We look forward to developing and strengthening our partnership in the future.”

Career Opportunities in ICT Under Spotlight for Newry Pupils

2011-04-04T23:00:00+01:00

Pupils from Sacred Heart School in Newry have achieved a 500^thpupil ‘milestone’ after the school participated in a workplace visit to leading IT services provider, Northgate Managed Service in Newtownabbey.Hosted by Northgate as part of its commitment to careers development and aiming to provide pupils with an insight into the opportunities presented through the technology sector, the visits are part of an on-going series, organised by Momentum under its Bring IT On programme. As well as recording the 500^th pupil visit, this was the 25^thschool visit to Northgate since it teamed up with Momentum in 2010. In addition to capturing the imagination of pupils by highlighting the wide ranging career opportunities now offered by the ICT sector, the visit also gave the Sacred Heart pupils the chance to see how Northgate delivers its service support to 1250 primary and secondary schools throughout NI under the Classroom 2000 contract.Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate said: “As a key provider to the education sector, we’re delighted to welcome the pupils and teacher of Sacred Heart from Newry to our headquarters and play our part in promoting ICT as a profession which is positive, creative, focused, exciting and future focused. “ICT is a driving force in our economic recovery process so it is essential we do all we can to support schools, colleges and local communities as we seek to attract our talented young people and do what we can to build a qualified, sustainable workforce for the future. We hope the visit gave them food for thought and that in the years to come we may well be welcoming some of the pupils back as full time members of the Northgate team.”To enhance the value of the tour, members of Northgate’s highly effective technical team explained how they provide valuable support to schools such as Sacred Heart to ensure seamless delivery of the learning process.Mrs McGeeney, head of IT for Sacred Heart added: “Actually seeing how Northgate delivers support to all NI schools through C2K was a revelation for our students. The diversity of services provided, using ICT, to both the public and private sectors was also a revelation as the students were able to see what they were being taught in school becoming a reality in the workplace. This was a very worthwhile experience.”

Northgate recgonised in delivering specialised solutions

2011-03-31T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Information Solutions has been awarded the Oracle ISV Partner of the Year Award at the annual Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized UK Awards.

This is the second consecutive year that Oracle judges have recognised Northgate Information Solutions’ success in delivering innovative solutions and achieving strong customer success using Oracle applications.

David Callaghan, Senior Vice President, Oracle UK, Ireland and Israel said:

“These awards recognise the specialised partners that have consistently delivered high level innovation and excellence in their areas of expertise over the past year.

The judging panel believes Northgate Information Solutions has shown commitment to growing its Oracle business, has enhanced skills in its Oracle product line and has shown focus in vertical industries. We’d like to congratulate all partners on their award wins.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services said today: “We are delighted to have received this award. Our focus is always on meeting our client’s needs and helping them to deliver better services for less. The successful relationship we have developed with Oracle is key to this approach. Now, more than ever, it is essential that organisations work collaboratively to bring together their expertise and deliver positive outcomes for the community.”

Northgate Information Systems is a Gold level member of OPN and is Specialized in Oracle Solaris.

Northgate calls for focus on health inequalities

2011-03-30T23:00:00+01:00

Local government and local communities should be at the heart of a new approach to public health, says Northgate Public Services.

In a response to the Department of Health’s white paper Healthy Lives, Healthy People, Northgate warmly welcomes an extended role for local government in public health.

However, with local authorities under severe pressure, the company argues that it is essential that councils are given certainty over the level of resources to be allocated to them for public health. Without this, the response says, there is a danger that public health and reducing health inequalities will not be given the priority the government says it deserves.

GP commissioning may exacerbate inequalities rather than narrow them, according to Northgate. GP practices will have flexibility to form consortia in ways that will not necessarily be aligned with local authorities, leading to increased complexity in commissioning.

Northgate’s response also calls for:

action to address the digital divide, including in the short to medium term, developing multiple channels of information to enable active citizens to take more responsibility for their wellbeing;

a clear recognition of the importance of tier 2 authorities in developing co-ordinated public health services that reach out to the most disadvantaged;

representation for community organisations on health and wellbeing boards.

Sue Holloway, Director of Local Government for Northgate Public Services, said today: “The change the government plans is welcome. It is essential that local authorities are put at the heart of public health if we are to reach out to those most disadvantaged and address persistent inequalities.”

“Our concern is that public health should not become the Cinderella of public services. It is essential that local authorities are given the resources to do the job. This must involve and include local people not only in the design and delivery of services, but also in their assessment.”

New ways of working lead to improved outcomes

2011-02-28T00:00:00+01:00

Small-scale actions can help improve efficiency and reduce costs, says Northgate Public Services today as the company continues to work with its partners to provide innovative responses to the challenges facing the public sector.

By adopting new ways of working, Northgate suggests that resources can be freed up to focus on core tasks. The organisation points to a recent partnership with one mediumsized local authority where it has implemented NMail, a fully automated and secure postage and production solution.

NMail acts as a virtual mailbox for staff, allowing them to automatically and securely send documents to the NMail Print Centre from their desktops using already existing applications. Here, mail to the same individual is collated, before being formatted, printed and sent out, removing the need for staff to spend time manually processing mail.

Organisations can also achieve significant cost-savings through this kind of solution. One authority that has implemented the solution believes it has reduced costs by 40 per cent. By aggregating mail from a range of customers, NMail allows organisations to benefit from mass-mailing prices, even if they themselves have low volumes.

Northgate estimates that authorities, dependent on their size, can save up to £150,000 a year through this kind of action.

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: "The scale of the challenges facing the public sector cannot be underestimated. Now, more than ever, it is essential to look at new ways of working that can deliver better for less.

Small-scale actions are the perfect place to start. NMail is just one example of how local authorities can begin to make immediate savings. There is no minimum volume for NMail so even the smallest authority can start to make big savings through this kind of action.”

Northgate Managed Services and Carefx join forces to provide clinical portal for consortium of NHS Boards across Edinburgh and southern Scotland

2011-02-25T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services has been appointed as the preferred bidder to deliver, implement and manage a clinical portal service for an NHS consortium covering NHS Lothian, NHS Fife, NHS Borders and NHS Dumfries and Galloway. As part of the five year deal, the portal solution will be based on technology from Carefx who will work in partnership with Northgate to deploy and support the system. The initiative is part of an NHS drive in which Scottish health boards have formed three regional consortia, each looking at the best way to use clinical portals in their areas. The NHS in Scotland has carried out detailed research into the use of clinical portals as a cost-effective and highly efficient way to reduce costs and administration while simultaneously speeding up patient services. Part of the research included a survey in 2009 of more than 3,240 clinicians – many in senior posts – to identify their requirements from a clinical portal programme, most of which will now be included within the new contract. Once deployed the clinical portal will provide healthcare professionals with streamlined access to critical patient information from a single browser view. This will replace the current, time consuming process of retrieval of information through disparate systems and paper records. The clinical portal is seen as the key to realising the vision in the Scottish Government’s strategy and action plan Better Health Better Care (2008), to “...ensure that the right information is available at the right time, in the right place, to enable staff to provide the best possible care”. Graham Gault, Head of Information Management & Technology, NHS Dumfries and Galloway, who led the consortium, said: “The clinical portal initiative is widely supported by clinicians. Northgate Managed Services and Carefx have provided a prototype for the consortium which has proved that it can integrate with the different systems used across the four health boards and provide clinicians with a single view of the patient across each of the regions and real-time patient information, with the utmost accuracy. We look forward to working with Northgate and Carefx, to introduce the new system across all four boards in the consortium over the year, which will allow them to reduce their dependence on paper records.” “The aim for all healthcare organisations today is to improve the quality of patient care, while reducing the costs to the NHS of providing its services, and this initiative strengthens our position in being able to do just this,” adds Gault. “By deploying the portal we know that our consortia of trusts will be able to deliver secure, real-time access to relevant patient data, at that precise point in the care pathway. This is about meeting the needs of healthcare staff, the organisation and most importantly the patient.” Northgate has over 40 years experience in providing and managing ICT services and solutions which improve business process and efficiencies whilst reducing costs. Currently working with over 60 health sector organisations, including every health board in Scotland, Northgate has delivered smarter, more efficient ways for them to operate. James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services, said: “We are very pleased to be selected as the preferred bidder to provide a clinical portal for the NHS across such a large area of Scotland. Working in partnership with Carefx, we are providing a technology that offers the health service an ideal opportunity to meet its present and future needs.” “Clinical portals can significantly speed up patient services and cut down on bureaucracy as the technology will pick up data from wherever it is stored and display it instantly,” Turnbull added. “But more than that, for healthcare providers it eliminates the expense of having to replace their existing IT systems. As the portal is affordable and easy to deploy, it also offers a swift return on investment, which is more important than ever at a time when budgets are very tight.” The Carefx portal technology, built on its Fusionfx platform, has been designed to improve the quality and safety of patient care. Wayne Parslow, European Vice President and General Manager, EMEA, Carefx, said: “There are clear advantages in opting for a solution which brings together the information from existing systems rather than scrapping them and undertaking huge projects to install new ones. This is all the more true when a system like ours can achieve what healthcare workers want by delivering dynamic and personalised patient data in an instant, wherever they are. Giving healthcare staff the fullest possible picture will improve continuity of care, patient safety and clinical productivity while reducing fragmentation to give the patient a better experience. Working on this project we have formed a strong partnership with Northgate Managed Services. It has also provided us with a strategic platform for future collaboration to develop further leadership and innovative thinking for the healthcare sector.” End Notes for editors · For details of the survey see: NHS Scotland eHealth Programme, Clinical portal survey, Catherine Kelly, eHealth Clinical Lead, Scottish Government, August 2009.· Key findings showed that clinicians wanted a portal to provide information on:o Past medical historyo Current problem listo Current medicationso Allergies and alertso Treatment plano Events and procedureso Social history o Clinical letters (in particular, outpatient clinic letters, hospital discharge letters and referral letters)o Diagnostic test resultso Clinical observationso Local and national clinical guidelines and access to eBNFo Some types of clinical notes. · Northgate Managed Services signed a deal with Carefx in 2010 to distribute its Fusionfx suite of products into the UK health and social care market.

Hugh Christie Technology College chosen as the training provider for Northgate Managed Services IT apprenticeship scheme in Kent

2011-02-17T00:00:00+01:00

Ten new IT apprentices from Kent will be starting their 18-month training programme with Hugh Christie Technology College, Tonbridge, as part of a new apprenticeship scheme from Northgate Managed Services.

The apprentices will be attending the college one day per week to study for their NVQ Level 3 IT systems and support. As part of the Northgate’s ‘earn as you learn’ apprenticeship, this will be combined with hands-on training, with each Apprentice working as a trainee IT engineer in some of the schools in Kent that Northgate currently provides services to.

As with every Northgate employee, each apprentice is given their own personal development plan with a mixture of online and classroom training which develops core skills and competencies such as communication, time management, customer service, problem solving and many more.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services, commented: “As a successful and growing IT services company we are committed to working with young people in the communities where we are based. By offering an IT Apprenticeship Scheme to school leavers, we are developing a qualified and talented workforce that will help us grow our business and provide Kent with an influx of new IT talent. Hugh Christie is an exemplar school at the forefront of educational technology to drive teaching and learning. We are proud to be working with such an inspirational team of people to help deliver vital on-the-job training as part of our new apprenticeship scheme.”

Jon Barker, Principal of Hugh Christie Technology College, commented: “We are delighted to be involved with the IT apprenticeship scheme. Our partnership with Northgate has been a great success and has facilitated the continuing development of technology at the school. The apprenticeship scheme is an exciting further extension of this partnership. Together with Northgate, we will provide outstanding training for the apprentices which will enable them to develop a career in an important area. I hope that some will enjoy their return to school so much that they may consider the valuable role of supporting IT within the school environment in the future.”

Sarah Hohler, Kent County Council Cabinet Member for Education, Learning and Skills, said: “Kent has championed apprenticeships for a number of years. The Northgate Managed Services scheme offers young people a fantastic opportunity to gain practical skills and work experience while working towards a nationally-recognised qualification. These modern apprenticeships are exactly the type of initiative we need to deliver to make sure that students are equipped to meet the needs of a 21st century workforce.”

Each apprentice is allocated a mentor and ‘buddy’ to support and advise them throughout the programme. On completion of the scheme, every successful apprentice will hold a formal NVQ qualification, possess 18 months of work experience and the potential for them to move into permanent positions in Northgate.

Northgate’s Apprenticeship Scheme marks an important extension to its two-year partnership with Hugh Christie, which has seen the school maximise its ICT efficiency and offer students the best education using technology. Helping to convert young people’s enthusiasm for technology into a profession they can excel in Hugh Christie, as the chosen training provider, is helping to train the area’s next generation of IT talent as part of the 18-month programme.

Apprenticeships are still available in the Kent area. To apply, candidates must hold a GCSE in Maths and English and most importantly have an interest and passion for ICT. For further information or to apply, please visit the web site at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or alternatively email info@northgate-is.com

Ends

Notes to editor:

The Kent-based apprenticeships will be based in the following schools:
• Thamesview School, Gravesend; Northfleet Technology College, Gravesend; St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School, Gravesend; Ifield School, Gravesend; Northfleet School for Girls, Gravesend; The Community College Whitstable; Dane Court Grammar School, Broadstairs; St Georges Church of England Foundation School, Broadstairs

About Northgate Managed Services:
Northgate Managed Services provides a wide range of IT services to private sector, public sector and third sector organisations across the UK. The company supports over 2,000 customers with 420,000 end-users responding to over 100,000 service desk calls annually.

Northgate calls for focus on prevention

2011-02-09T00:00:00+01:00

A radical shift in resources and priorities is needed if the adult social care system is to meet the fiscal and demographic pressures it faces, says Northgate Public Services in a submission to the government today.

Responding to the Department of Health’s Transparency in outcomes consultation, Northgate argues that adult social care needs to adopt a firm focus on prevention and early support. This, it says, will be key to helping individuals stay healthier for longer, assisting them to live independently in their own communities and achieving better outcomes overall.

The organisation suggests that this change in focus should also be supported by a wider decentralisation of information. This would involve collating data from disparate systems and sources and transforming this into information which can be used to target the delivery of early support and personalised services.

As part of its response, Northgate makes a number of recommendations to government to support the vision of adult social care, these include:

local social care accounts which can be challenged by the local community to support transparency and accountability

closer alignment of information across adult social care, the NHS and public health to ensure a focus on low level care and prevention

a greater focus on service-user generated information to measure satisfaction .

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director Northgate Public Services said today: "Adult social care currently faces a range of difficult challenges. It is essential that the quality of social care is improved to ensure better outcomes for individuals. If we are to enable individuals to have care built around their needs, it is essential that we break down information silos to ensure we can get a holistic view of well-being.”

NHS reforms must encourage active citizens

2011-01-17T00:00:00+01:00

The government must go further if it is to create an information revolution which empowers individuals, achieves better outcomes and reduces health inequalities in our society, says Northgate Public Services today.

In a response to the government’s consultation Liberating the NHS: an information revolution, Northgate welcomes the overall direction of the consultation, but argues that the government should put active citizens at the heart of its strategy. The active citizen approach, where individuals are fully informed and engaged in their own healthcare, was shown in the Wanless Report to be key in achieving better outcomes and longterm cost savings for the health system.

To support active citizens, Northgate says that the government must take steps to ensure that data standards are improved and maintained. This will be key if citizens are to trust the system. The organisation says that the NHS brand could be licensed to high quality information providers and that an NHS Health Information Kite Mark could be used to develop a responsible information market.

Northgate also express concern at the presumption of online access contained within the document. The company calls on the government to provide a multi-channel approach and suggests that a levy is placed on the NHS license which goes towards funding digital inclusion programmes.

Iain McLachlan, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: "Information is key to achieving better outcomes in the health service. Whilst we support the government's overall approach, we are concerned that it does not go far enough to achieve better services for less. It is imperative that citizens are empowered to take responsibility for their own healthcare through open access to high quality information."

Innovation number one priority for Northgate

2011-01-12T00:00:00+01:00

Innovation is the number one priority for Northgate Public Services, says the company as it makes the first of a series of new year statements about its response to the fiscal deficit following a strategic review that ended last year.

The company announces today that it has streamlined its organisation and enhanced its top management team as part of its commitment to further strengthen its growing reputation as a partner in problem solving for public services.

Four Managing Directors have been appointed to spearhead the drive to improve public services at a time when they are under considerable social and financial pressure to reform.

The company is committed to delivering outcomes-based services for the public which promote citizen satisfaction and well-being. It believes that citizens must be involved and engaged in designing, shaping and delivering services and taking an active role in promoting their own well-being to deliver public value in the long term.

Ian Blackhurst is appointed Managing Director for Sales. He is responsible for developing new and innovative forms of partnership with clients. The company has pioneered an innovative risk-reward scheme where fees are only paid if service improvements and cashable savings are delivered to clients. The company is committed to ensuring that far more organisations will benefit from this and other joint ventures over future years. Ian was formerly Managing Director of Public Safety.

Iain McLachlan is appointed Managing Director for Portfolio Management. He is directing a new team of more than a hundred people who will be responsible for horizon scanning, creating new ideas and working in partnership with clients to deliver forward-looking services which work with the public and not-for-profit organisations to build services that put individuals at the heart of their design. Prior to his appointment, Iain was Chief Operating Officer for Public Safety.

Joe Bradley is appointed Managing Director for Services Delivery. He is responsible for ensuring excellence in service delivery as the company increasingly takes on larger public services programmes. The company is establishing a national network of centres of excellence providing transformation services for public and not-for-profit organisations as part of its strategy to promote collaborative working between the public, private and not for profit sector. Joe was formerly Managing Director of Citizens Services.

Russell Osborne, formerly Managing Director for Citizen Solutions. has been appointed Managing Director for Product Delivery. He is responsible for delivering state of the art technology which promotes effective and efficient communications between service users, service commissioners and service providers. The company is poised to make further announcements this month about a new suite of solutions.

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said today: “All of us who believe that stronger services are not only necessary but desirable have to make change work. Innovation is at the heart of our response. We have created a stronger, unified organisation that will work as one team - one Northgate Public Services - with our clients and the wider public to deliver new ideas, new ways of working and new products that will respond to the challenges of the time.”

Northgate Managed Services Launches New Customer Engagement Facility

2011-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Investment brings company-wide capabilities to Glasgow to strengthen Scottish offering

A new Customer Engagement Facility has been unveiled in Glasgow by Northgate Managed Services following a five-figure investment in its Scottish base.

Unveiled today, Northgate’s Insight Suite means the ICT services and solutions provider can strengthen relationships with key customers by bringing all its company-wide expertise to a Glasgow audience – at the touch of a button.

Set in a relaxed and informal environment, the new Insight Suite provides Northgate with the opportunity to work in close partnership with clients to deliver tailored IT services and solutions based around individual needs. Customers can experience how new IT services and solutions will contribute to achieving key business goals through real-time and real-life demonstrations.

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services added: “We are delighted to officially launch and open for business our new Insight Suite which offers another facility to engage with private and public sector organisations in Scotland .

“The investment is another demonstration of our commitment to growing Northgate Managed Services in Glasgow and across the country, and will help us share company-wide knowledge and expertise, whilst building on existing customer relationships.

“It’s an asset we already have and are benefitting from in our head office in Belfast and it made sense to replicate that facility here. The goal is to ensure customers receive the correct tailored solution, at the right time, which will meet their immediate and long-term business objectives.”

Once a clear strategy has been outlined, Northgate’s specialist client teams will be able to demonstrate services, including dedicated helpdesks, remote support, system hosting and the facilitation of home-working, and technologies from key partners such as, Microsoft, Citrix, HP, VMWare and Symantec.

As the first customer to try out the new customer engagement facility, Gavin Cox, Head of IT Infrastructure for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “I was delighted to be the first of Northgate’s customers to access its new “Insight Suite” and test out its state-of-the-art real-time and real-life demonstrations.

“We have an excellent relationship with Northgate Managed Services in Scotland and while we have already benefitted from access to its company-wide expertise this latest investment only creates even more potential to do that.

“NHS Lanarkshire is committed to investing in new technology to help deliver efficiencies and savings and we look forward to utilising Northgate’s “Insight Suite” in the future, working with them for the benefit of our staff, patients and the general public.”

Leicester Teacher recognised for his innovative use of technology

2011-01-05T00:00:00+01:00

An inspiring Leicester teacher has been recognised for his innovative use of technology with a speaking opportunity at the Learning Without Frontiers Conference in London next week (9-11 January 2011). Supported by leading ICT services and solutions provider, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) Mark Sutton, Assistant Curriculum Leader for Design & Technology from Soar Valley College, has beaten stiff competition to speak alongside some of the country’s most inspirational teachers.

Soar Valley College opened its brand new doors in June 2009 as part of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme’, providing technology to engage and educate students. The school works closely with Northgate to ensure its learners have access to the latest technology solutions and services. As part of the partnership, Northgate has invested in teachers’ development by supporting their attendance at some of the UK’s leading events which promote industry best practice.

Mark Sutton joined Soar Valley College five years ago and has spent his teaching career at the school researching and integrating some of the latest technologies into the classroom. Passionate about transforming learning into a truly interactive experience, Mark will present to up to 100 delegates at the international festival of learning and technology about his use of handheld technology such as Sony PSPs (PlayStation Portable) and iPhones, as a way of engaging students in their learning.
A delegate at the 2010 conference, Mark was inspired to push the boundaries of traditional teaching and is now using augmented reality gaming technology called ‘Second Sight’ through the Sony PSPs to literally bring subjects to life. As students walk around a virtual environment, the PSPs ‘read’ special printed codes, called 2D bar codes or markers, on the walls, and automatically display information to students that includes text, audio, video and 3D images. The process involves adding a layer of virtual information over the physical world. In English lessons for example, students explore the layout of rooms that Sherlock Holmes investigates in the novel, viewing virtual 3D models such as a fireplace or armchair as they run their Sony PSP over a code on the wall or floor. In science, Mark is also using this ‘Second Sight’ technology to teach students about the solar system, enabling them to study large 3D models of the planets. To enable students to use the Sony PSPs anytime, anywhere on site, Mark connects to the school’s wireless internet solution supplied and managed by Northgate.

Use of handheld technology is helping to excite students in their learning, however, Mark is keen to emphasise that the Sony PSPs are used as part of an overall teaching strategy. He believes technology plays a vital role in helping students understand complex subjects and should be used alongside textbooks to help them engage with different topics.

Next term, Mark is hoping to use the Second Sight augmented reality technology to create a virtual walk through of the evolutionary timeline – enabling students to walk up the tree of life and along the different branches to view 3D models of the different creatures through time. He is also due to receive a set of iPhones from Leicester City Learning Centre which he plans to integrate into the classroom.

Mark Sutton, Assistant Curriculum Leader for Design & Technology, comments: “I am honoured to be speaking at the Learning Without Frontiers Conference. Without the support of Northgate Managed Services, I wouldn’t have been able to make this a reality. I am passionate about delivering information to students in a format that excites them. Augmented reality technology through the Sony PSPs certainly has the ‘wow factor’ for students and if that is what it takes to engage them in their learning and achieve their potential, then I believe every school should try it out. Students use mobile phones and handheld consoles for enjoyment every day, so as teachers, it is vital that we move with the times and teach students in the way they like to learn.”

Committed to supporting the schools on a day-to-day basis through its managed service, Northgate’s team of ICT experts are on hand to fix any ICT-related problems quickly and efficiently and work remotely to ensure the schools receives an optimum service at all times.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We have supported the school helping them to make the concept of anytime, anywhere learning a reality whilst motivating learners of all abilities. Mark is a truly inspirational teacher and has a remarkable vision for learning through technology. We are delighted that he has been recognised for his work at the forthcoming Learning Without Frontiers Conference and believe his speech will both inspire and instil confidence in many educationalists to implement handheld technologies in the classroom.”

For further information, please visit: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices, contact tel: +44 (0) 28 90859085 or e-mail info@northgate-is.com.

Senior Audit Commission Manager joins Northgate

2010-12-22T00:00:00+01:00

Kieran Colgan, the Audit Commission’s Lead Housing Inspector for the South West since 2006, has joined Northgate Public Services as Principal Services Director the company announces today.

Kieran will be responsible for leading and developing Northgate’s housing transformation partnership work with local authorities and housing associations as part of the company’s response to the fiscal challenge.

The company has developed an innovative risk-reward approach, hugely popular with public services, focused on performance enhancement and delivering efficiencies. All fees come out of guaranteed cashable savings. The model is increasingly being used by public services as a means of delivering better services for less.

The appointment of a senior Audit Commission manager follows the recent move of Gary Headland, former Director of Performance and Modernisation from Norfolk Constabulary, to head up the Northgate’s police transformation work.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “I am delighted that Kieran has decided to come on board. He is a confident, creative and highly motivated leader with a passion that matches ours for public service excellence. He has a long track record of working with local government and housing organisations to deliver positive outcomes in a challenging environment.”

“Over the next few years, the pressures on housing services will be intensified. We are confident that our problem-solving, proactive approach to working in partnership with our clients can bring rapid service enhancement and deliver efficiencies at a time when the pressures on social housing have never been greater.”

Northgate makes new appointment in Social Care

2010-12-21T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Charles Clark as Sales Director for Social Care as the company gears up its response to the growing need for personalised and integrated health and social care services in a challenging economic environment.

Charles, a highly seasoned professional in social care and local government, with 25 years of experience in the public services market, joins Northgate from SAP. Prior to this he was one of three founding Directors who set up Sheridan Systems, a leading provider of social care solutions that was eventually acquired by Anite in 2000. Anite Public Sector was subsequently bought by Northgate in 2008 as part of its strategy to support public service innovation through entering the social care market.

Charles will use his knowledge and experience to support the growth of Northgate’s combined health and social care business as new patterns of care emerge over future years. The company is committed to ensuring that patients and users voices are heard and acted upon within health and social care, and that they are involved in the design and delivery of services, including preventative services.

The appointment builds on the success of Northgate’s work running national programmes such as the Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES) service, Patient Reported Outcomes Measures (PROMs) and world class child and adult screening programmes such as the Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP), while working at a local level with local authorities through its adult and children’s social care services.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We wholeheartedly support radical measures to transform the way that health and social care is delivered. It must be wrapped around the needs of users and wherever possible designed and delivered in the community. With local authorities taking on new responsibilities for public health, it is essential that these are integrated with health and social care to create positive outcomes that put the citizen at their heart.”

“We are delighted that Charles has joined us. We are ambitious for our health and social care business. This senior appointment will help us develop innovative responses to health and social care needs – working in new ways with our clients and their partners and reaching out to those who are most disadvantaged in our communities.”

Better use of technology could save billions

2010-12-20T00:00:00+01:00

The Government could save billions of pounds by making the most of its employees and getting the best out of existing technology, asserts a leading public services company today.

Northgate Public Services, which is the first organisation to be accredited by the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) as a training provider, recently launched an innovative training programme for users of its Revenues and Benefits software. The programme is geared towards ensuring council employees are gaining the maximum benefit from the technology and achieving best practice.

The first employees are already enrolled on the course and Northgate anticipate that 100 people will be signed up by the end of the year. The training focuses on people, process and costs and aims to drive up standards, improve service delivery, and get better for less at a time of unprecedented demand.

The course, which is based online, allows students to practice and test themselves and to gain a certificate from Northgate following a moderated examination. It has been designed and developed in conjunction with West Oxfordshire District Council, the winner of the Excellence in Education, Training & Development title at the 2009 IRRV Performance Awards.

In an investigation, as part of its response to the fiscal challenge, Northgate found that there was widely differing performance in the use of software between the best performers and the worst. It argues that this experience is not isolated within public services and calculates that billions could be saved by better collaboration between government, their employees and software providers.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “At a time of economic constraint, it is essential that no stone is left unturned in examining the way we can deliver better services for less. Our investigations show that not all of our customers are making the best use of our technology. Our training course has been set up to overcome this. We also want to involve end users more closely in the design and development of future software. By working together collaboratively we will not only deliver better systems but more effective services that reach out to all those who need them, especially the most disadvantaged in our communities.”

Unitary Councils opt for Northgate

2010-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

More than half of the recently formed unitary authorities in England have chosen Northgate Public Services as their partner to supply revenues and benefits software and help deliver better services for less to their citizens.

In April 2009, nine unitary authorities were created in Bedfordshire, Cheshire, Cornwall, County Durham, Wiltshire, Northumberland, and Shropshire. One of the challenges these new authorities faced was how best to consolidate the 37 different revenues and benefits applications used under the previous structures to the nine required as unitaries.

Five of the unitary councils have now chosen Northgate as their supplier, including the three authorities that went out for fully open procurement. Most recently Wiltshire Council and Northgate have joined forces to improve customer service by offering greater access and availability to citizens and streamlining service processes to drive efficiencies that will deliver cost savings to the council.

The news further consolidates Northgate’s position as the market leader for revenues and benefits software and the first choice for unitary councils. Northgate is committed to working in partnership with local authorities to make change work and deliver better for less.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted that so many authorities recognise Northgate as a safe pair of hands and have chosen us as their partner. We are committed to making change work and have a strong track record of working with unitaries and other larger authorities. Our expertise in this area will help to deliver much needed service improvements and cost savings to the council and their citizens.”

Northgate Managed Services wins �15m contract providing ICT services to Oldham schools

2010-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) has been appointed by Balfour Beatty to deliver ICT services and solutions to schools in Oldham borough. Schools will benefit from £15 million invested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) over the next seven and a half years.

Northgate will provide flexible, attractive and media-rich learning environments that will support learning to the new-build Oldham Roman Catholic School, the partial rebuild and remodelling of North Chadderton School, the new Waterhead Academy and Oldham North Academy sponsored by E-ACT.

Northgate will provide and manage a range of technologies tailored to the needs of each establishment. The overall service is built from a number of key components including; infrastructure design and installation to device and software procurement. Committed to supporting the schools on a day-to-day basis through its managed service, the schools and academies network and infrastructure is supported and continuously monitored by Northgate’s dedicated Service Desk.

Each school and academy will utilise ‘thin client’ technologies* which helps them save energy, utilise computer equipment more efficiently and ultimately enable students to access learning materials from a wide range of devices such as desktop PCs, laptops and a wide-range of personal user devices. Every student will also have access to an online learning platform, providing true anytime, anywhere learning for the entire school community. Accessible through the internet from any location, Northgate’s Learning Platform allows learners, teachers and administrative staff to create their own personliased portal providing single sign on to school applications and resources via the internet. Students will have access to their own personalised learning area where they can work on assignments, store their work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students.

In addition, Northgate will be providing an interim managed service from 1st April 2011 where school technicians will transfer to work directly for the ICT specialist in the lead up to the full ICT Managed service. This interim service will aid the improvement of standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, helping to establish confidence across the school community. From September 2011, schools will have access to core services including the online learning platform. This will help the 4 sites to benefit from BSF investment and allow early access to BSF ICT services.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are delighted to be working alongside the schools and academies, Oldham Council and Balfour Beatty to deliver their vision for secondary school ICT. By working in partnership with the schools, we will be offering integrated information and communication technology to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners.”

Carefx and Northgate Managed Services collaborate to offer patient focused health services

2010-12-16T00:00:00+01:00

Carefx, a leading provider of interoperable workflow solutions, today announced Northgate Managed Services as a key distribution partner for its range of products and solutions for delivery into the Health and social care marketplace in the UK.

Carefx is committed to helping healthcare organisations advance the quality and safety of patient care delivery through Fusionfx – the Carefx solution suite. Fusionfx streamlines and simplifies clinical and business workflow, and connects care providers to the information they need – where and when they need it.

Northgate Managed Services, known for its work with leading technology organisations, has developed strategic partnerships with e-docs UK, G2 Speech, Fairwarning and Lumension and now Carefx to support their vision of patient focused health services.

Northgate Managed Services has 1,300 staff across the UK and is a leading provider of ICT services and solutions to the Health sector. Working in partnership with a range of organisations from hospitals to National Agencies across the UK to develop and deliver smarter, more efficient ways of working, the company currently provides services to over 60 health sector organisations across the UK and 11 NHS boards in Scotland.

“We are delighted to be working with Carefx, to bring added versatility to our product and service portfolio so that we can continue to offer the Health market solutions which improve business processes and efficiencies.” says James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services.

“There is an increasing realisation across Health and Social Care organisations that the way forward for innovative thinking in IT will be through bringing together information from existing systems without having to create new ones. Delivering dynamic and personalised patient data to care workers when, where and how they need to see it is proven to both improve patient safety and lower operational cost. Our collaboration with Northgate introduces further leadership and innovative thinking into the Care Sector and we are therefore delighted to announce this partnership with them,” commented Wayne Parslow, EVP and General Manager, EMEA for Carefx.

The Richard Rose Federation Launches a �3.19 million ICT Contract with partner Northgate Managed Services

2010-12-09T00:00:00+01:00

Carlisle’s two new academies are set to launch a groundbreaking approach to learning with a £3.19 million, anytime, anywhere ICT system that allows students to tap into the Federation’s Virtual Learning Environment whenever they choose thereby capitalising on each individual student’s capacity for retention and their optimum learning environment.

The system is a collaborative system, shared across the two academy sites enabling staff, students, parents and members of the community to tap into it at anytime. The Federation has appointed leading ICT services and solutions provider Northgate Managed Services to embed and support ICT throughout both academies. The contract will see Northgate design, supply, install and manage a robust, flexible ICT solution.

The Federation have chosen the very latest high speed virtualised wireless solution from Meru Networks. The system is designed to support very high numbers of staff and students using phones, laptops, netbooks and in fact any wireless enabled device. The Academies wireless networks allows staff and students to quickly and securely access any files, software and the internet in the comfort of their new buildings.

Commenting on the ICT solution, Katie Robinson, Headteacher of Richard Rose Morton Academy, said:

“Both of our academies are about to move into state of the art buildings and it is appropriate that we have a 21st century ICT solution for our students to match their fantastic new surroundings. This will open up a brand new approach to learning enabling students to take in information when and where it is most enjoyable for them. Their parents will also have access so that they can check on their child’s progress, tap into community information or develop their own skills and qualifications by taking part in adult education classes that will be available on the Academy’s Virtual Learning Environment”.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments:

“We are extremely proud of our partnership with the Richard Rose Federation. Northgate’s extensive experience of operating shared services across multiple sites allows us to meet this vision efficiently. It is truly admirable that this provision has been extended to the wider community and we look forward to support teaching and learning using ICT”.

Northgate already supplies ICT services and solutions to over 1,200 school, college and academy networks across the UK working with a plethora of exceptional centres of learning, including Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Bristol Cathedral Choir School in Bristol, Havelock Academy in Grimsby, Litherland High School in Sefton and Abraham Guest High School in Wigan.

Northgate Managed Services confirmed as ICT provider to every secondary school in Blackpool

2010-12-09T00:00:00+01:00

Blackpool Council has appointed Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) to deliver ICT services and solutions to every secondary school in the borough as part of a Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme continuing under the new coalition Government. The £3.5million five year contract will see Northgate embed core technology and ICT infrastructure, including connectivity, storage and communication tools, tailored to the individual needs of the area’s secondary schools.

Blackpool Council’s BSF funding was reduced to cover three sample schools in the changes to BSF funding announced earlier in the year. The Council chose to reallocate the funding across all schools to help meet the individual needs of all schools and raise the standard of ICT provision across Blackpool.

Committed to providing robust, cost-effective ICT, Northgate Managed Services will work closely with the schools and the Local Education Partnership (LEP) consisting of Blackpool Council and Eric Wright Group to deliver its vision to provide all its 9,000 secondary students with access to ICT. Highly regarded for its flexible approach the leading provider of ICT services and solutions will begin work in January 2011 to tailor and deliver technology which suits each school’s requirements. As part of this process, Northgate will conduct a thorough evaluation of existing ICT resources in use by each school and work with schools to identify the areas of greatest need.

The schools set to benefit include a new build at Highfield Humanities College, a significant remodelled school at St Mary’s Catholic College and a refurbished pupil referral unit at the Mountford Centre; as well asUnity College, Bispham High School, Palatine Community Sports College, Collegiate High School, , Montgomery High School and St George’s C of E High School.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services comments: “We are proud to be working alongside the schools, Blackpool Council and Eric Wright Group to deliver their vision for secondary school ICT through BSF funding that has been granted under the new coalition Government. We believe this significant partnership is testament to our personalised approach which enables our organisation to provide tailored solutions to meet the exact needs and budget of every school.”

Northgate is an accredited supplier on the Government’s new ICT Services Framework and already works with a wide range of educational institutions from Local Authorities to individual schools and academies. These include Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Colston Girls School in Bristol, Richard Rose Morton Academy and Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle, Havelock Academy in Grimsby and Litherland High School and Abraham Guest High School, one school BSF Pathfinder projects school in Sefton and Wigan.

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the website at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

BETT Preview - Schools are looking to the clouds to reduce ICT costs

2010-12-09T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services launches new modular managed cloud services to reduce ICT costs

New Schoolzone research* commissioned by Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) reveals that whilst the majority of schools are open to cloud services as a way of cutting ICT costs, many are still unaware of the flexibility and scalability offered by this new technology. Keen to help schools reduce the cost of running their ICT, Northgate’s team will be on hand at BETT 2011 (stand D70) to talk about ways cloud services can complement existing ICT infrastructure and form part of school’s ICT strategy. Tried and tested in the business world, the cloud helps remove the reliance on capital expenditure as organisations simply pay their provider for what they use.

As the Government hands purchasing power back to schools and more than ever school budgets are being squeezed, Northgate is offering Cloud based services that allow schools to select specific elements of their ICT to move to the cloud. Infinitely scalable with transparent costs, schools can choose from a range of services tailored to their individual needs and budget. This enables schools to step into the cloud at their own pace whilst being able to reap the associated long term cost savings.

An accredited supplier on the Government’s new ICT Services Framework in recognition of its high quality cost effectives services to education, Northgate is launching cloud services covering infrastructure, email, collaboration, security, archiving, backup, storage, cloud systems management and consulting services.

During the research, schools welcomed the potential cost-savings offered by cloud technology but questioned the security of data and the reliance on dependable internet connectivity – concerns that have already been resolved through extensive testing and usage in the business world. Since its adoption in the commercial sector, huge advances in cloud technology have been made, driven by the expansion of broadband bandwidths, improved network quality and stability and the availability of cost-effective and robust e-security solutions.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “Education’s move to the cloud marks an important step towards the delivery of agile, high-quality ICT services at an affordable cost and will play a vital role in the future of educational ICT in schools. We recognise that it is early days for the cloud in education, so Northgate’s modular approach enables schools to migrate services gradually, helping to maximise existing ICT infrastructure and ensure schools are confident about their move to the cloud.”

In addition, teachers from around the UK will be joining experts on Northgate’s stand D70 at BETT to share best practice for ICT to enhance learning. Each day teachers will be promoting how they use ICT to engage students and enhance the learning experience. For example, using Apple iPads with Special Education Needs students and developing immersive learning environments to create interesting and engaging lessons. For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit stand D70 at BETT 2011, visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact its Schools and Academies team via email: info@northgate-is.com.

South Derbyshire shows the way

2010-12-06T00:00:00+01:00

An innovative partnership set up to improve services in South Derbyshire has got off to a flying start.

The contract between South Derbyshire District Council and Northgate Public Services, which began in August, is designed to provide added value for money for residents and create economic opportunities.

A Corporate Services Strategic Board, made up of representatives from the Council and Northgate, met to discuss progress after the first three months.

The message was clear: South Derbyshire is showing the way.

Northgate has been looking at a variety of ways of making additional savings and helping the Council to become even more efficient.

Progress has already been made to further develop areas such as customer services.

To make it easier for residents to contact the Council, technology has been implemented to modernise the telephone switchboard. In addition, figures show just 2.6 per cent of calls made to the Customer Services telephone number were unanswered in October, compared to 9.7 per cent at the same time last year.

Efficiency measures have also been put in place to ensure staff make contact with visitors to the Civic Offices within three minutes.

Improvements are reflected in customer satisfaction surveys showing that 93 per cent of telephone callers and 92 per cent of visitors to the District Council are happy with the service they have received.

Cllr Bob Wheeler, Chairman of the Corporate Services Strategic Board, said: “The partnership is a pioneering response to the age of austerity and will allow the Council to build on the high levels of service already provided.

“It is clear that we are developing a strong partnership with Northgate that will help us to continue to deliver top quality, good value services to our residents and partners, while driving down the cost of delivering services in the future.”

Northgate is also carrying out efficiency reviews. This includes looking at how the authority can tap into the company’s expertise for efficient purchasing. In addition, new finance and human resource systems will be in place by May 2011.

Using the Civic Centre, in Swadlincote, as a base, Northgate’s regional centre of excellence provides business transformation services for both public and not for profit organisations throughout the East Midlands and nationally.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director for Northgate Public Services, said: “While the challenges facing the public sector are greater now than at any time in recent history, so too are the opportunities for new ideas, exciting possibilities of working differently and inspirational leadership.

“This is all about delivering better for less. We have fostered an extremely positive relationship with South Derbyshire District Council in which a culture of collaboration, quality and genuine value for money can flourish and grow.”

As part of the partnership, Northgate has taken on responsibility for managing the District Council’s Corporate Services.

This includes Finance, Organisational Development, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services, IT and Business Improvement. In total 84 staff members have been successfully transferred.

The contract, worth £22 million, is guaranteed to make savings to the Council of £2.1 million over seven years. As part of the contract, Northgate also plans to bring at least 100 jobs into the District.

Wokingham Transformation

2010-12-01T00:00:00+01:00

Wokingham Borough Council has entered into an innovative partnership designed to transform services for residents and respond to the fiscal challenge by delivering much needed efficiencies.

The Council has joined forces with Northgate Public Services which will strategically manage their ICT in a five year partnership worth £8.5 million. Under the agreement there will be an option to extend the arrangement for a further two years.

The partnership moves beyond the traditional ICT outsourced approach to focus on using ICT as a strategic asset for the Council. It will focus on improving customer access and service, reducing cost, making processes more efficient and effective, and improving ICT governance.

Shifting the focus of ICT will support the Council in its drive for change. Northgate solutions are already used by the Council, and Northgate will combine its strategic knowledge with its practical experience in local government to bring about rapid improvement while managing risk through a phased approach to transformation.

Graham Ebers, General Manager of Business Services said today: “Transformation is integral to delivering the efficiencies that the Council has pledged to make. We believe that our partnership with Northgate will not only provide us with a stable and secure platform on which to operate, but will also be pivotal in enabling our residents to get wider access to improved service delivery by maximising our use of new technologies. Northgate has worked with us for many years. I am confident we can make this a successful partnership for the benefit of our community’
Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director at Northgate Public Services said today: “These are challenging times for local authorities and public services in general. Now more than ever, we need to focus on delivering better services for less. How organisations manage their people, processes and cost to provide this is an essential part of any forward looking strategy. We are delighted that our relationship with Wokingham Council has now entered this exciting new phase and we look forward to working with it in serving the residents of Wokingham with efficient and effective services.”

Northgate Managed Services Appointed to the Governments ICT Services Framework for Education

2010-11-25T00:00:00+01:00

Leading educational ICT service and solution provider Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) wins a place on the new Becta ICT Services Framework. The framework, which runs until November 2014, allows all types of schools from academies and free schools to local authorities, schools and colleges to procure cost effective, industry leading ICT services and solutions.

To qualify for the framework, Northgate demonstrated its ability to meet strict technical and service requirements and its deep understanding of the needs of the education sector. A named supplier for both Lot 1 (ICT Infrastructure and Mobile/Bundled Connectivity Services) and Lot 2 (ICT Service Integrators), Northgate is offering its complete range of services and solutions under the framework.
Recently named a finalist for the

forthcoming BETT Awards 2011, Northgate already works with a wide range of educational institutions from Local Authorities to individual schools and academies including; Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Colston Girls School in Bristol, Richard Rose Morton Academy and Richard Rose Central Academy in Carlisle, Havelock Academy in Grimsby and Litherland High School and Abraham Guest High School, one school BSF Pathfinder projects school in Sefton and Wigan.

Chris Wiseman, Sales Director at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are delighted to be appointed to the Government’s ICT Services Framework and believe it is testament to the flexible and personalised service we deliver to our customers. This important framework will help to drive the very highest standards in the industry to ensure that schools and academies benefit from the best ICT services at an affordable price.”

Running until November 2014, the Becta ICT Services Framework will provide education customers with a quick and easier route to procure from approved, high quality, trusted suppliers in a fully EU-compliant manner.

E.ON and Northgate campaign to increase energy efficiency

2010-11-16T00:00:00+01:00

E.ON, one of the UK’s leading electricity and gas companies, and Northgate Public Services have joined forces as part of E.ON’s major Energy Fit campaign focused on improving energy efficiency and combating climate change.

The E.ON Energy Fit website uses Northgate’s energy calculator which allows users to access vital information about how they use energy in their homes and receive a tailored report with suggestions on how to reduce that energy waste.

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) are currently mandatory for people who are thinking of selling or renting a home. They rate a property on a scale of A to G, with A being the most energy efficient property. The energy survey will provide information which is complimentary to an EPC.

E.ON believes that in helping households identify where they are wasting energy, consumers will be able to reduce their energy demand and save themselves money.

Over 25 per cent of the UK’s carbon dioxide emissions are calculated to come from domestic homes.

Kevin Bryant, E.ON’s Energy Fit instructor, said: “We’re determined to help our customers get energy fit, saving both carbon and money on their energy bills. By answering some simple questions on our energy fit website we can give customers a personal energy saving plan and even an idea of how much they can expect to save.”
Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, added: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time. It requires us all to take action on an individual basis, at a company level and within our communities. Our work with E.ON is all about making the difference that counts. We want people to act on the recommendations wherever they can.”

Visit www.eonenergyfit.com to get your home energy survey.

Housing New Zealand

2010-11-10T00:00:00+01:00

Housing New Zealand Corporation (“Housing New Zealand”) and Northgate Public Services (“Northgate”) announce today that they have formed an innovative transformation partnership designed to put tenants at the heart of service improvement.

Under a seven year partnership, Housing New Zealand will use Northgate’s innovative housing products and associated services to help improve the services it provides to tenants and manage its entire housing stock.

Housing New Zealand currently supports over 200,000 people and oversees housing assets worth over $15 billion (NZD) equivalent to over £7.1 billion (GBP). The Corporation is embarking on a radical transformation programme designed to eradicate waste and unnecessary process, improve services and deliver efficiencies.

The partnership will bring many benefits over time to social housing in New Zealand including:

improved tenant relationships – a single source of accurate information on tenants will ensure that they have their queries and issues dealt with in the right way at the right time

enhanced access to services, including self-service – through a wide variety of channels, including text messaging, online services, email, voice and face to face interactions

better ways of working – employees will benefit from more flexible and mobile working, and the eradication of unnecessary processes and repetitive tasks

strategic and proactive management of housing assets – enabling the corporation to manage risk effectively, use resources efficiently, and maximise its asset base.

Stephen McArthur, Housing New Zealand’s Chief Operating Officer said today: “Our current systems are preventing us from making improvements to our business that will drive value for money. The need for those improvements is becoming increasingly urgent. The pressures on social housing are severe and set to increase.

We need to work more proactively with tenants, and we need to redistribute, reconfigure or upgrade about 27,000 houses to meet demand. To achieve it, we need our staff to be more mobile, to spend more time in communities and at the front door of our houses. We need to automate, eliminate or centralise cumbersome manual processes. We need better information to base our investment decisions on, and we need to develop a more efficient and flexible way of delivering our services.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted to have joined forces with Housing New Zealand. This agreement represents a significant expansion of the Northgate social housing community in the Asia-Pacific region. We are committed to helping our partners deliver a wide range of quality services to their tenants and to reach out to those most vulnerable in our communities. Our partnership will ensure that Housing New Zealand delivers high quality services and sustainable housing fit for the future through the effective and efficient use of resources.”

Staffordshire and Derbyshire Public Services Collaboration

2010-11-05T00:00:00+01:00

Public services organisations in Staffordshire and Derbyshire have entered into an innovative transformation partnership designed to deliver better services for less and respond to the economic challenges of the day.

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, High Peak Borough Council, High Peak Community Housing (HPCH) and Lichfield District Council joined forces this month with Northgate Public Services who will manage their ICT.

These organisations have enabled significant efficiencies through their joint procurement for a seven-year partnership worth £5.945 million. Northgate will manage the organisations’ ICT, providing each with a sustainable platform for innovation and delivering much-needed economies of scale to them all.

With Northgate, the organisations will work collaboratively together to develop a unified ICT service that accounts for local variation and helps to transform service delivery for the benefit of residents.

Chris Elliot, Head of Transformation for High Peak Borough Council and Staffordshire Moorlands District Council said today: “We have looked at how we can respond to the economic challenges that we face. Unifying our ICT services is integral to changing the way we deliver transformed services to our residents. We are delighted to be working with Northgate which shares our vision and has the track record to deliver.”
Rita Wilson, Strategic Director of Organisational Development at Lichfield District Council, said today: “IT systems underpin everything we do – from helping people on lower incomes get the benefits they need, through to booking squash courts at our leisure centres, and making sure people with disabilities get the help they need to put their bins out. Joining forces with three other organisations will allow us to make significant savings, and we’re looking forward to developing a strong partnership with Northgate that will help us to continue to deliver top quality, good value services to our residents and partners, as well as drive down the cost of delivering services in the future.”
Mark Ford, Chief Executive at High Peak Community Housing said today: "HPCH are pleased to be a partner in the shared services arrangement between High Peak, Staffordshire Moorlands, Lichfield and ourselves as this demonstrates value for money and will allow us to continue to deliver the professional services that we provide for our customers."
Joe Bradley, Managing Director at Northgate Public Services said today: “Now more than ever, public services have to develop innovative models of work such as this programme. Our Staffordshire and Derbyshire partners will benefit from performance improvement and economies of scale. These will help them to continue to reach out to the most disadvantaged of our communities in these most difficult of times.”

Northgate Managed Service named Specialist Reseller of the Year

2010-10-28T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services has picked up the award for “Specialist Reseller of the Year” at the Ingram Micro Showcase Event held in London, October, 2010.

Ingram Micro is the world's largest global business-to-business wholesale provider of technology products and supply chain management services. Ingram Micro works with multiple manufacturers and software company's and only sells to and through professional resellers. This award was voted for by the Manufacturing partners of Ingram, the Ingram senior management board and online category voting. This award recognises Northgate's technical abilities to incorporate the manufacturers offerings in innovative solutions for their customers, and is a further acknowledgement of it's position as a market leader, providing IT services.

Northgate CSR Campaign is 'Good as Gold'

2010-10-28T23:00:00+01:00

Business of the Year Northgate Managed Services continued its 2010 run of success after being awarded gold for its Corporate Social Responsibility campaign ‘Act Now’, in partnership with PR company Morrow Communications at the annual CIPR awards.

‘Act Now’ is a programme that encourages each employee to believe they can do something now, however small, to help deliver value and build sustainable and healthy communities and focuses on two core areas; community and people.

Over the year, Northgate employees have embarked on a range of activities involving local partners such as schools or organisations on a cross community basis. This has included naming St Mary’s Star of the Sea as its ‘adopted’ school and volunteering at NI’s Children’s Hospice, all of which have formed the basis of a targeted media relations campaign led by Morrow Communications.

Speaking after the awards, Eleanor Lee, head of marketing, Northgate Managed Services said:
“We are absolutely delighted that the ‘Act Now’ campaign has been recognised by industry experts and awarded gold at tonight’s event. At Northgate, we pride ourselves on our commitment to CSR and encourage our employees to give something back to the local communities in which we work.

“Much of the success of this campaign is down to our employees, who have given their time and effort to various activities throughout the year, and so, it is with pleasure that I accept the award on their behalf. Thanks must also go to the team at Morrow Communications, who consistently strive to promote our successes and ensure widespread recognition of our CSR strategy. This is a fantastic accolade for our company, our policies and our people.”

Glasgow City Ladies recieve sponsorship boost on eve of league decider

2010-10-24T23:00:00+01:00

- UK ICT firm Northgate Managed Services sponsor SWF Premier League champions

Glasgow City Ladies FC have received a major boost ahead of their championship decider with Celtic Ladies on Sunday (October 31) after ICT firm Northgate Managed Services agreed to sponsor the SWF Premier League champions.

Tied at the top of this season’s league table, Glasgow City and rivals Celtic have each won all but one of their league games so far this season – the only exception being a draw between the two sides back in May. Glasgow City lead the table by three points (with superior goal difference) having played a game more and if they win the league it will be their fourth consecutive title, setting a new Scottish record.

Therefore the destination of the 2010 SWF Premier League trophy hinges on Sunday’s decider and Glasgow City will take to the field with new sponsors Northgate proudly emblazoned on the sleeves of the team’s home shirts.

ICT firm Northgate has a Scottish base in Glasgow and is headquartered in Belfast, with more than 1,000 staff providing infrastructure services and ICT specialist managed services to public, private and third sector organisations across the UK.

James Turnbull, managing director of Northgate Managed Services, said: “We are absolutely delighted to become a sponsor for Glasgow City LFC. Glasgow City has grown over the years to become a hugely professionally-run club with ambitions to compete at the very top of the game at home and in Europe.

“Similarly, Northgate has ambitions to grow its presence both in Scotland and across the UK through making IT work harder for our customers, delivering efficiencies and unlocking the potential of IT to transform organisations. This sponsorship complements our company strategy.

“We wish everyone at Glasgow City LFC all the very best for Sunday’s game and look forward to a successful partnership with the club.”

Northgate’s sponsorship complements Glasgow City’s current agreements with main club sponsor Greaves Sports and a host of associate sponsors including McCrea Financial Services.

City captain Laura Montgomery said: “We’re delighted to welcome Northgate Managed Services as our latest sponsor.

“Northgate is a massive, reputable and national company and it is great to be associated with an organisation which is elite in its discipline – we also feel we are elite in our discipline so the partnership marries well.

“It goes without saying that we are all looking forward to Sunday’s game when we know we will have to be at our very best against a strong Celtic team if we wish to retain the league title.”

Industry and Educational Institutes Collaborate at e-skills UK Qualification Conference

2010-10-19T23:00:00+01:00

Northern Ireland’s IT employers and educators descended on Belfast Metropolitan College this week to attend an e-skills UK Qualification Awareness event aimed at providing educators with an insight into new qualification arrangements within ICT in Northern Ireland.

Designed to support actions described in e-skills UK’s SQS Action Plan for Northern Ireland, the event aims to increase awareness of the NI Vocation Qualification Reform Programme and the role of e-skills UK as driving the development of Vocational Qualifications that meet employers’ needs, through the process of creating and implementing Sector Skills Strategies.

The event places employers at the heart of the development of vocational qualifications to meet the needs of Northern Ireland’s burgeoning IT sector. Speaking from an employer perspective, Andy Ross, chief executive at Northgate Managed Services presented to the delegates focusing on the need for demand driven skill:

“It’s a pleasure to welcome key stakeholders to the event and have the opportunity to discuss the exciting new developments in vocational qualifications. Northern Ireland’s IT sector is one to be proud of and it’s vital we continue to increase awareness - both amongst industry and educational institutes in order to maintain its excellence and generate a sustained footfall of skilled workers.

“The roles offered in the IT sector can be extremely diverse and it’s important we have that same diversity in our employees. At Northgate we aim to look beyond qualifications and place as much importance on application and personality. We are confident that we place our employees in the right roles – resulting in better service for our customers.”

Karen Price, Chief Executive of e-skills UK, commented:

“There is no question that employers should be at the heart of developing vocational qualifications. They are best placed to know which skills are needed to meet the demands of the sector and how best to apply these. This event is a fantastic opportunity to further encourage collaboration between educational institutes and industry, which we see as essential to ensuring Northern Ireland’s IT sector continues to flourish.”

Northgate calls for focus on health inequalities

2010-10-05T23:00:00+01:00

Tackling health inequalities should be made a key focus of the coalition government’s plans for NHS reform if better services are to be delivered for less, says Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the NHS white paper Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS, Northgate welcomes the government’s overall approach, but argues that not enough is being done to tackle inequalities in health. The organisation says that without addressing these issues, many of the government’s wider health objectives could be blunted in implementation.

Sir Michael Marmot found in his recent review that health inequalities place an additional cost on the NHS of around £5.5 billion a year. He also estimated a further cost to the wider economy of over £60 billion through loss of productivity, reduced tax receipts, and higher welfare payments.

Northgate is urging the government to improve public health and achieve significant cost savings by ensuring a strategy for tackling health inequalities is fully embedded in the plans for NHS reform.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety for Northgate Public Services, added: “While we welcome many of the government’s plans for reform, if we are to make change work we have to tackle persistent health inequalities which are prevalent in our communities. The NHS has to be about fairness to everyone. Government must work with its partners to take preventative action and tackle the root causes of poor health.“

Northgate calls for Big Debate on policing

2010-09-16T23:00:00+01:00

A radical service revolution is required if UK policing is to meet the economic, political and social challenges of today, according to a wide-ranging response to the Home Office’s policing consultation Policing in the 21st Century: Reconnecting police and the people.

In its submission, Northgate Public Services argues that while the consultation has gone some way, government needs to do more to build public trust.

In spite of the excellent developments in neighbourhood policing, too many targets and too much bureaucracy have left police forces hampered by processes and red tape. If public trust - so essential for preventing crime – is to be rebuilt, those involved in supporting its delivery have to work together to innovate, to improve performance and to deliver public value, the response says.

The response argues that the fiscal pressures on policing require a revolution which not only delivers better, but better for less. There is an opportunity for a radical overhaul of the processes which have tied up the police service for too long. Strong national direction is needed to ensure that collaboration between forces increases at the right speed to get the right results at the right time

Northgate suggests that in rebalancing the relationship governing policing, there must be clear roles and that the ‘golden thread’ of British policing – from the national and international to the very local – must be renewed and strengthened. As a first step, it calls for a Big Debate on the role of policing to involve, educate and engage the public.

The response argues that if the proposed Police and Crime Commissioners are to be successful, such a debate is necessary in the context of reduced resources. It also recommends that the Commissioners’ remit be widened to:

• promote understanding of crime and policing in local communities

• support improvement and innovation in delivering police services to the public and to identify and support best practice

• promote collaboration between forces

Northgate also calls on the government to consider the use of justice reinvestment - where budgets are devolved locally - to shift resources away from the costs of penal custody to a greater focus on community safety and crime prevention, more aligned to local needs.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety for Northgate Public Services, added: “The service delivery revolution in policing will require a systematic analysis of the processes, people and cost involved in delivering policing and criminal justice. We have to recognise, and get the public to realise that it is not just the criminal justice system that must work to combat crime. Preventing and reducing crime requires a collaborative and multi-agency approach that includes the public, private and not-forprofit sectors, the community and individuals themselves. Only by working together will we ensure that better services are delivered for less.”

-Ends

For more information

Fellows’ Associates

Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401

Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

Hannah Smith +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

Northgate Managed Services uses Aeromark Technology to Deliver better Customer Service

2010-09-09T23:00:00+01:00

New mobile workforce management system results in a 12:1 return on investment through faster customer fixes and greater efficiencies

As part of a companywide transformation project which sought to deliver better value to customers, both in terms of innovative high quality IT services and lower costs, leading ICT services company, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate MS) has successfully deployed the next generation of mobile workforce management systems from Aeromark; to manage it’s 180 IT field engineers, throughout the UK.

Aeromark’s Service Link is a unified paperless planning, job-despatch, PDA workflow, vehicle tracking and turn-by-turn navigation system, and was selected by Northgate MS after a period of extensive research to optimise business processes. The system allows complete visibility of the workforce (where they are, what jobs they are working on and their job status) as well as a complete overview of the client jobs logged. A team of resource planners monitor jobs that have been captured by the main IT service desk and then, using accurate live work data, allocate the job to the most appropriate engineer, based on location and expertise. The job will then be accepted by the engineer via their PDA, and using the integrated navigation technology, the engineer will attend the job.

The system has been introduced in phases, with the first phase implemented in January and since being introduced the team has responded to an increased number of jobs. From a company stand point the new technology has helped to enhance Northgate’s overall efficiencies, which ultimately benefit the customer.

Commenting on the success of the mobile workforce project James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services said “The mobile workforce project has enabled us to drive change in our business, improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our field engineering team. We have improved the management of our engineers through better planning based on increased visibility and better communication. Already the functionality of the system has enabled us to increase our average jobs per week per engineer.”

He continued, “We are extremely pleased with the results which have exceeded our expectations. Our Engineers have embraced the technology and our customers are noticing the benefits. We look forward to continuing to work closely with Aeromark and further developing the system to meet the ever changing demands of our customers and the industry.”

Roger Marks, Aeromark’s Managing Director remarked “The improvements Northgate Managed Services have achieved have been a record result in terms of instant ROI for Service Link, especially as they were already an experienced user of PDAs. This demonstrates the effectiveness of our technology combined with a highly focused and well managed team at Northgate.”
Service Link combines all the technologies available from Aeromark, including Optimatics, Vehicle Tracking and Workflow DynMX, Aeromark’s bespoke PDA application on one single platform. New jobs are passed to Service Link which enables Geographic Optimisation based on Engineer workload and skill set; Northgate Managed Services get instant feedback, independently from both the Engineers vehicle and the PDA. The System also manages Parts Logistics, Collections and Van Stock.

Northgate Managed Services named finalist in two categories in the 2010 UK IT Industry Awards

2010-09-09T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a leading IT services provider and previous IT Services Supplier winner has been announced as a finalist in two categories in the 2010 UK IT Industry Awards which will take place on Thursday 11th November at Battersea Park Events Arena in London.

Northgate has been shortlisted for IT Employer of the Year and Best IT Supplier of the Year and will compete alongside nine other finalists in each category to claim the overall titles.

The UK IT Industry Awards are a platform for the entire profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence.

Northgate, employs over 1,300 people and continues to achieve significant business success and growth. The company carefully balances measures to manage costs alongside investments in; training and development of staff, development of internal processes and implementation of new tools and technologies to improve service offerings to its 2,000 customers across the UK.

David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer, BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, says:

“Congratulations to all the finalists. They can be proud of their achievements. Their projects and work showcase the professionalism that exists among IT professionals and also highlights the value of IT today and the way it touches so many areas of society.”

Robin Booth, Publishing Director of Computing comments:

“I would like to add my congratulations to the finalists. The UK IT Industry Awards are rigorously judged and to be announced as a finalist is a great achievement. I don’t envy the judges who now have to decide the winners; it’s going to be very tough.”

South Derbyshire partnership shows the way

2010-08-01T23:00:00+01:00

An innovative partnership which guarantees to further improve public services, deliver extra value for money for residents and create economic opportunities for the region has started today in South Derbyshire.

Aimed at delivering better for less while maintaining investment in services, the partnership between South Derbyshire District Council and Northgate Public Services is a pioneering response to the age of austerity.

The contract, worth £22 million, is guaranteed to make savings to the Council of £2.1 million over seven-years. This includes an innovative risk-reward scheme where the cost of introducing new initiatives to transform council services will only be paid out of cashable savings. Northgate will also invest £1.9 million in upgrading IT systems and services.

Northgate has taken on responsibility for managing the District Council’s Corporate Services. This includes Finance, Organisational Development, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services along with IT and Business Improvement as part of its regional centre of excellence.

Using the Civic Centre, in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, as a base, Northgate’s regional centre of excellence provides business transformation services for both public and private organisations throughout the East Midlands and nationally.

Cllr Bob Wheeler, the Leader of South Derbyshire District Council, said: “This partnership is all about ensuring that the Council and its residents emerge even stronger through these challenging economic times. Our innovative approach will provide even better value for money to our communities, continue to improve services and create more jobs.

“South Derbyshire is leading the way. We are showing how the public sector must respond. This pioneering partnership will be used as an example of good practice and forward thinking across the country.”

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive, Northgate Public Services said: “We are committed to developing new ways of working to beat the age of austerity. We are delighted that South Derbyshire shares this ethos. “Our partnership is focused on creating better public services for the people of South Derbyshire now and in the future, while making savings, and providing economic opportunities for the region as a whole through our centre of excellence. We believe it is the right response at the right time.” Responsibility for service delivery will stay with the Council. Elected Members will continue to set priorities and scrutinise the partnership.

Under the deal, 84 Council staff members, who have been kept fully informed throughout the process, have been transferred over to Northgate.

As well as protecting jobs at the Council, Northgate will bring in 100 jobs into the

District as part of the contract over the next 18 months.

For further information
Fellows’ Associates

Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401

Hannah Smith +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

South Derbyshire District Council

Keith Bull +44(0)1283 228761;

Carole Warburton +44(0)1283 595741;

Northgate partners are top for benefits processing

2010-07-29T23:00:00+01:00

The top five performing local authorities for benefit processing are all partners of Northgate Public Services, according to research based on statistics published by the Department of Work and Pensions.

West Oxfordshire District Council, North Hertfordshire District Council, Mid Devon District Council, Rushmoor Borough Council and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council have all achieved an average processing time of four days. This compares with the national average of 11 days. All five authorities use the Northgate Benefits application.

The research also shows that 10 of the 14 authorities which managed to process claims in an average of five days and 11 of the 20 authorities who processed claims in six days were also Northgate partners. The research is based on Right Time Indicator (RTI) statistics for the third quarter of 2009/10 published earlier this month by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Northgate is committed to delivering innovation and improvement in processing benefit claims. Last year its user-focused revenue and benefits training programme became the first of its kind to be accredited by the IRRV. The programme focuses on achieving best practice by working with and assessing staff on the systems that they use in their workplaces. Northgate is now calling on all local authorities to raise standards in benefit processing by focussing on staff development and training which in turn will deliver increased customer satisfaction and efficiencies.

Howard Crompton, Head of Revenues and Benefits at North Hertfordshire District Council said: “We are delighted that the investment in Northgate’s eBenefits New Claims, Change in Circumstances, eMobile and Self-Serve has allowed us to improve performance and make efficiencies. We are also working with our Registered Social Landlords to enable them to capture data on our behalf, thereby providing more efficiencies and giving customers a more joined up service”.
Jon Dearing, Head of Revenues and Benefits for West Oxfordshire and Cotswold District Councils said: “West Oxfordshire District Council has seen continuous improvement against all of its Revenues and Benefits performance indicators over the last 3 years. While this is the result of several factors, not least the hard work and dedication of the team members, we are confident that our closer working relationship with Northgate has made a significant contribution to our success. We have used Northgate’s processing, document imaging and workflow systems for several years and have more recently worked closely with Northgate on the development of their User Accreditation Scheme. This recent collaboration has enabled our teams to use the Northgate systems in much more effective and efficient ways - to the benefit of the customer”.
Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are delighted that our partners have achieved such great results. However, we recognise that there are still further improvements which need to be made. With the level of claimants expected to rise over coming years, it is essential that councils are dealing with claims in the most efficient way possible. We are committed to working with local authorities to deliver better for less and to continue improving standards and delivering improvements for both the council and the claimant.”

Acquisition of CARM Police Duty Management System

2010-07-22T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the acquisition of CARM Police Duty Management System from Concorde Informatics in a move designed to further boost Northgate’s demand management services for hard-pressed police forces across the country.

CARM is the market leading resource management system used by more forces than any other in the country, including the Metropolitan Police and West Yorkshire Police.

CARM enables forces to manage their complex shift patterns, allowing them to ensure the right staff coverage to deliver responsive policing to the public at the right time. It allows forces to search for available officers with a specific set of skills at any time. It equips them to better plan their human resources through daily, weekly, monthly and annual rosters. They can also analyse the use of overtime budgets and quickly record and monitor absence.

The acquisition of CARM significantly strengthens Northgate’s ability to assist forces in providing more effective policing at a time when the service is under unprecedented pressure to make efficiency savings. Northgate currently is the exclusive supplier and integrator of Leicestershire Constabulary’s award-winning iR3 initiative aimed at building public confidence, improving performance and creating efficiencies.

In his Independent Review of Policing 2008, Sir Ronnie Flanagan noted that the initiative has resulted in: “A dramatic reduction in self-deployment, substantially reducing multiple deployments and improving response times through automatic identification and deployment of the nearest available unit. Officer time spent in priority areas has significantly increased.”

Commenting on the acquisition, Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety, Northgate Public Services said today: “This is yet another exciting acquisition for Northgate Public Services. We are significantly growing our public safety business through selective acquisitions which allow us to work effectively with police services at a time of unprecedented challenge. We are committed to working with the public sector in new ways that involve sharing risk and reward so that we can create cashable savings while improving performance. We firmly believe that the addition of CARM will strengthen our ability to deliver this to every police force in the country.”

For more information

Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401

Hannah Smith +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Danny Calogero +44 (0)20 7324 6223; +44 (0)7534 189235

Wigan High School, in Partnership with Northgate Managed Services, transforms into centre of excellence for eLearning

2010-07-18T23:00:00+01:00

Engaging today’s students with technology - Abraham Guest High School delivers its vision for personalised interactive learning

Opening brand new doors to over 900 students, Abraham Guest High School in Wigan is delivering its inspiring vision for personalised, anytime, anywhere learning as part of the One School Pathfinder programme.

Keen to engage students through a truly interactive learning experience, staff at the new multi-million pound school are working in partnership with ICT specialist Northgate Managed Services to embed the latest technologies into teaching practice. From an interactive pod utilising the latest Immersive technology in the science lab and a biometric locker system for laptops, to Nintendo Wiis sunk into the gym walls, staff and students are immersed in a technology-rich environment the moment they step foot inside the school.
Appreciating the individuality of every school and the concept that one size does not fit all, Northgate has worked closely with Abraham Guest’s leadership team from the outset to foster a flexible, dynamic partnership to support their vision and ultimately help to transform learning.

Entering the school’s bright and airy atrium, a high-powered projector and large LCD screens adorn the walls, showcasing students’ work and important announcements of the day. A large LED display is also to be installed to display the school’s innovative 60-year clock which will broadcast key changes at the school, from student opinion on a range of topics and issues, to the dinner menu and uniform. Students are currently designing the clock’s interface to be selected by a panel of judges and implemented by Northgate in the next academic year. Promoting student voice, implementation of biometric technology is also planned to capture students’ opinions on a range of topics as they enter and leave the building.

Providing a learning environment which caters for every learning style and enables students to collaborate is imperative at Abraham Guest. One exceptional example of this is a new interactive pod situated in the large 1600sqm open-plan science area. Inspired by installations at Salford University’s Innovation Unit, the pod has been developed and produced by Northgate. High-resolution projectors display content on to the specially commissioned screen which doubles as the pods external wall, this has been designed to capture students’ attention and engage them in science topics. Designed to submerse students in multi-sensory learning, the interior combines the latest flight simulation technology and surround sound , enabling students to gain an immersive experience with the subject matter without outside distractions. For example, when studying the solar system students can immerse themselves in a journey through the planets .In chemistry they can watch molecules in 3D as they rotate to show their structure.Up to six students can enter the pod at one time, facilitating group work. The software for the pod will be continually developed by Northgate and the school’s e-learning content developer to help facilitate different learning outcomes and experiences.

Helping students to understand how science can have major influence on their daily lives, the school is working with Project Faraday to incorporate science into the building and grounds. Currently, Northgate is integrating technology to take readings from the school’s 60-year clock and Knowledge Garden which sees waste products from the science blocks filtered into a tank and pumped through reed beds to create recyclable water. All of this data will be available on the school’s intranet for staff and students to interpret in class.

Helping students to become independent learners, the school is now fully wireless-enabled allowing students to access their work via a range of fixed, mobile and handheld devices wherever they are in the building. To complement this, Northgate has implemented its Virtual Desktop solution which allows students to log-on to any computer, anywhere and anytime to access the school’s full range of applications. A biometric locker system for laptops has also been installed to provide access to laptops whenever a student requires one. This innovative solution releases to the student whichever laptop has the most charge and records who, when and for how long a student signs a laptop out for. In addition to enhancing the security of school equipment, the system helps teachers analyse the time students spend working independently.
Understanding that students are surrounded daily by the latest consumer technologies, staff at Abraham Guest now provide the interactive learning experience they have come to expect, in the classroom. For example, Nintendo Wiis have been installed in the gym and changing rooms to provide flexibility in how students exercise. This is proving particularly popular with female students who may not engage with traditional sports. Dartfish, video technology is used to record and analyse movement in a variety of sporting situations as students strive for success.

Roy Caslake, Headteacher, Abraham Guest High School, comments: “Our school’s entire school improvement plan has been centred on the learning needs of our students. They use technology every day so have come to expect this as part of their learning. From the outset, Northgate Managed Services has been incredibly flexible and adaptable in its approach and as a result, the company has helped shape our school’s vision. Technology moves fast so it has been crucial to work with a partner that can be flexible when interpreting our needs and is always ahead of the game.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are delighted to be working with such a forward-thinking school that is putting the learning needs of today’s students at the heart of its vision. We are employed to challenge as well as support the school’s ICT provision so it has been vital to have constant two-way dialogue. Both parties have been continuously engaged and have challenged each other every step of the way to improve ICT provision, resulting in an exceptional learning environment which will stand the test of time.”

School to Benefit from Northgate Managed Services Business Expertise

2010-06-27T23:00:00+01:00

North Belfast primary school, St Mary’s Star of the Sea, is set to benefit from invaluable business expertise in 2010/2011 after being ‘adopted’ by Northgate Managed Services.

Created by Business in the Community, the ‘Adopt a School’ program, seeks to build stronger links between businesses and local schools, utilising the expertise of the business community to help enrich the education sector.

Since becoming one of the first businesses to sign up to the pilot scheme, Northgate has been on hand to advise the school on all aspects of business; from ensuring the school is able to make the most of ICT through to marketing the school to its local community. Northgate has donated IT equipment and software which will be used by both teachers and pupils to make the classroom more interactive, and has also been involved in a fundraising drive to stock the school’s library in preparation for the new school year. Northgate staff will continue to take part in several activities from September onwards - from supporting students with reading and computing to providing additional training for teachers on how to get more out of ICT in the classroom.

Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services commented:
“Northgate has enjoyed a good relationship with St Mary’s Star of the Sea for over ten years. We are delighted to strengthen this partnership further by signing up to Business in the Community’s ‘Adopt a School’ scheme. The benefits of the scheme are two-fold – we are able to give something back to a school in our local community while St Mary’s can avail of pro bono support on a range of issues and activities. Our employees are really enthusiastic about the initiative and look forward to progressing their adoptive role over the next year.”

Kieran McGarry, Principal, St Mary’s Star of the Sea Primary School said:
“Since we have been adopted by Northgate, the employees have given 100% to every initiative they have been involved in. Their commitment and enthusiasm is commendable and I’d like to thank them for all the great work they have done to date and look forward to progressing this further still from September onwards.”

Jill Crawford, Community Director, Business in the Community said:
“Northgate is to be commended for demonstrating responsible leadership in Corporate Social Responsibility. The Adopt a School initiative enables the strengthening of links between business and education, providing vital connections for the future. Business in the Community is delighted to have one of our member companies leading on this in the Newtownabbey area.”

Kent Innovation Showcase 2010

2010-06-09T23:00:00+01:00

Kent schools to share best practice for educational transformation through technology

Event: Kent Innovation Showcase 2010 – Sharing Innovation & Success – free two-day event organised by Kent schools

Who should attend: Senior leaders, teachers, trainee teachers, bursars and ICT leads at Kent primary and secondary schools

Date/Time: Tuesday 22nd June 2010 - School Tours – 10:00 – 13:00
Wednesday 23rd June 2010 - Kent Innovation Conference – 08:30 – 16:00

Venue: Ashford International Hotel, Ashford, Kent, TN24 8UX

Catering: Refreshments and lunch will be provided at the conference

Kent primary and secondary school leaders and teaching staff are joining together this June at the Kent Innovation Showcase 2010 to share their experiences, challenges and success stories in driving innovation in ICT, personalised learning and change management.

Organised by Kent schools, in association with Kent County Council and supported by leading provider of ICT services and solutions, Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices), this free two-day event kicks off with a guided tour around three exemplary institutions: Dane Court Grammar School in Broadstairs, Ifield School in Gravesend and the host school, Hugh Christie Technology College in Tonbridge. Attendees will select their preferred institution to be taken on a half-day tour and showcase of the school’s technology and learning initiatives. For example, visitors to Hugh Christie will learn about the school’s ‘Real Learning Programme’ and how the school uses Northgate’s expertise to maximise its ICT efficiency and offer students the best education using technology. At District Special School, Ifield, visitors will see how the latest technologies are helping to transform teaching and learning for students with physical, sensory and learning needs.

On day two, a full-day conference and exhibition will be opened by Professor Stephen Heppell of Bournemouth University, attributed as ‘the most influential academic of recent years in the field of technology and education.’* Covering the themes of innovation with ICT, personalised learning and change management, the conference will encompass an exciting range of school presentations from primary, secondary and academy leaders, providing deep insight into the strategies Kent schools are using to achieve educational excellence. Attendees will also get hands-on ICT experience in the exhibition area where they will have the opportunity to meet a selection of technology partners.

For further information or to book a place at the conference, please register at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact Northgate Managed Services on tel: 02890 857159 / e-mail: lynsey.irwin@northgate-is.com.

Northgate Managed Services team does a bloomin' marvelous job at NI Childrens Hospice

2010-06-09T23:00:00+01:00

A team from Newtownabbey-based Northgate Managed Services traded the office for the great outdoors this week to tend to the garden at the Northern Ireland Children’s Hospice.

The 18 staff members visited the Hospice as part of Business in the Community’s Cares Challenge; a campaign set up to encourage employee volunteering in the local community.

Donning gardening gloves, the ‘green-fingered’ team tackled some heavy-duty weeding as well as freshening up the paintwork on the many benches placed around the garden – used and enjoyed by the children, family members and staff all year round.

Commenting on the challenge, Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services said:
“Northgate is delighted to take on the Cares Challenge for the 2nd year as part of our ongoing CSR activities. The Children’s’ Hospice is a neighbour of ours in Newtownabbey and at Northgate we place a huge importance on giving something back to the local community; especially to those organisations who themselves give so much. The staff at the Hospice work extremely hard and it’s fantastic to be able to help out where we can.”

Caroline Greer, head of fundraising, NI Children’s Hospice said:
“On behalf of everyone, I’d like to extend our thanks to the team from Northgate Managed Services. They give it 100% on every visit and definitely aren’t afraid to roll up their sleeves and get their hands (and clothes!) dirty. The garden is an integral part of the Hospice and allows us to give the children and their families a ‘Home from Home’ experience in a comfortable and safe environment. Well done to the Northgate team.”

Northgate Managed Services becomes Hartlepool Tall Ships Sponsor

2010-06-03T23:00:00+01:00

THE Tall Ships Races 2010 organisers in Hartlepool have announced Northgate Managed Services as the latest organisation to sign up as a sponsor.

The company, Hartlepool Borough Council’s strategic Information and Communications Technology (ICT) provider, is backing the town’s plans to host the finale of the international event from August 7-10 when up to one million visitors are expected.

Vessels will arrive in Hartlepool – the only UK host port - after sailing from Kristiansand in Norway and they will depart after taking part in an impressive Parade of Sail.

Hartlepool Borough Council has teamed up with PD Ports and Hartlepool Marina to stage the event and, so far, 67 ships have registered, 21 of them the largest square-rigged Class A vessels.

Michelle Daurat, Hartlepool Borough Council’s Tall Ships Project Manager, said: “We’re delighted to have Northgate Managed Services on board as a diamond sponsor.

“Northgate will be involved in installing technology and communication links for the Tall Ships events, and we’re pleased to be forging even closer links with the company through this sponsorship.”

Northgate Managed Services has over 30 years of experience within the ICT industry and employs over 1,300 people across the UK.

As part of the sponsorship deal, Northgate will be supporting six young people from Owton/Rossmere-based ORCEL Sea Training who will be sailing in The Tall Ships Races aboard Black Diamond.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services, said: “Over the past ten years, we have developed a strong and successful working relationship delivering ICT services in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council.

“We are delighted to be able to support the Council by sponsoring the Hartlepool Tall ships event. Northgate Managed Services is committed to making a positive impact in the local communities in which we operate and we are excited to be able to give young people from ORCEL Sea Training the opportunity to compete in The Tall Ships Races. We wish them luck and hope they enjoy the experience, gaining key life skills on the way.”

For further information about the event log onto www.hartlepooltallships2010.com, telephone 01429 523636 or email tallships@hartlepool.gov.uk

Northgate Managed Services gets involved in an Inspirational Big Conversation

2010-05-25T23:00:00+01:00

Tuesday 25 May 2010 sees the national Work Inspiration campaign launched in Northern Ireland. It is delivered by Business in the Community in conjunction with the CBI and supported by Northern Bank and UTV Media plc.

Since Spring 2008, Business in the Community has been surveying senior business leaders for ideas on how to tackle the skills deficit in the UK and one of the key issues identified was the gap between the idea a young person has of the world of work and what business expects from new recruits.

In Northern Ireland, 22,000 young people are eligible for work experience each year. To be effective, it must be meaningful, relevant and above all inspiring.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive at Northgate Managed Services attended a Big Conversation, an event hosted by UTV. He joined over 50 Chief Executives and business leaders, meeting with 15 and 16 year old students to raise awareness among the corporate sector of how businesses can be used as a catalyst for positive change in the way work experience is provided for young people.

Liz Lemon, Programme Manager for Work Inspiration explains: “Businesses of all sizes and types, public and private, need to commit to making changes and to reviewing and improving the work experience they offer. We need to show young people that there are many routes to success.”

“Work Inspiration will bring three-fold benefits: we have tools to help employers provide inspirational placements, guidance for schools to help prepare students before embarking on their placement and the results should be inspirational, informative and fun placements for students.”

Northgate Managed Services Appointed to Provide ICT Services to Hartlepool BSF Programme

2010-05-24T23:00:00+01:00

Hartlepool secondary schools are set to achieve their vision for personalised learning through technology as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future programme. Contracted to deliver the £12.98million ICT initiative, Northgate Managed Services - a leading provider of ICT services and solutions - will provide every student and teacher with access to a personal learning device* as just one of a number of strategies to enhance learning.
Northgate Managed Services will deliver its first ICT-only BSF contract to seven schools in Hartlepool. These include: Dyke House Sports and Technology College, Manor College of Technology, St. Hilds C of E School, English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College, Catcote Business and Enterprise College, High Tunstall College of Science and the Council’s Pupil Referral Unit. The investment allows for the provision and management of the very latest learning and teaching tools creating technology-rich learning spaces which are responsive, inclusive and supportive of attainment by all.

Committed to providing quality, cost-effective ICT, Northgate Managed Services has worked closely with the local authority and schools to factor existing technology and funding streams into BSF. For example, to give every student and teacher access to a personal learning device without impacting heavily on the Local Choice Fund, Northgate has analysed the percentage of children eligible for a device through the Home Access initiative as well as those who already owned a device at home. This strategy also supports the authority’s personalisation approach, as it not only enables students to work anytime, anywhere, but also allows them to work on a device they prefer to use.
Further supporting the individuality of every school and the concept that one size doesn’t fit all, Hartlepool will benefit from Northgate’s latest development N-able School, an easy-to-use, flexible web portal. This will provide students with their own personalised learning area where they can work on assignments, store their work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students.
The portal will provide Hartlepool’s schools with access to core applications and the ability to add customise with additional applications, allowing each school to tailor their web-portal to their individual needs. Schools can integrate key educational and administrative systems they currently use and access them securely through single sign-on from school, home or anywhere else with an internet connection. Northgate will also provide an extended offering to support anytime, anywhere learning for students, with the latest 'Thin Client' solutions which will enable them to access all their school software on the move.
Northgate Managed Services will also be supporting Hartlepool’s ‘Space to Learn’ project - a nationally recognised project which will provide a testbed environment to develop and enhance the best teaching and learning practices in the 21st century. It will consist of flexible learning spaces and innovative technologies which will be used by all schools within Hartlepool supported by Hartlepool’s City Learning Centre and in partnership with Northgate Managed Services. This project also represents the potential for greater collaboration between primary and secondary schools to help prepare younger students for their transition to secondary school.

Councillor Cath Hill, Hartlepool Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Technology has made massive strides in recent years and in our hi-tech generation young people are used to accessing information instantly – learning anywhere and any time. This contract with Northgate will enable Hartlepool’s secondary schools to meet that challenge and create a new and uniquely flexible teaching and learning environment. It will complement traditional face-to-face teaching and will create a learning revolution which will set the standard for many years to come.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “As our first ICT-only BSF contract, we are proud to be in partnership with Hartlepool Borough Council. We now look forward to working closely with the schools and council to achieve their vision for anytime, anywhere learning. By working in partnership with the council and the individual schools, we will be offering innovative, high quality facilities and integrated information and communication technology to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners. Northgate has factored existing technology and funding streams into BSF to create a sizeable Local Choice Fund, giving considerable spending power back to the schools, demonstrating Northgate’s commitment to flexible solutions.”
Northgate already supplies managed services to over 1,200 school and college networks across the UK and is responsible for 20 schools currently benefitting from BSF investment as well as providing interim managed services to an additional 27 BSF schools. This is Northgate’s fifth BSF contract win, in addition to recent success in the single schools and academies market.
For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the website at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices
*Personalised learning devices include: Desktop PCs, Apple Macs, laptops and netbooks.

Extend the use of EPC data to combat climate change

2010-05-24T23:00:00+01:00

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have a key role to play in raising the awareness of our building’s carbon footprints and promoting energy efficiency measures, says Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Department of Communities and Local Government consultation Making better use of Energy Performance Certificates, Northgate say that the recent abolition of Home Information Packs (HIPs) will make EPCs more visible and give them a greater role in tackling climate change.

The organisation says that information from EPCs must be used to promote energy efficiency measures and not simply be an academic resource. Therefore, they suggest, EPC information should be more accessible to promote energy efficiency measures. In particular they cite the way in which Local Authorities could use this information to target energy efficiency measures at those areas most in need.

Northgate also say that the 10 year validity period for EPCs is too long and should be reduced to a period of three to five years. This would ensure that information is kept up to date and would reflect any energy efficiency measures taken during this period.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “Climate change is one of the most pressing issues we currently face. Given that buildings account for almost half of the UK’s carbon emissions, EPCs are central to the vision of creating a zero carbon nation. On an individual level the information can be used to improve the state of a property. However, opening up access to the data would allow it to be used on a larger scale by Local Authorities to target measures and combat fuel poverty.

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For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton
020 7324 6221; 07966 890401
Hannah Smith
020 7324 6222; 07949 421356

South Derbyshire partnership to create stronger public services and growing economy

2010-05-18T23:00:00+01:00

It is announced today that South Derbyshire District Council has selected Northgate Public Services as its preferred bidder in a ground-breaking partnership programme designed to create stability and improvement in local services and boost jobs in the area.

The innovative risk-reward agreement, the first of its kind in the country, brings together a guaranteed package of service improvement, skills enhancement and jobs creation while delivering cashable savings to the Council through improved business processes. In total, it is anticipated that over 100 jobs will be brought into the district, with additional jobs created over future years.

Under a seven year contract worth £22 million, set to start on August 1st 2010, Northgate will take on direct responsibility for managing and improving the Council’s Corporate Services - Finance, Organisational Development, IT and Business Improvement, Revenues, Benefits and Customer Services. It will also develop a regional centre of excellence - a market-facing business – to support regional growth and develop employment opportunities across South Derbyshire.

Under Northgate’s leadership, citizen services will be transformed with better access and greater personalisation. Employees will have their jobs protected. They will benefit from improved investment and support as their skills and capabilities are developed to meet changing demand.

The regional Business Centre - to be set up in Swadlincote - will provide much-needed business services for the private and public sector across the East Midlands. It forms an integral part of a national network of regional centres currently being set up by Northgate.

The centres are aimed at providing public and private bodies with new opportunities to radically overhaul business processes, improve services, and generate cost efficiencies through economies of scale and shared resources.

The partnership will guarantee continued investment in services to secure further improvements and savings through the lifetime of the contract.

A total investment of £1.9 million has been pledged to upgrade IT systems and services. Northgate is also guaranteeing cashable savings to the council of more than £2 million pounds, inclusive of fees, over the lifetime of the project.

John Harrison, the Acting Leader for South Derbyshire District Council, said: “South Derbyshire is a great place to live and work. It is one of the fastest, if the not the fastest, growing districts in the East Midlands. We aim to keep it that way. We are committed to providing value for money for our community and this contract will enable us to save money while continuing to improve services.

“Northgate is a partner that we trust. It shares our high ambition for the future. We have a genuine commitment to one another and to making this partnership a success. We are confident that Northgate’s expertise in this area of work will allow us to deliver high quality, efficient services while creating job opportunities and enhanced skills. This really is a win-win situation for all concerned. Working together will improve services for our residents, while realising much needed savings."

Dave Meaden, Chief Executive of Northgate Public Services, said: “In these hard economic times councils must not only deliver stronger public services, they have to lead their communities back to economic growth. Our innovative approach is based on combining people development with process development to create better public services outcomes and wider improvements to South Derbyshire.”

“We are delighted to have been selected as preferred bidder. This is an exciting opportunity to build upon our transformation experience - to deliver the twin package of local service improvement and economic growth. We aim to deliver better for less while maintaining investment in services to create new opportunities for local people. We look forward to working with the Council and our new employees to ensure that the local community as a whole truly benefits from this partnership.”

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For further information

Northgate contact
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton     +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Hannah Smith    +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356
Danny Calogero  +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

NSPCC APPOINTS NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES TO ENHANCE IT SERVICES AND REDUCE COSTS

2010-05-16T23:00:00+01:00

The NSPCC has awarded a five year ICT contract to Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) for the provision of an ICT managed service. Under this contract, Northgate will be responsible for designing, implementing and managing a state of the art, resilient IT infrastructure supporting more than 2000 users in 130 locations across the UK, enhancing the quality of service to NSPCC staff and reducing costs.

Renowned as the UK’s leading child protection charity the NSPCC’s aim has remained steadfast – to protect children from cruelty and to increase awareness of the issues that surround such abuse. Today’s NSPCC continues to fight for the rights of children and works hard to promote its vision of ending child cruelty through a combined approach of services, policy and campaigning.

Thanks to a focus on the benefits delivered through new technologies the NSPCC has partnered with Northgate to implement a full ICT managed service based on the concept of ‘pay as you use’ utility based computing To achieve this, Northgate will build, own and manage the ICT infrastructure on behalf of the NSPCC. This service will be delivered from Northgate’s ITIL certified centre of excellence in Belfast and using Northgate’s national engineering team to provide local support at NSPCC offices throughout the UK.

Commenting on the new support contract Ian Chivers, Director of Finance and Corporate Services, NSPCC said, “As a third sector organisation, , the need to ensure value for money when selecting external suppliers is paramount. I am confident that by appointing Northgate, we have aligned ourselves with a provider that can not only deliver cost effective and reliable IT services across our organisation but also has the ability to grow with us as we continue to enhance our ability to engage with young people in an increasingly broad and fast changing digital world.

Mr. Chivers continued, “Northgate is providing a utility computing model. In essence we have in place a ‘pay as we use’ system which allows the NSPCC to accurately predict usage and to control costs. I am confident that over the next five years the NSPCC partnership with Northgate will allow us to optimise our use of technology and in doing so help us to work towards our main aim – ending child cruelty.”

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services stated, “We are delighted to have been awarded the NSPCC contract. The Third sector is an important marketplace for Northgate and the award of this contract is clear evidence of our ability to provide the best, most effective solution overall. The NSPCC’s decision speaks volumes and clearly demonstrates its confidence in our company and our staff. We are committed to working hand-in-hand with the NSPCC team and over the next five years we will be introducing a number of new services that I am confident will allow the NSPCC to achieve clear return on its ICT investment.”

Northgate Managed Services supports Mini Rugby Festival as focus shifts from competition to taking part.

2010-05-16T23:00:00+01:00

New Rules Will Encourage Primary School Pupils to Give it a ‘Try’

Ravenhill Rugby ground will play home to a game with a difference this month as organisers of Ulster Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby make an affirmative ‘conversion’ in a bid to encourage all primary school children to take part.

Proudly sponsored by Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) for the 5th year, the Mini Rugby festival will now place a sole emphasis on participation, with the IRFU omitting the competition element for the first time in over 35 years.

The festival will take place over four days where 40 teams will play against each other in a series of four round robin matches. Scores will not be kept and no team will be crowned winner.

Commenting on the decision to change the festival’s focus, Simon Wallace, Commercial Manager at Ulster Rugby said:
“Despite its success over the years, we were keen to shift the emphasis away from winning and instead focus on encouraging widespread participation across all school groups, irrespective of their ability. Mini Rugby continues to be a fantastic way for children to become more active and develop their team skills and sense of ‘fair play’. We’d like to ensure this is true for all children and that no one is discouraged from future participation should their team not ‘win’, and so we’ve taken the decision to eliminate the competition element and rebrand the event as a festival as opposed to a tournament.”

Stuart Gunning, Northgate Managed Services added:
“Northgate Managed Services is committed to investing in the communities in which we work and as we continue to play a pivotal role in education through our work with Classroom 2000 (C2K), it is important for us to continue to foster links with the schools we work with. This more inclusive approach focuses much more on participation which develops key skills outside of the classroom such as teamwork. We are delighted to support the Primary Schools’ Mini Rugby festival this year and we hope all the participants enjoy playing at Ravenhill.”

The Mini Rugby festival will take place at Ulster Rugby’s home pitch, Ravenhill 11th-14th May.

Review funding to maximise value from resources

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

The Scottish Government should conduct a review into public funding arrangements to ensure the sustainability of long-term care and to maximise value from resources, says Northgate Public Services today.

In a response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on self-directed support, Northgate says that the medium term recommendations of the Sutherland Report, which calls for a review of public funding, should be fully implemented. This, the organisation says, would address current funding gaps in social care and provide a more sustainable long term approach.

Northgate welcomes the moves to create services built around personalised need, but argues that these should be refocused if better services are to be delivered for less. Long term value from resources could be maximised, Northgate says, by ensuring low risk as well as high risk needs are met. Social care should also focus on addressing health inequalities. Key to this is eradicating the postcode lottery which currently effects the provision of care for those with low risk needs.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, added: “The Scottish Government has a proud record in the provision of social care services. It must now take action to ensure the sustainability of its services in the future. Embedding prevention and the reduction of inequality will make services more responsive while also delivering financial benefits. Our concern is that the most disadvantaged in the poorest communities could face increasing inequality if a review is not conducted.

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For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton
+44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401

Danny Calogero
+44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

Northgate calls for integrated partnership to increase public confidence

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

An integrated partnership which focuses on the prevention of crime could promote public trust and release valuable resources for frontline policing, claims Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Northern Ireland Office’s consultation Local Partnership Working on Policing and Community Safety, Northgate welcomes the plan to integrate two separate local partnerships – Community Safety Partnerships and District Policing Partnerships – into a single partnership, the Crime Reduction Partnership.

Northgate argues that local authorities working in conjunction with the police services are key to the new partnership’s success. They will identify local issues of concern for the Crime Reduction Partnership. Northgate says that this will help to promote neighbourhood policing, making services more responsive and enhancing public trust in policing. The company also says that new powers from 2011 will mean that local authorities can ensure the partnerships’ actions link effectively into community planning.

Northgate argues that the integration of the partnership will open up new opportunities for services to be redesigned around the needs of citizens and their local communities. The organisation says that by joining up back office functions, and reducing an overlap in services, the partnerships can ensure that more resources can be diverted to frontline services.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Promoting public confidence is key to delivering continually improving neighbourhood policing in Northern Ireland. By integrating the two partnerships, citizens will gain from better services with less resources. At a time when public services are so hard pressed, these proposals are all about providing more effective and efficient policing that is truly accountable and responsive to the needs of the people of Northern Ireland.”

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For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

DVA Telephone Booking Service Celebrates 2 Millionth Caller

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

21 April 2010

DVA Telephone Booking Service Celebrates 2 Millionth Caller

- - Northgate Managed Services continues to provide an effective telephone booking service for local drivers with 99.5% of Callers totally satisfied*- 412,000 Northern Ireland Drivers Opt for Phone Booking ServiceThe Driver Vehicle Agency (DVA) has proven to be a leader in the delivery of effective and efficient public services after receiving its two millionth phonecall booking. The positive uptake of the telephone and online booking system, which has been implemented and managed by Northgate Managed Services since 2004, highlights how the DVA has responded to the ‘Modernising Government’ agenda. Responsible for licensing and testing vehicles and drivers in NI, and operating 15 test centres province-wide, the DVA conducts over 500,000 MOT checks and 40,000 driving tests each year. Key outcomes of the booking system are a streamlined, paperless, time efficient service which provides a seamless transition from booking stage to test lane. All appointments are centrally managed by Northgate allowing customers to select or change appointment dates and pay fees by credit/debit cards, before the information is transferred to the 15 test centres.Carole Hill from Greyabbey was delighted to discover she was the DVA’s 2millionth telephone booking customer, and was presented with a £250 petrol voucher to spend at her local forecourt by Northgate: “I was very impressed with the convenience and efficiency of the telephone booking service and would highly recommend it to other car owners. At a time when fuel prices are increasing, I’m delighted that thanks to Northgate, one very simple, straightforward phone call has resulted in my MOT being arranged – and my tank being filled for a considerable time. ”Commenting on the success of the new booking system, Lee Dodds, contract manager of the DVA booking service said: “Over the last few years the uptake of the telephone and on-line booking service has been exceptional which reflects how our customers favour time efficient options. This is further reflected in the fact that 99.5% of all callers over the last year were totally satisfied with the service they received, which is an outstanding result.”James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services added: “The technology we’re using is entirely customer focused enabling bookings, payments, cancellations, and rescheduling of appointments in a matter of minutes. We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the DVA to deliver this important public service, and we congratulate our 2millionth caller for marking this great milestone.”* Based on the annual average of a monthly survey in which 1% of customers who book through test centre and call centre are surveyed. EndsFor further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 9039 3837

Foster announces investment by Northgate Managed Services

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

Foster announces investment by Northgate Managed Services Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster announced an investment by Northgate Managed Services, supported by Invest Northern Ireland. The investment, which aims to create 88 new jobs and safeguard 241 others, will help Northgate achieve £62million of new business in external sales over the next three years and deliver over £8million in salaries annually into the local economy. Northgate Managed Services provides infrastructure and specialist ICT managed services to public and private sector organisations throughout the UK and Ireland from its head office in Newtownabbey. Making the announcement, the Minister said: “This major investment demonstrates Northgate’s focus on ensuring that it is competitively positioned to win further new business. “Generating £8.2million annually in salaries through the creation of 88 new jobs and the safeguarding of a further 241, this investment is a significant commitment by one of the UK’s leading IT services firms. Maintaining such skilled jobs paying above average salaries in a key industry sector, particularly in the current economic climate, is a very welcome boost for the Northern Ireland economy.” The wider project will see the company centralise a number of back office functions, make a number of efficiency improvements and engage in a major training and development programme. Invest NI has offered £2.64 million of support which includes £1.12 million of training assistance part funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Arlene Foster continued: “By 2011, over 530 people will be employed by Northgate in Northern Ireland, that’s almost half of its total UK workforce. This is a strong endorsement of the local skills base which will be further enhanced as the training element of the project is implemented.” Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services said: “Last year we worked to reduce the impact of the global downturn and focused on increasing sales, fulfilling customer needs and protecting jobs. We were extremely successful in achieving these objectives and the investment announced today will allow us to build upon those achievements and prepare to take advantage of the upturn. “We have identified new external sales opportunities potentially worth up to £62 million over the next three years and plan to implement a number of efficiency and capability development activities to ensure we achieve the targets set. Our highly talented employees are a key part of our continued growth and the investment in training and the recruitment of a further 88 staff will be a crucial to our future success.”

NI Business of the Year Awarded to Northgate Managed Services

2010-05-11T23:00:00+01:00

29^th March 2010NI Business of the Year Awarded to Northgate Managed ServicesNI’s leading IT services provider, Northgate Managed Services, has scored a double whammy after winning two major accolades at the 2010 Belfast Telegraph Business Awards in association with BMI. The Newtownabbey-based business was named ‘Business of the Year’ in addition to scooping the award for ‘Excellence in Service to Business’. Northgate Managed Services provides IT services to a broad range of over 2,000 private and public sector organisations across the UK and is Northern Ireland’s largest indigenous IT services company. The judging panel, chaired by leading Ulster economist John Simpson, was impressed by the company’s consistent growth, innovation and commitment to people development, crowning it overall ‘Business of the Year’.The Service to Business category recognises business to business relationships and services offered which have enhanced the business efficiency and productivity. Northgate was awarded for its successful journey through the recession which it achieved by investing in its people, processes and technologies to deliver added value to its widespread customer base. Throughout 2009 the company doubled its order intake to £176m, won over 60 contracts with a value of more than £250,000, retained its 15 key clients and added 10 new major customers to its client list, not only protecting its existing workforce but supplementing it by the creation of 100 new jobs.Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services said: “Our success at these awards is a fantastic accolade for our business and our people. This achievement demonstrates Northgate’s commitment to developing excellence in our employees and delivering excellence in customer service.

“Amid the current economic climate, we understand the importance of reinvesting in our business to deliver value and results for our customers. This was particularly relevant over the past twelve months when we have focused on our technology, processes and people development – resulting in enhanced productivity, heightened customer satisfaction, an increased rate of employee and customer retention and growth. Business performance is extremely encouraging, which is not only good news for us, but also for the wider economy.” Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive of Invest NI and member of this year’s judging panel said: “Northern Ireland business has traditionally punched above its weight on the world stage. Much of this success has been achieved by individual companies focusing strongly on their unique selling proposition and relying on the expertise of others to deliver essential support services. In many instances, it is these providers of services to other businesses that underpin end to end excellence in customer service delivery, with this year’s winner being a worthy recipient.”In addition, Northgate was commended in the ‘Excellence for People Development’ category for its commitment to creating a sustainable learning and development culture, equipping staff with the appropriate skills, knowledge and processes to deliver innovative, industry-leading IT services.The Belfast Telegraph Business Awards were announced at a gala ceremony in Belfast’s Ramada Hotel, attended by representatives from leading local businesses, shortlisted across nine categories. Ends

For further information please contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 90 393837

Northgate calls for Citizen First Approach

2010-04-21T23:00:00+01:00

Commitment both to the citizen and users should be placed at the heart of local government services, according to Northgate Public Services, one of the country’s leading providers of citizen relationship management services to the public sector.

The company, which has recently gained a gold award from Investors in People for its people management practice, is calling on the public sector to further engage and involve citizens in the design and delivery of services. A Citizen First strategic approach involves leadership from the top, employee training and development, citizen and user input, and measurement and assessment.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services said today: “In these hard economic times, the public sector has to innovate and engage with its citizens to deliver improved services. Increasingly, our clients in the public sector are focusing on the need of citizens and delivering services built around their needs. It is time that this best practice became common practice.”

The company highlights the practice of two of its clients who have recently won customer service awards as examples of best practice.

Broxtowe Borough Council has recently been awarded the prestigious ServiceMark by the Institute of Customer Service, the professional body for customer service performance and professionalism. It is one of only a handful of local authorities to gain the award. The award measures what citizens think of the council’s service and includes an independent assessment by a third party. The Institute report highlighted excellent leadership, the commitment to training of staff and service to their customers that was led from the top, and the fact that the management team had set themselves targets for improvement.

Lisburn City Council has been awarded the Customer Services Excellence Award by the Cabinet Office for its building control service. The assessors were particularly impressed by the development of a customer facing management information system which has evolved from an assessment of changing customer needs, including how the service reaches, interacts and creates business efficiencies for its customers. E-enabled services commenced with putting property certificates online. It has now evolved so that architectural plans can be submitted online, along with an enhanced and integrated email facility for customer interaction.

This development programme is soon to be added to, with the ability to track an applications progress from external PCs, employ remote access working abilities for surveyors and integrate with a corporate GIS facility permitting a 24/7 access to all of integrated services. Customer services will be enhanced further throughout NI local authorities, with the sharing of this technology and subsequent adoption by Belfast, N.Down, Cookstown, and Dungannon Councils.

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401

Further appointment to Northgate's transformation team

2010-04-18T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Amit Dhawan to its specialist transformation division as Regional Operations Director for the Southern Region.

Amit joins Northgate after five highly successful years with DHL (Global Mail) where, from April 2008, he was Divisional Managing Director for UK National Mail.

Following positions at the Post Office and Royal Mail, Amit pioneered the development of DHL’s domestic mail business in the UK from its start-up to becoming one of the country’s leading brands.

Amit’s appointment signifies the further expansion of Northgate’s specialist transformation services at a time when the public sector is under intense pressure to deliver better services for less. It follows the recent announcement of Giles Piercy who leads the work of the division as Head of Performance Partnerships.

Amit will focus on strengthening and intensifying the growth of corporate-wide transformation services across the public sector in the Southern region, while continuing to build up specialist services in areas such as transport, social care, customer services and housing.

The company offers the public sector an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets, and fees come directly from the cashable savings delivered to the public authority.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said today: “Amit’s appointment is a crucial one for us. We are doing great work for citizens and public services in the South. But we can do so much more. Amit is a strategic thinker with a flare for developing new operations in highly competitive markets. He will help us build upon our track record in delivering better for less to the public sector.

“In these difficult economic times, our message to the public sector is simple, if you do not innovate, you are unlikely to improve the services that you deliver and which people have a right to expect. If we do not help you deliver that improvement you do not pay. It’s a win - win situation for the public sector and citizens alike. The public sector can ill afford to lose out.”

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Hannah Smith +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Johnson Service Group PLC cleans up payroll and HR with NorthgateArinso

2010-04-06T23:00:00+01:00

Johnson Service Group PLC cleans up payroll and HR with NorthgateArinso
~ flexibility of service, future proofing and accuracy provide key motives for move to ResourceLink Aurora ~

Johnson Service Group PLC (JSG), which provides essential support services to UK businesses and consumers in the areas of workwear, laundry services, dry cleaning and facilities management, has signed a five-year contract with NorthgateArinso. The HR software and services company will supply a fully managed payroll and hosted HR solution to 2,500 of JSG’s employees within its textile services division, which comprises of Johnson’s Apparelmaster, Johnson’s Stalbridge Linen Services, and the JSG Plc division.

The company selected NorthgateArinso after a lengthy period of time investigating the business’ true needs, in terms of service provision and scalability for the future.

“We needed a firm to provide us with an up-to-date and reliable HR, training and payroll service, and give us the business information we require at our fingertips, whenever and wherever we needed it,” said Avi Kar at JSG. “NorthgateArinso had the experience of dealing with large corporate clients and, with 400 customers already using ResourceLink, had the tried-and-tested foundations we were looking for. Additionally, ResourceLink Aurora could integrate with our internal Business Objects reporting tool, which will make reporting processes much more efficient and reduce cost.”

As a solution that’s hosted online, ResourceLink Aurora is accessible via a web browser and does not require any on-premise footprint, which means it is more scalable – a crucial factor for JSG: “JSG is an ambitious company, and the flexibility to grow with the demands of the HR team played an important part in the decision,” said James Ronksley, business development director at NorthgateArinso. “ResourceLink Aurora is a streamlined service, which will improve efficiency and accuracy at JSG, now and in the future.”

(297 words)

NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

NorthgateArinso awarded BSI

2010-04-06T23:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso awarded BSI
continuity standard

~ ensures business carries on if the unexpected happens ~

NorthgateArinso, leading HR and Payroll service provider has achieved BS25999 standard. This auditable standard was awarded by BSI Management Systems for NorthgateArinso’s ability to ensure unexpected events will have a minimum business impact, for example, environmental incidents, sickness (pandemic) and terrorist activity.

The standard means customers can be assured that, regardless of any disruption that may occur, their services will continue to be delivered. This represents the high quality and reliability of NorthgateArinso as a Payroll and HR provider.

“More customers are asking for evidence of business continuity credentials and at NorthgateArinso we are committed to satisfying our customers’ needs,” said Graeme Deane, global quality manager at NorthgateArinso. “We have invested in technology and infrastructure to ensure service delivery continues through any disruption. We have also ensured our people understand their roles, for example through scenario and rehearsal exercises, so that they can respond to emergencies in an organised and planned manner.”

Gaining certification has been a two-year process, and the company has demonstrated a commitment to understand its business risks and become resilient in any eventuality. Currently six NorthgateArinso locations are certified. The organisation plans to continue rolling this out further in the UK and globally.

Newport's innovative partnership set to make transport budgets go further

2010-03-28T23:00:00+01:00

Citizens using specialist transport around Newport, Gwent, can expect to see their services benefit from a dramatic transformation after Newport City Council signed an innovative performance partnership contract with Northgate Public Services.

This groundbreaking partnership comes after Northgate completed a comprehensive review of Newport’s specialist transport services last year. The review identified a number of potential ways in which the council could improve the services for citizens and deliver significant financial savings.

Working in close collaboration with Newport’s transport teams, Northgate’s transformation arm will focus on delivering improvements across a range of key areas including:

mainstream schools transport
Special Educational Needs (SEN) home-to-school transport
Adult Social Services transport
community transport
fleet provision, facilities, management

Newport currently spends around £11 million on public transport services annually. Its performance partnership with Northgate will achieve savings totalling £3m over its lifespan.

The performance partnership will focus on making savings in the following ways:

ensuring that transport routes are effective so that disabled users do not have to experience unnecessary travel time
reducing direct costs by helping the Council to introduce more rigorous supply and tendering processes
avoiding expenditure by scrutinising requests for additional service or equipment more thoroughly

Northgate will work alongside Newport City Council staff to transfer the skills and build the capacity and capability they need to sustain savings in all areas well beyond the life of the contract.

All fees paid to Northgate under the partnership agreement will come from cashable savings. The company operates an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets.
Cont.
Tracey Lee, Managing Director at Newport City Council, said today: “These are exciting times for Newport. The city’s regeneration continues to uplift the lives of everyone who lives and works here. Newport City Council and Northgate Public Services have already established a successful working relationship. Our performance partnership will deliver the change we need to deliver sustainable long-term improvements to people who depend on our public transport system.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services, added: “We understand that quality public transport services are vital to the wellbeing and development of communities. Like so many councils across the country, Newport is under increasing pressure to provide better services for less.
We are committed to helping Newport transform itself into the economic and social hub of south-east Wales, a city where people are proud to live and work.”

-Ends-

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Accreditation leads to quality says Northgate Public Services

2010-03-19T00:00:00+01:00

Accreditation by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) should become a condition of authorisation for competent person self-certification scheme operators, states Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Department of Communities and Local Government (CLG) consultation on Building Regulations competent person self-certification scheme, Northgate says that accreditation by UKAS will offer consumers and stakeholders greater piece of mind about such schemes.

Under the plans, UKAS would provide the quality assurance that is required of such schemes. Operators who showed low levels of compliance would have to agree to an action plan with CLG. Although Northgate accepts that this may cause additional cost for the schemes, it argues that putting such measures in place would be beneficial to everyone as deficiencies within schemes could be corrected earlier than would otherwise be the case.

Northgate also recommends that customers should be automatically given financial protection for any jobs that are undertaken through an insurance-backed warranty, professional indemnity insurance or bond, provided through the supplier. This would protect them against a situation where work carried out under a competent person scheme does not comply with the requirements of the Building Regulations but the installer is no longer able to bring the work up to standard.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “For some schemes, compliance with building regulations is not currently at an acceptable level. Sub-standard work is not only a safety hazard, it can cause devastation to the lives of customers left abandoned to put things right. Poor practice simply will not do. The independence of UKAS is widely recognised. Its involvement will help to promote customer confidence and drive up standards to ensure the very highest quality of work within the schemes.

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

Notes to editors:
1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

2. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies.

Shaping the future of technology in education - Bolton students scoop prestigious Innovation in Action accolade for turning detective at top education technology show

2010-03-18T00:00:00+01:00

Students from Smithills School, Bolton, have won Northgate Managed Services’ prestigious Innovation in Action 2010 competition, demonstrating forward-thinking ways new technology can help transform their school. Created to reward innovation and collaboration using ICT, students from the six schools involved in the first phase of Bolton’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme were invited to turn detective at a major London technology exhibition, investigating new software or equipment they would like implemented at their school.

This January, students from Smithills School and LadyBridge High School, Bolton, visited BETT 2010, the largest education resource event in the world to discover new learning technologies and resources. Supported by teachers at study@bwfc, they were challenged to design an interactive presentation to show how particular technologies could benefit their peers and school.

Students from both schools worked hard to identify resources with real educational value as well as being fun and engaging. Commended by judges for their “excellent understanding and knowledge of technologies in a learning environment”, winning school Smithills students created a cinema-style virtual classroom and streamlined processes such as registration and school meals.

Demonstrating their commercial awareness, students also highlighted that their ‘cinema experience’ could be rented to the local community to help generate the funding.

The competition entries were judged by experts from Northgate Managed Services and members of Bolton Council who looked at how the students addressed issues such as the application of the technology in their school and the overall benefits to the school and students.

David Kilgallon, Bolton’s Transformational Lead, comments: “In Bolton we actively encourage students to get involved and have a say in what resources are implemented in their school and are delighted that the efforts of Smithills students have been recognised by Northgate Managed Services. The students’ research and recommendations have helped provide us and the school with an even deeper understanding of the ways they want to learn.”

David Hyland, Managing Director of Education at Northgate Managed Services comments: “Both schools involved showed a confident approach to planning their presentation and evaluating their choices. Smithills School was chosen as the overall winning school because they demonstrated clearly the reasons for their choice, the applications and value to their education. Their recommendations for a cinema-style virtual classroom won it for them as they gave specific examples on how they would use the resources to aid learning and even a method to help fund this investment.”

Smithills School received a Mac Netbook as a prize with the eight students involved from both schools received an iPod nano each. Northgate Managed Services will also be reviewing all the ICT that each school demonstrated in their presentation to see if it can be offered as part of their solution.

Press enquiries:
Louise Peto at Livewire Public Relations, tel: +44 (0)20 8339 7440 or e-mail louise.peto@livewirepr.com.

Notes to editors:
Northgate Managed Services is Bolton County Council’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provider as part of the Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme. Schools across Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton are set to build on existing progress in achieving excellence in education with the creation of a media-rich learning environment as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Working closely with ICT services and solutions specialist, Northgate Managed Services, contracted by Balfour Beatty, schools will benefit from an initial £41.3 million invested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) making them some of the most advanced schools in the country.

The project will see 15 Bolton schools (three phases) rebuilt or re-modelled and upgraded to provide flexible and attractive learning environments that better support learning.

Northgate appoints Giles Piercy to its Citizen Services transformation team

2010-03-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Giles Piercy as Director of Performance Partnerships.

Giles’ appointment signifies the growing success and further expansion of Northgate’s specialist transformation services at a time when the public sector is under intense pressure to deliver better services for less.

Giles will focus on intensifying the growth of corporate-wide transformation services across the public sector, while continuing to build up specialist services in areas such as housing, social care and transport.

The company offers the public sector an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets and fees come directly from the cashable savings delivered to the public authority.

Giles joins Northgate after ten highly successful years with iMPOWER consulting. Recruited in 2000, to head iMPOWER’s business development into the local government and broader public sector markets, he was appointed Chief Executive in 2004.

At iMPOWER Giles was instrumental in the firm delivering major assignments with the organisations such as the Cabinet Office, the Department of Communities and Local Government and the Department for Children, Schools and Families. He was also closely involved in a series of high-profile local government assignments for Devon County Council, the London Borough of Lewisham, Dorset County Council and the City of London, among other local authorities.

Joe Bradley, Managing Director Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said today: “Our vision is to support world class public services through transformation. Services must be built around citizen need and reach out to the most disadvantaged in our communities. We are delighted that Giles has chosen to join us. He shares our passion to improve public services. He has the knowledge, skills and expertise to turn this passion into the realisable results that the public sector needs. Our message to the public sector is simple. If we do not deliver improvement, you do not pay. In these hard economic times it is only right that we should take on more of the risk.”

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors:
1. Prior to working for iMPOWER, Giles worked for Macfarlane TeleSystems Ltd, LCR Telecom and Centaur Publishing. He was educated at Exeter University and Rugby School Giles is a director of ‘Heart of the City’, a charity that links businesses with community activity in London that is run by the City of London.

2. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

4. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Ensure that CERT reaches those most in need

2010-03-15T00:00:00+01:00

The Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) must adopt more innovative ways of identifying those households most at risk of fuel poverty, insists Northgate Public Services today.

In a response to the Department of Energy and Climate Change’s consultation, Extending the Carbon Emissions Reduction Target, Northgate welcomes the government’s move to improve targeted support at the poorest households. However, the company believes that the proposals do not go far enough to tackle the growing problem of fuel poverty.

Northgate argues that there are a range of measures which are needed to ensure that those most at risk of fuel poverty receive the support they require. These include:
• partnership working between local authorities and utility companies - to identify the most vulnerable households
• sharing of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) data to identify the most fuel inefficient households. Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), for example, hold good quality data which could help to target the most vulnerable
• embedding behaviour change measures within the CERT process.- essential if sustainable savings are to be achieved and people are to be permanently lifted out of fuel poverty.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “The scale of the climate change challenge means that it is essential to act now. We must reach out to the most vulnerable members of our communities who are at the greatest risk of fuel poverty.

“We need a step change in the way measures are targeted through CERT. It is unacceptable for a household to fall through the gaps within the current system. Collaborative working between the public, not for profit and private sectors will ensure that those most in need receive the help that can permanently lift them out of fuel poverty. If we are to get it right, we must go further, faster and now.”

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

Notes to editors:
1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

Mycompanyfleet in new enhanced driver checking solution

2010-03-15T00:00:00+01:00

The increasingly flexible and disparate nature of the employment market in the UK is leading to the need for greater and deeper background checks to be made on company employees and drivers.

Now, fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet is responding to rising fleet demand by launching an enhanced driver checking service which not only checks and validates driver licence status, but also carries out deeper background checking of a driver’s qualifications, references and even criminal record.

Mycompanyfleet, the automotive arm of HR solutions provider, NorthgateArinso, identified the need following approaches from fleet clients who wanted to go further into the backgrounds of their drivers and to carry out deeper checks on their credentials.

The findings feed automatically into Mycompanyfleet software solutions to produce integrated driver records in one place which can be accessed by multiple departments, including fleet and Human Resources.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, said: “The UK employment scene has been increasingly complex, with growing numbers of nationalities and a wide variety of backgrounds.

“But a company still has a duty to show in a transparent and auditable manner that its drivers and vehicles are fit for purpose under legislation such as the Health and Safety at Work Act.

“We have now introduced these deeper background checks as part of an enhanced driver checking service that increasing numbers of our clients are asking for.

“The intention is to provide a one-stop shop of all driver records, improved management of vehicle and driver alike and the creation of a central and readily accessible source of driver information for various departmental managers,” he said.

Notes to Editors:

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Radical change required to improve public confidence in police

2010-03-12T00:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE12^th March 2010 Radical change required to improve public confidence in police Improving public confidence in the police will require a radical overhaul in many areas of police service provision, asserts Northgate Public Services today in a response to the Home Office’s policing white paper. Northgate argues that the measures included in the paper do not go far enough towards achieving the drastic service revolution that will improve public trust, reduce crime, and build more effective services. The white paper builds on the government’s earlier reforms which sought to put the public at the heart of policing through community policing. Police forces now face a diverse set of challenges, says Northgate, and to meet these they need an approach that promotes rapid change and positive outcomes, fosters innovation, and harnesses the expertise of wider society. Forces must build on the progress that they have already made by re-engineering services so that they are focused on achieving key priorities.

Given reduced fiscal resources, Northgate claims that it is essential that the correct balance is achieved between value for money and improvement. It argues that it is essential that the development of services is underpinned by a coherent approach to achieving better for less.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Forces across the country are facing the competing demands of having to offer more diverse services with fewer resources. Now is the time to revaluate the business operations of police forces. We have to embed a culture of better for less to meets the needs of the twenty first century. We are confident that the police service has the capacity and the enthusiasm to change. The government has not only to remove the barriers, but provide strong incentives to promote change which will restore public confidence in the police.” -Ends- For more informationFellows’ AssociatesKathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401Danny Calogero +44(0)20 7324 6223; +44(0)7534 189235

Notes to editors1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services. 2. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies.

Mycompanyfleet adds alternative travel to grey fleet solution

2010-03-08T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet has responded to Government calls for local authorities to reduce their grey fleet miles by launching a new software solution that allows employees to locate and evaluate the cheapest options for making any necessary business journey.

The Office of Government Commerce recently launched its own campaign to persuade councils to allow employees to use their own cars on council business only as a last resort, saying the drivers should look at all alternative forms of transport, or even consider not making the journey, before using the car.

The OGC estimated that grey fleet miles made up 57% of total public sector road mileage, and by reducing that total by one million miles could unlock an estimated £250,000 in cash savings and reduce carbon output by more than 240 tonnes.

New research from Mycompanyfleet, the automotive arm of HR software supplier NorthgateArinso, now reveals that councils, in some cases, are paying around 70p per mile to drivers who use their own cars on council business, well in excess of the Approved Mileage Allowance Payments of 40p for the first 10,000 miles and 25ppm thereafter.

To help tackle this issue, Mycompanyfleet has added an alternative travel module to its grey fleet solution, Driver Self-Serve, which provides employees with details of different forms of transport for their planned journey, including taking the train, flying or using the bus, and allows comparisons between them and the cost of using a car.

Mycompanyfleet business manager, Andrew Leech, commented: “The OGC recommendations were quite clear; councils should only consider using private cars on company business as a last resort. Any grey fleet vehicles should be effectively managed and their condition and mileages regularly checked.

“We have calculated that simply by reducing grey fleet mileage by two miles per vehicle per month any investment made by a council, or any other business, in our alternative travel module would be self-funding.

“”Our new module allows employees to compare the price of all transport alternatives and make the sensible decision for their employer and the environment. In addition to links to standard transport sites, such as the trainline, the system also has the ability to build up links to your own local passenger networks,” he said.

Mycompanyfleet, launched its Driver Self-Serve grey fleet solution at the end of last year to address the duty of care issues around vehicle condition, mileages driven and driver licence checking, providing a clear audit trail and reducing the amount of administration time, as drivers have to enter their mileage and service history details online themselves.

The system completely automates driver service reminders and advises when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the next service to be carried out.

To get its grey fleet message across, Mycompanyfleet is currently taking to the road in a series of roadshows across the country that are free to fleet decision makers. Every roadshow attendee will also receive a special copy of a definitive Health and Safety policy document for grey fleet drivers.

The roadshow dates are:
Richmond, Surrey                          March 18
Peterborough, Cambs                    March 22
Luton, Beds                                  March 23
Glasgow                                       March 24
Bristol, Avon                                 March 30
Chester                                        March 31

Andrew Leech added: “Grey fleet drivers still present companies with numerous problems, including major duty of care issues. These new roadshows will provide company managers with the solutions they need to effectively tackle the issues surrounding their grey fleet drivers, including alternative travel methods.”

Notes to Editors:

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Northgate Managed Services sponsors Education Partner Award in the 2010 corporate responsibility Awards

2010-03-05T00:00:00+01:00

Business in the Community has launched the call for entries to its 2010 Regional Recognition Awards for responsible companies in Northern Ireland.

Sponsored by ESB Independent Energy and in association with Ulster Business Magazine, the annual awards, now in its fifth year, will see Northern Ireland firms battle it out for the coveted title of Northern Ireland’s Responsible Company of the Year amongst other, more specific awards.

Northgate Managed Services is sponsoring the Education Partner Award, other awards categories include:
• Northern Ireland Responsible Company of the Year, sponsored by BT
• Local Community Impact, sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers
• Environmental Improvement, sponsored by Phoenix Natural Gas
• Climate Change, sponsored by Bombardier Aerospace
• Workplace Health and Wellbeing, sponsored by Westfield Health
• Employer of Choice, sponsored by Foyle Food Group
• Diversity, sponsored by Invest NI
• Supporting Economic Growth, sponsored by ESB Independent Energy

Applications can be made online at www.bitcni.org.uk by clicking on the awards 2010 logo. Entries close on Wednesday 31 March 2010 with the gala awards ceremony taking place in Belfast's Waterfront Hall on Thursday 10 June.

Speaking at the launch, Paul Rooney, Chair of Business in the Community in Northern Ireland, said; "Every organisation in Northern Ireland is eligible to enter for a Business in the Community award.

“These awards are not about size, jobs or exports, but on how a business conducts itself in the workplace, the environment, the economy and the community.

“Our own research shows that organisations with close ties to communities and stakeholders enjoy higher levels of staff and customer engagement than those who focus solely on commercial gain. But, thanks to their close stakeholder ties, those same organisations also tend to generate more goodwill and profit

“Acting in a socially responsible manner is a win-win for business and these awards are intended to recognise and celebrate organisations that do the right thing by their workers, investors and their communities.

“Every company, regardless of size or location that receives a Business in the Community award should be rightly proud of its achievement.”

Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services commented: "We are delighted to sponsor the Education Partner Award. Working with every school in Northern Ireland, we understand the importance of local businesses working in the communities where they are based to help raise the aspirations and achievements of young people through a solid business education partnership. We are delighted to be able to support the great work Business in the Community is doing to assist such companies to act responsibly and make a positive impact on their local communities. I am really looking forward to finding out the great things that local companies are doing to motivate and inspire young people to succeed and I wish all those who enter the awards very best of luck.”

Northern Ireland winners of Business in the Community’s UK Big Tick Awards will also be recognised at the gala event in the Belfast Waterfront Hall on 10th June.

NorthgateArinso boosts global presence as it acquires Human Resources Management division of Convergys

2010-03-04T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso, the world’s leading Human Resources (HR) software and services provider, is to strengthen its global position by intending to acquire the HR Management division from US provider Convergys.

The transaction is worth approximately $85 million in cash at closing and $15 million in cash over three years. It involves NorthgateArinso acquiring the assets, including the global HR service delivery network and entire customer portfolio, of Convergys’ HR Management division.

Convergys’ HR outsourcing customers will benefit from NorthgateArinso’s clear focus on HR software and services and from its world-class HR delivery capabilities. NorthgateArinso is known for its innovation in the sector, including the creation of platform-based HR Business Process Outsourcing (BPO).

Speaking about the acquisition, Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso, commented:

“We are delighted to be combining Convergys’ US market leader position with our world-class focus on software and service. We’ll be bringing together two great teams of people, with great HR solutions, and investing further around the world to innovate even more for our customers.

“We will be working very closely with Convergys’ customers over the next few weeks to ensure they continue to receive the same quality of service and truly understand the benefits of being a customer of the NorthgateArinso family.”

On completion of acquisition, NorthgateArinso will employ around 8,000 people globally, of which a third will be based in North America.

Chris Stone, CEO at Northgate Information Solutions, added:

“The US domestic market accounts for over a third of the global HR services market. As it is home to many multinational businesses, it is a critical marketplace for us as a specialist and we expect to strongly develop our position in the US over the coming years.”

NorthgateArinso’s American operations will continue to be led by Trey Campbell.

About Convergys
Convergys Corporation (NYSE: CVG) is a global leader in relationship management. We provide solutions that drive more value from the relationships our clients have with their customers and employees. Convergys turns these everyday interactions into a source of profit and strategic advantage for our clients.

For more than 30 years, our unique combination of domain expertise, operational excellence, and innovative technologies has delivered process improvement and actionable business insight to clients that now span many countries and languages.

Convergys has been voted a Fortune Most Admired Company for nine consecutive years. We have approximately 70,000 employees in 82 customer contact centers and other facilities in the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, and our global headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio. For more information, visit www.convergys.com

(Convergys and the Convergys logo are registered trademarks of Convergys Corporation.)

We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

With its world headquarters in the United Kingdom, NorthgateArinso has offices in 31 countries on five continents delivering services in over 70 countries through a network of eight Service Delivery Centers. NorthgateArinso's approximately 5,000 staff members serve more than 20 percent of the FORTUNE Global 500 companies, and it is one of the five largest HR service providers in the world.

For more information, visit www.northgatearinso.com

Press contacts
US: Claire Rowberry and Christine Huynh, LEWIS PR
Tel: +1 617 226 8841
Email: clairer@lewispr.com / christineh@lewispr.com

UK: Sally O’Neill and Suzy Ferguson, LEWIS PR
Tel: +44 (0)20 7802 2626
Email: sallyo@lewispr.com / suzyf@lewispr.com

NorthgateArinso: Michael Custers
Tel: +1 770 595 7897
Email: Michael.custers@northgatearinso.com

Convergys: John Pratt
Tel: +1 513 723 3333
Email: john.pratt@convergys.com

Mycompanyfleet roadshows tackle grey fleet issues

2010-03-02T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet, the automotive arm of HR software provider NorthgateArinso, is taking to the road to help companies tackle the problem of grey fleet drivers in a series of roadshows across the country that are free to company managers to attend.

The 90-minute roadshows, which start in mid-March near London before spreading through the Midlands and the north, will demonstrate how the key issues involving grey fleet drivers can be addressed, especially those of verifying vehicle condition, servicing and business mileage.

Leading fleet experts as well as Mycompanyfleet business manager, Andrew Leech, will be on hand to answer any grey fleet issues that arise. In addition, every roadshow attendee will receive a special copy of a definitive Health and Safety policy document for grey fleet drivers.

The roadshow dates are:
Richmond, Surrey                        March 18
Peterborough, Cambs                  March 22
Luton, Beds                                  March 23
Glasgow                                       March 24
Bristol, Avon                                 March 30
Chester                                        March 31

Mycompanyfleet has a software solution to help tackle the dilemma of grey fleet drivers in the shape of its intuitive Driver Self-Serve web portal which it launched at the end of last year.

Driver Self-Serve addresses the duty of care issues around vehicle condition and driver licence checking and not only provides a clear audit trail but also reduces the amount of administration time, as drivers have to enter their mileage and service history details online themselves.

Once they have done that, the system compares them against the manufacturer’s approved service schedule. It then informs the driver of the number of miles left before the next service or the next check and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the service to be carried out.

If drivers fail to update their details, they will be unsuccessful in their mileage expenses claim, which acts as a major incentive for them to keep records accurate and up-to-date. They are also automatically flagged up in an exception report to their manager for further action to be taken.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “Grey fleet drivers still present companies with numerous problems, including major duty of care issues. These new roadshows will provide company managers with the solutions they need to effectively tackle the issues surrounding their grey fleet drivers.”

Notes to Editors:
About mycompanyfleet
Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

For more information:
Contact:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Overhaul funding to create a fairer social care system for Wales

2010-03-01T00:00:00+01:00

A radical change to the way social care is paid for in Wales is needed to create a fair and equitable system, says Northgate Public Services in a response to the Welsh Assembly Government’s Paying for Care in Wales consultation.

According to Northgate, the system of funding care needs to be made more consistent and equitable, not only in Wales, but across the UK. The ‘Barnett formula’, which allocates funding to devolved authorities, disadvantages Wales in comparison to England and Scotland. This means that the Assembly Government face pressures over and above other parts of the UK.

The postcode lottery still exists within Wales. People pay different amounts towards their care, and receive different levels of care dependent on their location.

Northgate advocates a system of funding based on a partnership between an individual and the state. This would mean responsibility for paying for care would be shared between both parties, with the ratio the individual pays dependent on their means. Those on the lowest incomes would still receive all of their care for free. This would provide fairness and value for money whilst helping to make the system of state funded care more consistent across the country.

Northgate also reaffirms its support for local delivery of social care. The organisation calls for a national social care system for Wales. In this, minimum standards are set by government, but delivery is still the responsibility of local authorities which should have the flexibility to innovate and develop new ways to meet individuals’ needs.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “How we fund social care is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Faced with increased demand with reduced resources, there is a need to take drastic action now to ensure that quality care can be delivered sustainably over the long term. By radically changing the way care is paid for in Wales, it will be possible to develop a system that is universal, equitable, and affordable for those who need it.”

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7324 6221; 07966 890401
Danny Calogero 020 7324 6223; 07534 189235

Notes to editors:
1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

Arnold Clark upgrades payroll with NorthgateArinso - car dealership rolls out ResourceLink Aurora for 8,000 employees

2010-02-26T00:00:00+01:00

Arnold Clark, Europe’s largest independent motor dealer, has signed a major payroll contract with NorthgateArinso. The HR services supplier will provide its ResourceLink Aurora platform to manage the monthly payroll of Arnold Clark’s 8,000 employees.

The Arnold Clark Group not only sells new and used vehicles but offers the full motoring package from servicing, repairs and parts to rental and finance. Its payroll team of six people had outgrown the company’s existing supplier due to the number of employees on the payroll. ResourceLink Aurora will interface with Arnold Clark’s existing in-house HR and time and attendance system.

Arnold Clark managing director, Eddie Hawthorne said, “NorthgateArinso is a company with tried and tested foundations and is used to dealing with huge payrolls. We felt we could trust them to deliver accurate results every month. ResourceLink Aurora will provide all the employee information we need at our fingertips, and integrates well with our existing HR systems.”

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso said, “Arnold Clark is a family firm which puts employee well-being at the heart of everything it does. In this environment, payroll systems simply cannot fail – there’s no room for error. ResourceLink Aurora is web-deployable, so it will enable the firm’s payroll team to access information when and where they need it.”

Notes to Editors:

NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com/>

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

Arnold Clark
www.arnoldclark.com <http://www.arnoldclark.com/>

• The family run business sells in excess of 200,000 vehicles per year, employees over 8,000 members of staff and generates an annual turnover of over £2 billion. In 2004, Sir Arnold received a Knighthood in the New Year Honours list in recognition of his services to the Motor Industry and his contribution to the Scottish community. The Arnold Clark Group has won numerous awards, Deliotte Sunday Times Fast Track 100 Largest Privately Owned Company in Scotland, Automotive Magazine Best Large Dealer Group, Five Star Award from the British Safety Council, The Guardian Best Rental Company.
• Arnold Clark has over 145 dealerships throughout the UK, stretching from Inverness to Birmingham.
• The Groups newly re-launched website, ArnoldClark.com is ranked No. 1 most popular UK dealer website by Hitwise/Experian after receiving more visitors than any other site.

For more information:
Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: http://www.lewispr.com

New Customer Contact Centre set to enhance Ipswich council services

2010-02-22T00:00:00+01:00

Communities in Ipswich are set to benefit from significant long-term improvement to their public services following the Ipswich Borough Council’s decision to route all public enquiries though a dedicated Customer Contact Centre.

The Council has entered into a pioneering three-year performance partnership with Northgate Public Services that will streamline communications with citizens, and enable council departments to focus clearly on service improvement.

The partnership will design and implement a centralised Customer Contact Centre, which is to be staffed by specialist customer service teams who will help to deliver a wide range of benefits by:

• creating a dedicated front office that gives citizens a single point of contact for all their enquiries, dramatically improving service quality and aiming to deal with citizens’ queries first time, every time;
• delivering better for less through carrying out an overhaul of the back office systems to improve front office services for citizens;
• using performance management data and customer feedback to shape further improvements to council services for citizens.

The partnership will deliver cashable savings of nearly £1.5 million over a period of three years to November 2012, over the life of the contract.

All fees paid to Northgate will come from cashable savings. The company operates an innovative risk and reward business model that links its fees directly to its performance. As a result, it only gets paid when it meets its agreed financial and improvement targets.

Terry Hayward, Head of Community and Customer Services at Ipswich Borough Council, said today: “Clear lines of communication are fundamental to the wellbeing of any relationship. The relationship between Ipswich Borough Council and the citizens it serves is no exception. For the first time, local people will be able to raise questions and resolve their concerns through a single point of contact with council staff. As a result, the Customer Contact Centre is certain to have a positive impact on improving the quality of life among our communities. Having worked with Northgate so successfully in the past, I am confident that our latest partnership will make a welcome difference to everyone who lives in our area.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services, added: “It is essential that local councils enhance communications and engage effectively throughout their communities, reaching out to the most vulnerable people in these times of economic hardship. Our partnerships offer councils an innovative way of working at low risk and investing in improvement. If we don’t reach our performance improvement targets, we simply don’t get paid, and we only get paid, when we deliver savings. We are committed to working in collaboration with the Council and its employees to deliver better services for the people of Ipswich.”

-Ends-

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Ipswich is a multi-cultural centre for business, culture, entertainment and sport. With more than 130,000 residents from a diversity of communities, the county town of Suffolk is the fastest growing regional centre in the East of England. Ipswich Borough Council has a joint administration made up by Conservative and Liberal Democrat members.

Oracle recognises Northgate Information Solutions' expertise in delivering specialised Oracle Solutions

2010-02-18T00:00:00+01:00

Oracle today awarded Northgate Information Solutions the Oracle ISV Partner of the Year Award during its annual Oracle UK Partner Awards held at The Langham, London on February 4.

Oracle judges recognised Northgate Information Solutions’ success in delivering innovative solutions and achieving strong customer success using Oracle applications.

David Callaghan, Senior Vice President, Oracle UK, Ireland and Israel said: “These awards recognise the high-level of innovation, excellence and commitment our partners offer when they become specialised with Oracle. Northgate Information Solutions has a proven track record in delivering winning, proven solutions that solve customers’ most critical business challenges. All award winners are partners that have demonstrated tangible success, growth in their Oracle business and outstanding Oracle solutions."

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said today: “We are delighted to have received this award from Oracle UK. We are committed to meeting our client’s needs so that they can build better services for local people for less. Our partnership with Oracle helps us achieve this. Now more than ever, both the public and the private sector must invest in innovation. We work with our public sector clients so that they can deliver sustainable services built around individual need and reach out to the most disadvantaged in our communities.”

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton       +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis     +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Oracle PartnerNetwork (OPN) Specialized is the latest version of Oracle's partner program that provides partners with tools to better develop, sell and implement Oracle solutions. OPN Specialized offers resources to train and support specialized knowledge of Oracle products and solutions and has evolved to recognize Oracle growing product portfolio, partner base and business opportunity. Key to the latest enhancements to OPN is the ability for partners to differentiate through Specializations. Specializations are achieved through competency development, business results, expertise and proven success. To find out more visit http://www.oracle.com/partners.

2. Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world’s largest business software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our web site at http://www.oracle.com.

3. Oracle and Java are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

4. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

5. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships.

6. In the UK, Northgate works with 95 per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. For more information about Northgate please visit our web site at www.northgate-ispublicservices.com

NorthgateArinso & Neller join forces to become HR & payroll solutions leader in Australasia - international expansion builds on success in UK, Europe and the US

2010-02-09T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso, the UK-headquartered global Human Resources (HR) software & services provider, has announced the acquisition of Australian HR and payroll solution provider, Neller Pty Ltd. The acquisition builds on NorthgateArinso’s UK success and supports its global growth strategy as it seeks to expand in Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific.

Neller, headquartered in Adelaide, Australia, develops and markets software and services to support HR professionals. Neller’s subsidiary, Neller Employer Services (NES), provides comprehensive outsourced payroll services.

With Neller’s highly experienced management team and track record of delivering high-quality HR & payroll services, the combined organisation will have an unrivalled capability of delivering HR solutions to the ANZA market. The transaction equips NorthgateArinso with further skills and capacity to spearhead its growth into the dynamic Asia-Pacific market.

Malcolm Aldis, managing director of NorthgateArinso in the UK, commented: “Following the successful strategy to acquire companies that enable us to best serve our customers’ needs here in the UK and around Europe, it is exciting to see this development in Australasia. The global recession has been tough for many organisations and this makes it more important than ever for suppliers to be ready to meet the needs of HR directors and provide a cost-effective, efficient service, delivered in the best way for that organisation. It’s a mantra that is serving us well in the UK, and will now be available to customers on the other side of the world.”

NorthgateArinso recognises the strength and flexibility of the Neller business and its solutions offerings. The existing Neller management team will be integral in the acquisition process - David Page, managing director of Neller, will assume overall responsibility for NorthgateArinso’s Australia/New Zealand business and will report directly to Darcy Lalonde, president, Asia Pacific (APAC).

David Page commented: “This transaction will offer our customers even greater access to a wide range of benefits that come with our enhanced suite of offerings, collective skills, experience and international reach. This is an exciting time for both businesses and this transaction presents a wide variety of opportunities.”

“Neller has a long history in Australia and an enviable client list of more than 1,000 medium to large sized companies. With its strength in servicing larger enterprises and public sector organisations, NorthgateArinso’s market proposition is complementary to Neller’s.”

“The opportunity to acquire Neller is one NorthgateArinso simply could not pass up,” said Darcy Lalonde, president, Asia Pacific. “The company’s credentials in Australia are second to none, and they are very well recognised and respected.”

The acquisition increases the company’s footprint in Australia and New Zealand, with offices in Auckland and Wellington (New Zealand), Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.

Notes to Editors:

About Neller
Since 1976, Neller has been a market leader in Australia/NZ developing systems and solutions to manage people. Neller and subsidiary, Neller Employer Services (NES), service over 1,100 medium to large organisations across various industries throughout Australia and New Zealand with their market leading Preceda OnDemand SaaS solution. The company employs almost 100 staff and has offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organizations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through leading HR outsourcing solutions, HR consulting services, and best-of-breed HR technology. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

For more information:

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
Ellens@lewispr.com / lisag@lewispr.com

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & http://news360.lewispr.com/

Northgate Information Solutions - 6 months trading update May-October 2009

2010-02-04T00:00:00+01:00

I am pleased to report that, despite some very unfavourable conditions in some of our markets, the Northgate Information Solutions group of businesses has performed well in the first six months of the current financial year.

In these turbulent times we are fortunate to have a stable business on which to build, and the resilience of our core offerings in the Human Resources and Public Services markets has allowed us to continue to make progress in all parts of our business. This stability has been reinforced by the commitment of our majority shareholder, KKR, whose support has allowed us to take advantage of favourable market conditions for acquisitions, and add some scale to our businesses through further bolt-on deals.

NorthgateArinso, our global HR systems and services business, continued its journey towards market leadership. It was pleasing to see a growing number of new name clients recognising the benefits to them from the investments that we continue to make in our application portfolio, both in stand-alone software sales and in our IP led outsourcing model. In the period we won several multi-country HR BPO contracts, amongst them the single largest contract that we have ever won in any one of our businesses. This progress in our BPO business and solid performance in our Software business allowed us to grow our NorthgateArinso business overall, despite some contraction of our Systems Integration business in a weak market. Overall, we saw a strong profit performance, increasing our profit margins in the division, and a significant gain in market share with NorthgateArinso outperforming many of its peers.

Northgate Public Services, the UK market leader in the local authority and public safety software markets, has enjoyed another record period of sales and profits. We closed our largest ever software deal in this business, and we closed out the six months with a record contracted order book. At the same time, we were able to build a major pipeline for our transformational service deals in local government, and the first ever prospect for this type of multi-year project in the police sector.

Northgate Managed Services traded significantly ahead of our expectations in the period as we were successful in implementing our Education contracts ahead of schedule, allowing us to move to the managed services portion of these contracts earlier than expected. We also enjoyed a good period of new contract signings and renewals, with particularly good news in the re-signing of our contract with Viridian in Northern Ireland, and the addition of a number of new name long term service clients. Consequently, this business also exited the period with a record forward order book.

Overall, the average number of people employed by the group has grown slightly from approximately 7850 to just over 7900 in the period.

We have mentioned before the resilience of the products and services that we offer our clients, from payroll management to council tax administration, emergency call handling to running ICT infrastructure for schools, and from administering benefits payments to processing penalty notices. In this year more than ever we have seen the benefits of this resilience in our ability to continue to grow our business in very difficult market conditions. We help our clients with essential, mission critical activities. We are therefore confident that we are well placed to deal with the difficult times ahead.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our employees for their continued dedication and outstanding work. Above all I would like to thank our clients for continuing to trust us with such important work on their behalf. We are grateful for the opportunity to serve them, and look forward to serving them in the years ahead.

Chris Stone
Group Chief Executive

Salix Homes transforming Central Salford's neighbourhoods with new partnership

2010-02-03T00:00:00+01:00

Salix Homes has mounted a major transformation programme designed to radically improve the services it provides to customers while delivering much needed efficiencies at a time of economic downturn and unprecedented demand.

In an innovative five year performance partnership, Salford City Council and Salix Homes have joined up with Northgate Public Services to deliver its key priorities, with the implementation of the Keystone Asset Management system and Northgate Integrated Housing solution, as part of Salix Homes’ wider ICT strategy. The partnership will focus on community regeneration and targeted neighbourhood strategies; transforming the ALMOs services through the adoption of best practice; and enhanced collaboration with local agencies.

The partnership will deliver substantial improvement through measures including:

• providing personalised and localised services for customers through improved community related information so that they are provided with the right information and appropriate services at the right time;
• a major overhaul in managing assets and repairs;
• raising employee morale by introducing new ways of flexible working and enhancing their skills and capabilities;
• introducing extended self service for customers who want it and home based consultancy for vulnerable customers and others who need it.

Rob Wakefield, Director of Finance and ICT said: “Salix Homes is determined to provide a fresh approach to the management of homes - one that is all about results. Our vision is to make the neighbourhoods in which we work the neighbourhoods of choice. Our task is to provide housing, regeneration and a broader range of value for money services that are built around our customers’ needs. Our performance partnership with Northgate is focused entirely on excellence and making a wider contribution to improving neighbourhoods.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services added: “We are delighted to be working with Salix Homes. It is an organisation which is committed to change that advances the wellbeing of some of the most vulnerable within its communities. We fully support its ambition to provide quality homes and services that make Salford’s neighbourhoods popular places to live and work. Now more than ever, social housing providers must invest to improve. They can play a vital role in building better neighbourhoods through delivering a wider range of enhanced services which place the citizen at their heart.”

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For more information

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Salix Homes Ltd is helping to deliver Salford City Council's five-year strategy to bring all council housing up to the Decent Homes Standard, a multi-million pound vision for the city. Salix Homes is an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) and is a not-for-profit company responsible for the day-to-day management of 10,600 homes across Central Salford, Rainsough Brow and Beechfarm. It also assists the council in the operational delivery of the Housing Market Renewal Programme. It was formed in July 2007.

2. Salix Homes is determined to provide a fresh and energetic approach to the management of homes, one that is all about results. As well as housing management, its role covers housing renewal services. It plays a key role in working with Salford City Council on housing regeneration and renewal services for residents and local businesses across Central Salford. It also supports wider regeneration projects carried out by the council and other agencies. This makes sure that all its projects bring real benefits to the whole community and help create better neighbourhoods.

3. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs is core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

5. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Garlands turns to NorthgateArinso for enhanced HR and payroll services

2010-02-03T00:00:00+01:00

Garlands Call Centres, a specialist provider of outsourced contact centre services, has signed a new six-year contract with NorthgateArinso to provide payroll and HR services to the company’s employee base.

NorthgateArinso’s ResourceLink Aurora system will manage employees’ personal details and employment records, process starters and leavers and run the payroll process for 1500 employees at Garlands centres in South Shields, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool Marina.

“We’ve been very pleased with the performance of the ResourceLink system. It provides us with all the information we need to efficiently and effectively manage HR,” said Yvonne West, HR manager at Garlands. “In addition, the self-service module puts employee details in a secure location online, enabling staff to check their own records and amend as necessary, which eases the administrative burden on the HR team.”

“Garlands is a significant employer in its region. With a high number of staff, getting the detail right on employee information is crucial to the smooth running of payroll and HR,” said Malcolm Aldis, UK managing director at NorthgateArinso. “No business can afford errors or delays with payroll, and ResourceLink has proved it can manage the company’s payroll effectively.”

Notes to editors

About Garlands
www.cjgarland.co.uk <http://www.cjgarland.co.uk/>
Garlands is a specialist UK provider of outsourced customer contact services via phone, email and the Web. Its services range from customer sales to customer service, collections & debt recovery and back office services. Garlands believes that people are the key to delivering superb customer contact services and provides comprehensive and innovative programmes with a holistic focus to develop the skills of its staff.

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

For information, please contact:

(For NorthgateArinso)
Ellen Spenceley or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS
Tel: +44 (0) 117 315 8584
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com
Internet: http://www.lewispr.com

(For Garlands)
Michael Gray
Tel: +44 (0)20 8224 2315
Email: Michael.gray@cjgarland.com
Internet: http://www.cjgarland.co.uk

NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme appoints Northgate

2010-01-28T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services has been appointed by the NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme (NAAASP) to develop and implement a national IT solution. Under a three year contract it will support the screening and referral process, administration of quality assurance and failsafe procedures, and enable the performance management of the NAAASP service.

An estimated 80,000 men aged between 65 and 74 are affected by abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), which are caused when the main blood vessel in the abdomen - the aorta - weakens and starts to expand. If undetected, the condition can be fatal and around 6,000 men die every year from a burst AAA. If caught in time, many of these deaths are avoidable.

Once fully implemented the NAAASP will reduce deaths from the condition by up to 50 percent by detecting AAAs early and enabling monitoring or treatment to be offered. The Programme will invite all men aged 65 and over - who are most at risk from the condition – for screening during the year they turn 65 from across England.

Roll out of Northgate’s NAAASP solution commenced in December, following its launch at the 2009 National Vascular Conference in November. Once completed by end of March 2013, the solution will support screening and monitoring for around 325,000 men every year at 60 local screening centres.

The award of the contract, Northgate’s first adult screening programme, builds upon its long track record of work in newborn and infant screening, and its wider success in the NHS through Patient Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs), Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) and National Joint Registry solutions.

Anne Stevenson, Programme Manager for the NAAASP said: “I am pleased that Northgate Public Services is working with us to develop and implement a national IT system that will help maintain the standards of the national Programme across England. The partnership is all about quality and is designed to ensure that our locally delivered screening programmes provide consistent, effective and efficient services for 65 year old men in their communities.”

Alan Campbell, Head of Screening Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “We are delighted to be working with the NHS AAA Screening Programme. To be effectively managed, screening programmes need robust solutions which support local practices while driving national standards. The experience we have gained through the implementation of other high quality screening programmes, combined with our consultancy led approach, will ensure that we develop a solution tuned to the unique requirements of the NAAASP and contribute towards saving lives. We are committed to providing national high quality innovative screening solutions and contributing to the Programme’s success.”

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For more information about Northgate Public Services:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

For more information about the NHS Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Screening Programme please contact the press office: 020 7478 7802
aaascreeningprogramme@grayling.com

Notes to editors

4. Northgate Health works with organisations across the country to improve health outcomes. We support commissioners in effective decision-making; enable doctors to monitor and improve their performance; and provide patients with the information they need to exercise meaningful choice. Whether supporting world-leading screening programmes, managing national health registries or delivering state-of-the-art information systems for NHS Trusts, Northgate puts the patient at the heart of health services.

5. The NHS AAA Screening Programme will set national standards and protocols for the delivery of local screening services and will coordinate the implementation of the programme across England

6. The programme is being rolled out gradually following research evidence showing that a population based screening programme, using ultrasound scanning, for men in their 65th year would be effective in reducing mortality from ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms.

Northgate supports Birmingham's drive to transform planning services

2010-01-27T00:00:00+01:00

Birmingham City Council’s pioneering e-planning service has been singled out as a leading example of service excellence in the UK, helping to transform public services to be more responsive to people’s needs.

Planning Management which is part of the Planning and Regeneration Service has recently achieved the Customer Service Excellence standard. This is the UK national standard of customer service excellence for public sector organisations overseen by the Cabinet Office.

Birmingham Planning Management deals with planning advice and all of the planning applications for city buildings. It has two main customer groups – the citizens of Birmingham and agents and developers.

Planning Management has formed an innovative partnership with Northgate Public Services. This is designed to streamline, simplify and strengthen planning services. It aims to make them more transparent, and engage the wider community in the process through the intelligent use of online services and technology. The partnership has been praised in the Service Excellence assessment report for improving services and making them more effective.

Planning Management supports the council’s Business Transformation Strategy, the largest transformation programme within local government in the UK. This seeks to revolutionise the way that services are delivered to citizens who live, learn, work in or visit Birmingham.

The national stamp of approval for Planning Management is based on partnership delivery of efficient and effective services. These include self -service systems which give citizens the opportunity to track the progress of planning applications, submit their responses, review decision notices and resolve queries and full mobile services which allow planning officers to spend more time engaging with their communities. Streamlined processes enable the council to meet national performance standards, and share information where necessary with other agencies. Council officers are able to provide a faster and more accurate enquiry services by having instant access to information so that they can provide immediate feedback to their customers on planning policy and guidance.

Cllr Peter Douglas Osborn, Birmingham City Council’s Planning Committee Chairman, said today: “We are delighted that our partnership has been singled out for praise. Effective partnership is all about shared understanding and dedication to improved outcomes. Northgate Public Services, like us, is wholly committed to building services around the needs of citizens. This achievement proves that we are well and truly on the road to revolutionising planning services in Birmingham.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Now more than ever councils need to invest in online planning and realise the benefits from this. Councils can save precious resources by eradicating waste and inefficiency. However, it is equally important to create better services which build public trust and are more effective in responding to the needs of individuals and local communities. We are ambitious for change and our partnership with Birmingham is achieving it".

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. Birmingham City Council is the largest Metropolitan District in the United Kingdom and employs 50,000 staff servicing a residential population of over one million and 27,000 businesses within an area of 26,785 hectares. It is the largest local authority in Europe serving over one million citizens. Planning Management forms part of the Development and Culture Directorate of the City Council. It employs 109 staff. The Customer Service Excellence assessment report praised Planning Management for its deep understanding and commitment to service excellence. This commitment was found through senior line managers to operational and front line employees.

5. Business Transformation is Birmingham City Council’s ambitious nine-strand programme which aims to modernise and enhance services delivered across the whole authority to citizens. It is projected that the programme will realise benefits of around £1billion over the ten years to 2016.

Northgate Public Services awarded Champion status from Investors in People

2010-01-25T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announced that its specialist transformation division has been awarded Investors in People Champion status in recognition of its consistent commitment to the way it manages and develops its employees to deliver the organisation's goals.

The company will work with Investors in People UK to help other employers by sharing its experience and success in the area of people development. The best practice sharing activities will include mentoring and site visits for organisations wishing to learn from Northgate’s experience. It is one of only fifty organisations in the UK to receive this accolade.

The specialist transformation arm of Northgate Public Services has recently received the highest recognition from Investors in People and achieved the Gold award. Less than two per cent of public and private sector organisations have achieved this elite status.

Jane Jones, Director of Policy and Communications, Investors in People said: “Champions place the Investors in People Standard at the heart of their organisations. Northgate Public Services has reaped the benefits of effective people development. It will now share its expertise with employers across the UK, highlighting the business benefits of effective people development including increased employee motivation, higher retention rates and improved productivity. I am delighted that Northgate has achieved Champion status and I am sure that it will make a highly valued contribution to the continued success of our programme.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said: “Our investment in people is directly linked to overall organisational performance. It is central to the success of our transformation business. We will use this achievement to help build world class public services designed and delivered by motivated public service employees. Now, more than ever, public services must invest in the skills and capacity of their employees to foster innovation and to deliver services that are built around the needs of diverse communities which reach out to those most in need.”

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For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

3. In the UK, Northgate works with 95 per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Northgate Managed Services confirms financial close on Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton BSF contract

2010-01-14T00:00:00+01:00

Schools across Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton are set to build on existing progress in achieving excellence in education with the creation of a media-rich learning environment as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Working closely with ICT services and solutions specialist, Northgate Managed Services, contracted by Balfour Beatty, schools will benefit from an initial £41.3 million invested in Information and Communications Technology (ICT) making them some of the most advanced schools in the country.

The project will see nine Blackburn with Darwen secondary schools (two phases) and 15 Bolton schools (three phases) rebuilt or re-modelled and upgraded to provide flexible and attractive learning environments that better support learning. As just one part of the project, each authority will benefit from the creation of a Discovery Centre, equipped with the very latest innovative learning and teaching tools. The centres will ensure schools can experiment with and evaluate new technologies over the lifetime of the contract. Each school will utilise ‘thin client’ technologies* which helps them save energy, utilise computer equipment more efficiently and ultimately enable students to access learning materials from a wide range of devices such as desktop PCs, laptops and PDAs. Every student will also have access to an online learning platform, providing true anytime, anywhere learning for the entire school community.

In addition, Northgate will be providing an interim managed service from 1st February 2010 where school technicians will transfer to work directly for the ICT specialist in the lead up to the full BSF service. This will help free up school staff to focus on the educational outcomes of this multi-million pound initiative. This interim service will aid the improvement of standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, helping to establish confidence across the school community. From September 2010, schools will have access to the online learning platform. This will help all schools benefit from BSF investment and allow early access to BSF ICT services.

Both authorities will benefit from the latest Learning Platform called N-able. Accessible through the internet from any location, Northgate’s Learning Platform will provide students with their own personalised learning area where they can work on assignments, store their work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Combining academic information and school administration systems, over the course of the project N-able will provide parents with secure access to information about their child such as their attendance, homework assignments and even their canteen purchases. This will help parents get involved in their child’s education improving communication between parents, school and students.

The creation of a safer school environment is also a key element of both local authorities’ vision for technology. To achieve this, Northgate will implement E-registration, access control and cashless catering systems to help make the schools a safer place for everyone.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “We are extremely proud to be involved in the Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Building Schools for the Future project and look forward to working with the Authorities, Balfour Beatty, the LEP and the individual schools to transform learning and teaching using ICT. By working in partnership with the schools, we will be offering innovative, high quality facilities and integrated information and communication technology to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners. We are delighted to be involved in this project and feel the benefits to young learners will make both authorities best practice models for BSF projects across the country.”

For further information, please visit the web site at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices contact tel: +44 (0) 28 90859085 or e-mail info@northgate-is.com.

* ‘Thin Client’ is a generic name for client machines on networks that deliver applications and data via a centralised computing model with the majority of processing carried out by the server(s). This is also known as server-based computing. (Thin Client Technology in Schools report, Becta)

Leicestershire Constabulary iR3 initiative goes nationwide with Northgate

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

A pioneering and award-winning Leicestershire Constabulary initiative aimed at building public confidence, improving performance and creating efficiencies is now available to all UK forces at a time when building public trust in policing has never been so crucial.

The iR3 resource and demand system has been developed and evolved exclusively with the Force. Northgate Public Services is now the exclusive supplier and integrator of iR3. It is offering all police forces the opportunity to meet their strategic priorities and boost public confidence in their localities while improving performance and driving efficiencies and cashable savings.

Leicestershire Constabulary introduced the iR3 solution to improve service delivery and enhance public confidence in the work of the local police. iR3 enables the Force to focus on priority issues that matter most to local people and ensures that critical resources are used efficiently and effectively.

By linking demand – such as crimes and incidents – to resources, operational managers can effectively plan, monitor and manage a variety of policing activities, from critical response to patrolling strategies. Better decision-making and analysis leads to an improvement in desired cashable savings, efficiencies and performance.

With iR3 the Force has been able to deliver and demonstrate a new and higher level of transparency in policing by ensuring that the right resources are in the right places at the right time; by improving the balance between response and patrol to achieve improved outcomes in Neighbourhood Policing priorities and NIM Tasking; and by enabling local officers to consult and report to local groups on activities and outcomes linked to local priorities such as ASBOs and vehicle thefts.

Officers in Leicestershire can now confidently show neighbourhood groups and the wider public where officers have patrolled on a visual computer display. For the first time, the community has a direct input on local patrol strategy by being involved in setting the locations that officers patrol either by foot or by vehicle. This helps to deliver increasing public confidence.

The Force delivered dramatic improvement and emphatic results during its pilot phase in the North Basic Command Unit. There have been significant increases in visits to, and time spent at, priority locations and marked reductions in crime and anti-social behaviour including:

• police visits to crime hotspots up 286%
• time spent in priority locations up 545%
• anti-social behaviour down 50%
• emergency response times within 15 minutes up from 85% to 94%
• fuel consumption down by 21%
• fuel bills down 16%

Leicestershire Constabulary has now rolled out iR3 force-wide, focusing its emphasis on improving operational performance and delivering efficiencies, and is in the process of rationalizing its vehicle fleet to achieve impressive savings.

The project’s success has won recognition at the highest level. In his Independent Review of Policing 2008, Sir Ronnie Flanagan noted that the initiative has resulted in: “A dramatic reduction in self-deployment, substantially reducing multiple deployments and improving response times through automatic identification and deployment of the nearest available unit. Officer time spent in priority areas has significantly increased.”

Leicestershire Constabulary was also among the winners at this year’s ACPO Excellence in Policing Awards in September. Now in their second year, the Excellence in Policing Awards aim to encourage police forces across England and Wales to share the creative thinking and innovative solutions that are vital to making their limited resources go further and work harder.

Speaking today, Superintendent Jez Cottrill, a lead on the iR3 project at Leicestershire Constabulary said: “This is about putting accountability into visible action for the local community. Community representatives are now able to see our achievements on an interactive map on a regular basis. They can also have a say in where we patrol. We believe that forces up and down the country would gain dramatic benefits from its introduction, not only in the more efficient use of resources but in delivering more effective neighbourhood policing.”

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Northgate Public Safety added: “The government’s White Paper on policing demonstrates the economic constraints facing the police over the next few years. Now is a time when police forces up and down the country have to deliver better for less. Through the introduction of iR3 police forces can rest assured that they will bring in sustainable, cashable savings over and above their initial investment. More importantly, they will improve police performance and help rebuild trust within their local communities, reaching out to those citizens most in need.”

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Leicestershire Constabulary provides a policing service to around a million people in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. With just over 2,300 officers and 15 local policing units, the force is responsible for an area covering over 965 square miles (2,500 square kilometres). Following the departure of Chief Constable Matt Baggott to head up the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the force is under the leadership of Temporary Chief Constable Chris Eyre.

3. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies.

4. iR3 was developed by L&A Consultants. Specifically designed for the police and emergency services, iR3 was developed out of a pilot project with Leicestershire Constabulary which produced operational benefits and financial savings that significantly exceeded expectations and forecasts. iR3 is sold to police forces throughout the UK by Northgate Public Services which is the exclusive supplier and integrator of the system.

The personal touch - Brislington Enterprise College achieves true personalisation with technology

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

Brislington Enterprise College (BEC) opened brand new doors to its 1200 students in September 2008 as part of the Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Fifteen months on, the school’s forward-thinking and flexible approach to ICT, managed by Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices), has helped teachers achieve to true personalisation for students.

Brislington Enterprise College is a mixed comprehensive college in Bristol, catering for 1200 11-18 year-old students. As one of the largest education institutions in the area, one of the biggest challenges the college faces is the delivery of personalised learning to every student. A major element of the college’s success has been down to effective implementation and use of ICT. To achieve this, the college works closely with Northgate Managed Services to ensure that every piece of technology is properly tailored to the needs of staff and students and that it runs optimally all day, every day.

The college’s extensive wireless network combined with easily transportable kit such as laptops, handheld devices and wireless projectors, enables staff and students to collaborate wherever they are in the college. In the past, teachers had to book a computer suite or a set of laptops in advance of a lesson which meant students only had ad-hoc access to technology. Ryan Lewin, Director of Post-16 Community and Teacher of Geography at BEC, comments: “Now that the college has gone wireless, my class can instantly start work on any given task or activity in the classroom. At BEC, we believe that students must be provided with continuity for their use of technology in order to develop proficient ICT skills which we are now able to achieve.”

As the college is based on such a large site, it is also incredibly important that technologies are mobile and that every student has the opportunity to use them. Richard Sykes, BEC’s eLearning Coordinator and Teacher of Music, is using Apple iTouch’s with music students to listen to instruments and music and help them interact with him throughout the lesson. Richard comments: “It is vital that teachers embrace the fact that young people are accessing mobile technologies all day, every day and develop ways to integrate them into teaching practice. We also provide students with access to handheld devices such as the iTouch outside of the classroom in practice rooms which helps reinforce their learning.”

Anytime, anywhere learning
Every student and member of staff at BEC has access to their own online personalised learning space through the college’s managed learning environment (MLE), N-able. Designed by Northgate, the MLE allows students to work on assignments, store work and access emails, enabling them to communicate with teachers and fellow students. Ryan Lewin comments: “The 24/7 accessibility to information on the MLE has had a tremendous impact on the learning experience for students. For example, I am able to upload everything my GCSE students need to complete activities and revise in one, easy-to-access place. In the past, I had to refer them to a multitude of different resources, whereas now, they are can download course materials and presentations, complete the work and upload it to the MLE to submit it for marking.”

The MLE provides flexibility for when, where and how teachers at BEC work. No longer confined to the four walls of their classroom, teachers can plan, set and review work from home, the library or anywhere with an internet connection. Richard Sykes was recently was off-site all day on a training course, which in the past, would have meant sorting out supply cover. However, he was able to logon to the MLE the previous evening and set work for his BTEC students who then completed and submitted it online to his deadline. Richard comments: “The MLE even enables me to see the time and date that my students upload their work, the specific resources they access and how long it takes them to complete it, so I can feel confident that they are still learning should I occasionally be out of college.”

Teachers at BEC are also utilising the MLE to plan and deliver lessons. Each class has their own assigned virtual room where teachers can upload resources to cover in class and activities to extend their learning at home. Details such as the topics they are due to cover or information they should read beforehand are reflected in their online timetable so they come to each lesson fully prepared. Richard, comments: “I also use the MLE to upload keynote presentations, handouts and audio recordings after class which they can discuss in the MLE’s moderated forums and chat rooms or share their work with parents.”

Student engagement
Staff at BEC believe it is important to teach with some of the latest technologies students own and use them as a way to engage them in their learning. Richard Sykes, comments: “Technology has become an intrinsic part of students’ lives and their preferred method of accessing and processing information, so the natural step has been to bring this into the classroom environment. Our young people are incredibly intuitive and excited by technology - as soon as they have new kit in their hands they want to progress it and use it in all their lessons. Often, they don’t want lessons to end and ask to come back after college to continue using it, which, in turn is also helping to improve their grades.”

Richard also believes it is important that schools and colleges continuously evolve their ICT offering to students to keep them engaged. He comments: “Many of our students own the latest digital technologies such as iPhones and PSPs so we have to continuously evolve our ICT offering to keep them interested in using technology and not let it become an archaic experience.”

The college is exploring the use of a wide range of devices in the classroom such as mobile phones, which students enjoy using and find familiar. Ryan Lewin gives his advice on this subject to other schools and colleges: “It is important that use of ICT is strongly linked to learning objectives to keep students on task. At BEC, we ensure students are using technologies that are reflective of the outside world and are keen to provide students with an experience which will help equip them to continue their education or enter the workplace.”

The managed service has played a pivotal role in successful ICT provision and student engagement at BEC. John Matthews, College Principal at BEC, comments: “To engage staff and students in ICT, it is imperative that it operates efficiently. The managed service ensures that our server and technologies are up and running whenever students want to use them and if there is a fault, the problem is fixed quickly before it impacts on their learning. Working with Northgate has also relieved the pressure on our technician who can spend more time helping everyone get to grips with new technologies.”

At BEC, staff understand that technology does not stand still and in order to keep abreast of innovation and implementing technology which continues to complement the college’s vision for learning, they need to work with professionals. John Matthews, comments: “Northgate provides a team of specialists who look out for cost-effective, tailored technologies to improve our offering to students and who continuously work to ensure that existing ICT is working efficiently.”

Independent learners
Teachers at BEC believe it is vital that students leave college as confident, independent learners prepared for higher education or the world of work. To help achieve this, an Enterprise Centre has been created and is open until 5pm each day for students to use. The suite comprises of 70 PCs, 60 mobile devices and a suite of Apple Macs for students studying media and has the look and feel of a higher education centre as opposed to a school library. John, comments: “We appreciate that currently, some of our students do not have access to a computer or the internet at home, so the Enterprise Centre provides a place that they can come to complete their work at lunchtime or after college. This has been well received by students who are very proud of their facilities. As a result of this more professional atmosphere, students are coming in and getting on with their work with minimal disruption or vandalism.”

By providing students with their own personalised learning area, BEC is able to provide the additional support and assistance they need to maximise independent study and to progress according to their own individual learning plan. Teachers are able to monitor each student’s progress to ensure that they are on track and progressing. The college has also set up eLearning community forums for each class to encourage students to collaborate with their peers if they need help with their work.

Richard Sykes, comments: “Using N-able, teachers set and develop a personalised learning pathway for each student which they work through in their own time. The MLE allows us to set deadlines for students and view when they upload their work, helping them to take ownership of their learning in preparation for life after college.”

Parental engagement
At BEC, teachers understand the importance of parental and guardian involvement in their child’s education and encourage parents to log-on to the MLE to view the work they have been doing and homework to complete. John Matthews, comments: “We really want our students’ families to feel part of the college community and understand more about their child’s day-to-day activities. As they have online access, parents can log-on to the portal anytime, anywhere, whether they are at home, at work or even on the move using their mobile phone.”

The future
The college has many exciting plans for the future, including a trial of Microsoft Surface, a 42-inch touch-screen to encourage greater collaboration between students. John Matthews concludes: “Traditionally our ICT provision has focused strongly on one-to-one provision to support personalisation for students. We are keen in 2010 to encourage groups of students to work together using technology and look forward to implementing new technologies alongside Northgate to achieve this.”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

Northgate Managed Services launches N-able School

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

At BETT 2010, Olympia, LONDON – 13 January 2010, Northgate Managed Services, a leading provider of ICT services and solutions to the education sector, launches N-able School, a web portal which allows learners, teachers & administrative staff to create their own personalised portal.

N-able School is an easy-to-use, flexible web portal which has been designed to meet the needs of schools, colleges and academies across the UK. It provides access to core applications along with a wide range of additional add-on widgets allowing schools to tailor the portal to their individual needs.

N-able School provides flexibility of choice by integrating all the key educational and administrative systems that individual schools currently use, allowing secure access through single sign-on from school, home or anywhere else where the internet can be accessed.

N-able school also offers flexible service levels depending on the school’s individual needs. It can be hosted and managed centrally by Northgate or alternatively the school can host and manage the product locally within the school. This means the school has the choice and control over how the application is managed and costed.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services, comments: “Appreciating the individuality of every school and the concept that one size doesn’t fit all, we are excited to be able to launch N-able School which has been designed to offer a flexible solution that users can personalise to best suit their needs.”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

Panasonic Appoints Northgate Managed Services as Education Technology Solutions Provider

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

London Olympia, 13th January BETT 2010 – today, on the same day Panasonic unveiled a ‘classroom of the future’ featuring leading edge education technology that improves audio visual communication in a secure classroom environment, the global technology leader also announced Northgate Managed Services as a key distribution partner for its interactive whiteboards called ‘Panaboard’ and a wider range of products and solutions for delivery into the Education marketplace.

Northgate Managed services, known for its work with leading technology organisations such as Microsoft, Compuware, VMWare, Symantec, Cisco, Citrix, Commvault, Apple, Sun, HP and DELL will work in close partnership with Panasonic to assist them to gain a deep understanding of its education customers. This will enable Panasonic technology solutions to be deployed in the transformation of education, delivering greater efficiency and reducing total cost of ownership in the use of technology in education.

Northgate Managed Services who have 1000 staff across UK, England, Scotland and Ireland is a leading provider of ICT services and solutions to the education sector and through its C2k partnership in Northern Ireland has supported 1200 schools for over 7 years. In England, within the Building Schools for the Future programme, Northgate Managed Services is working with Local Authorities to support the transformation of teaching using ICT equipment in Kent, Bristol, Leicester City and Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton.

“We are delighted to have been chosen as a distribution partner by Panasonic. Panasonic offers the education market a very cost-competitive and versatile portfolio of solutions”, says David Hyland, Managing Director (Education), Northgate Managed Services.

Peter Dempsey, Northgate Managed Service’s Account Manager at Panasonic added; “as a key Panasonic partner, Northgate was selected because of their special expertise and relationships within the education sector. The C2k partnership particularly gives Northgate extensive knowledge and experience useful to help deliver precisely the technology solutions required for the education market”.

Msona and its distribution partner Northgate Managed Services showcase 'School-in-a-Box' solutions at BETT 2010

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

LONDON – 12 January 2010, Msona Ltd. (www.msona.co.uk), an innovative European
manufacturer of unified IP communications and networking systems for small, medium and distributed enterprises, today announced that together with its distribution partner Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a pioneer in delivering Information & Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure solutions to schools across the UK and Ireland will be showcasing “School-in-a-Box” Solutions at BETT 2010, Olympia, London.

The “School-in-a-Box” solution is the first 21st Century ICT Infrastructure platform optimised for schools, nurseries and youth clubs requiring simple, affordable and easy to use, manage and support platform. “School-in-a-Box” is designed and packaged for forward-thinking educational institutions looking for advanced and feature-rich multi-service ICT platforms without the complexity and cost of traditional systems

“BETT attracts more than 30,000 visitors and brings together the global teaching and learning community for four days of innovations and inspirations and we intend to use this platform to communicate with our customers and channel partners on how they can benefit from our fully integrated solutions and our strategic partnerships like the one with Msona,” said David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, at Northgate. “The Msona product range is great at delivering secure, radically simple and reliable ICT infrastructure in one single robust box which can be managed by the school, Northgate or our channel partners,” Hyland added.

Msona offers All-in-One Multi-service Internet appliances known as the mBox 2000 series that consolidate up to eight networking, communications and IT devices. The mBox pre-integrates a simple and modular solution for schools’ ICT needs including Broadband gateway, shared and secured Internet access, telephony, data backup, security, remote access, resource sharing, email, web servers and collaboration applications. Acting as the main access gateway to the Internet, the mBox offers the ability to host schools’ public websites and Intranets as well as run a secure email infrastructure for staff and pupils. The device offers the full capability to monitor Internet usage, filter access to inappropriate material and content on the web while blocking viruses and spam from reaching school’s network. Msona also offers a range of cloud computing based services known as mRepublic which complement the applications running on the mBox and enhance the schools’ quality of experience for web presence, security updates as well as maximum uptime and availability of ICT services.

Rami Houbby, Msona’s Vice President of Business Development, commented, “The
“School-in-a-Box” offering is an innovative solution brought to market by top education focused system integrator and leading-edge European technology manufacturer to deliver easy-to-use and affordable ICT solutions that cater for schools, nurseries and youth clubs across the UK and Ireland”. “We are looking forward to participating at the event together with our partners Northgate to demonstrate our joint determination to offer our customers best-in-class solutions tailored to the education market,” Houbby added.

The mBox offers educational institutions the ability to securely connect to the Internet over Broadband while providing an environment for hosting web-based applications and collaboration tools to develop communities and interest groups that span across the institution and its community to include pupils, staff, parents and other schools.

Msona products showcased on Northgate’s BETT stand are:
• mBox 2000 Multi-service Internet Appliances
• mPhone M6730i IP Phone
• mPhone M6755i IP Phone

mBox 2000 Key features:

• Internet presence:
o Fully integrated web presence and domain management enables schools to
locally host and manage their own websites for greater performance,
reliability, control and security.

• Secure web-browsing
o Blocking inappropriate material on the Internet and enforcing school’s Internet usage policies where access to all network services is controlled by passwords providing a greater level of security. Through detailed and extensive filtering of content categories, all information delivered to the school is guaranteed to be appropriate for minors’ access.

• Unified IP Communications Infrastructure
o Full-featured PBX delivering many telephony features tightly integrated with email so teaching staff can communicate better and never misses a phone call!

• Anti-Virus and Anti-Spam
o All emails are scanned for spam and virus signatures before being delivered offering total protection.

• Secure Internet Access
o A built-in firewall protects the school’s network from Internet attacks.

• Network Access Control
o Protecting the school’s network from the inside with seamless access admission control over wired and wireless networks to control who can go where on the network.

• Local e-mail delivery
o All internal communications are delivered locally. No need for email messages to go up and down the Internet link and use up valuable Internet bandwidth

• Round-the-clock Collaboration
o Full groupware and collaboration functionality for Microsoft Outlook users.

• Remote Connectivity
o Staff members as well as pupils with access permission can access school’s resources from their homes or while travelling so pupils can engage and interact with teachers and other students as well as access homework assignments and lesson material even while not at school.

mPhone M6730i IP Phone Key features:

• Exceptional Value in an entry level IP Phone
• Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
• Auto-provisioning of extensions from mBox
• Basic LCD screen display
• AC power adapter (included)
• 10/100 RJ-45 Interface

mPhone M6755i IP Phone Key features:

• Exceptional Value in an advanced level IP Phone
• Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)
• Auto-provisioning of extensions from mBox
• Large LCD screen display
• Power Over Ethernet (POE) support
• AC power adapter (included)
• 2 x 10/100 Switched RJ-45 Interfaces

Managed Services appointed selected bidder for ICT provision in Hartlepool Borough Councils' Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme

2010-01-13T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a leading provider of ICT services and solutions, has been announced as Hartlepool Borough Council’s selected bidder for the supply of ICT in the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme. Subject to final contract negotiations and a successful financial close the parties intend to enter into a contract by February 2010.

This contract valued at £12.98m is Northgate’s first ICT-only contract in the BSF programme and builds on success in Bristol, Leicester, Kent, Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton. The BSF investment aims to build on the very good standards in Hartlepool by transforming learning in all secondary schools through innovative building designs and personalised learning for all learners.

Northgate will deliver ICT services to seven schools in Hartlepool; Dyke House Sports and Technology College,; Manor College of Technology, St. Hilds C of E School, English Martyrs School and Sixth Form College, Catcote Business and Enterprise College , High Tunstall College of Science and the Pupil Referral Unit. The investment allows for the provision and management of the very latest innovative learning and teaching tools creating technology-rich learning spaces which are responsive, inclusive and supportive of attainment by all.

Northgate will also be supporting Hartlepool’s “Space to Learn” project which is a nationally recognized project to provide a testbed environment to develop and enhance teaching and learning in the 21st century. It will consist of flexible learning spaces and innovative technologies which will be used by all schools within Hartlepool supported by Hartlepool’s City Learning Centre and in partnership with Northgate Managed Services, to deliver change.

Northgate already supplies managed services to over 1,200 school and college networks across the UK and is responsible for 17 schools currently benefitting from BSF investment as well as providing interim managed services to an additional 10 BSF schools. This is Northgate’s fifth BSF contract win, in addition to recent success in the single schools and academies market.

Councillor Cath Hill, Hartlepool Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “Hartlepool schools and the council are really excited about the BSF programme and the opportunities this presents for all learners across the town. The council is looking forward to working with Northgate Managed Services in a true partnership agreement to build on the current good practice that already exists.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: “We are delighted to be chosen as selected bidder for Hartlepool Borough Council and look forward to working closely with the schools and council to achieve both individual school objectives and those of the borough as a whole”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

Consortium of Authorities in South East Wales extend shared services partnership with Northgate

2010-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Following recent successes, six Authorities in South East Wales, acting as a consortium, and Northgate Public Services today announce that they have renewed their shared services partnership for a further five years. The partnership is focused on the delivery of cost-effective IT solutions for Social Services.

The announcement follows the implementation of the Unified Assessment Process for Adults (UAP) and the Integrated Children’s System (ICS) across the Authorities in the consortium working cooperatively with Northgate.

UAP and ICS offer a holistic approach to assessing and managing people’s needs through an integrated approach across all care agencies, delivering care packages that promote the independence of the service user.

The consortium has employed a project manager and other dedicated staff and has aligned processes and data collection mechanisms across the Authorities in key areas. This brings added value by enabling further alignment of training, support and report development.

The partnership with Northgate has resulted in a number of tangible benefits for service users and staff. These include more effective and accessible services by reducing the need for different assessments by different agencies; a reduction in paper processes, reducing manual error and maximising efficiency; and considerable savings as processes are shared across all authorities.

The partnership is committed to expanding and progressing its information sharing initiatives to meet its overall goal where it is able to share information with all of its partners including other local Authorities in Wales.

Ellis Williams, Director of Social Services, Rhondda Cynon Taff Council and Chair of the South East Wales consortium said: “By sharing procurement and services, we have been able to develop a system which is responsive to the needs of our users and helps our staff deliver a joined up service built around personal needs, which also reflects value to the tax payer. We are delighted to be extending our partnership with Northgate. They are a trusted partner and a safe pair of hands that have given us the confidence to build a social care business which is truly aligned to the needs of our local communities.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “We are very proud of the work that our partnership with the South East Wales consortium has produced so far. We believe that shared services and joined up working can transform social care, not only for individuals, but for communities. At a time of unprecedented demand and limited resources, the consortium has shown how innovative delivery can be richly enhanced by local development.”

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For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

1. The South East Wales Consortium is a partnership between the local authorities of Caerphilly, Newport, Monmouth, Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr, and Rhondda Cynon-Taff. The Consortium, which covers 28% of Wales, serves the needs of more that 25,000 adults and 6,000 children. It was set up to transform the provision of social care services in the region through shared service delivery.

Travis Perkins selects the right tools from NorthgateArinso - HR contract renewed to strengthen workforce support

2010-01-11T00:00:00+01:00

Travis Perkins, a leading UK supplier in the building and construction industry, has re-signed its contract with NorthgateArinso to continue using its payroll and HR management solution until 2014. The firm has also introduced self-service functionality for its 25,000 employees.

Travis Perkins has used the HR and payroll software for the past nine years. It allows HR and employees from other departments to better manage processes in-house, from pay to absence management and training.

John Smith, IT Manager, at Travis Perkins commented: “We are highly self-sufficient when it comes to our internal IT systems. We have renewed our contract with NorthgateArinso, as we feel its HR service matches our high standards.

“The solution has served us very well over the last nine years and it was not a difficult decision to re-sign, it is important that we have every confidence in our HR and payroll systems.”

Malcolm Aldis, UK managing director at NorthgateArinso, said: “Renewing this contract will give us the opportunity to maintain the strong relationship we have built with the company. We’ve demonstrated our value through streamlining all HR processes and aligning our functionality to meet the needs of the business and will continue to do so in the future.”

Notes to editors

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso, the HR division of Northgate Information Solutions, was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International, thus creating a merged entity with more than half a century of combined HR expertise.

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software and services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many public sector organisations.

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 32 countries on 5 continents.

About Travis Perkins
A major PLC, Travis Perkins is a leading company in the builders’ merchant and home improvement markets, and is a main supplier to the building and construction market, one of the largest industries in the UK. The company operates eight businesses - Travis Perkins, Keyline, City Plumbing Supplies, CCF, Benchmarx, Wickes, Tile Giant and Toolstation - and has over 1,200 branches across the UK.

For more information

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586

Empowering local authorities key to tackling fuel poverty

2010-01-04T00:00:00+01:00

More power and resources should be handed to local authorities in order to combat climate change and reduce fuel poverty in our local communities asserts Northgate Public Services today.

Responding to the Welsh Assembly Government’s consultation on fuel poverty strategy, Northgate argues that the issue of climate change is so severe that a statutory role for local authorities in addressing energy efficiency is now essential. The organisation points out that local authorities are well placed to take into account specific issues of social equity and economic deprivation which are essential to combating fuel poverty at a local level. Northgate also calls upon the Assembly Government, the UK Government and local authorities to work together to encourage the take-up of energy advice and benefits to those affected by fuel poverty.

In their response, Northgate also outline a number of other recommendations, including:

• that services, such as health and education, should work together in order to provide a holistic approach to combating fuel poverty;
• that any reporting system take into account variables in order to ensure progress can be accurately measured;
• that information is readily available to citizens, and provided where necessary by frontline workers.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We welcome the Welsh Assembly Government’s commitment to eradicating fuel poverty in Wales. Given the economic climate, fuel poverty is an issue which is affecting more and more people. But the severity of the issue means that now is the time to take drastic action. By giving local authorities more powers to promote energy efficiency, communities will benefit from localised, specialised advice that meets their needs. Local authorities are better placed to co-ordinate collaborative action from a range of services that seeks to help those most at risk from fuel poverty.”

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For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7324 6221; 07966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7324 6222; 07949 421356

Notes to editors
1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology, and to share in the economic and social benefits that this brings. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Northgate gains place on Software Application Solutions framework agreement

2009-12-22T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announced that it has been successful in being awarded a place on the Software Application Solutions framework agreement by Buying Solutions, the national procurement partner for UK public services.

Launched on 17 December 2009, the new framework agreement provides end-to-end application solutions or individual elements and includes consultancy, integration with existing systems, data migration, training and ongoing maintenance.

Northgate has been included in all of the four Lots it was invited to tender for. All of Northgate’s application solutions can be bought through the new framework agreement. The framework agreement runs for two years with options to extend for a further two years.

Northgate’s applications are available via the following Lots:

• Lot 1 – Bespoke Applications
• Lot 2 – Customer/Citizen Relationship Management and Case Management Solutions
• Lot 3 – Document and Records Management Solutions
• Lot 5 – Information Management Applications

Kris Ross, Senior Software Category Manager said today: “We are delighted to be working alongside Northgate Information Solutions on the Software Application Solutions framework agreement, an integral vehicle for providing individual or end to end software solutions, for the lifetime of the framework agreement.”

Peter Rottier, Managing Director of Northgate’s Buying Solutions Business said:
“We are delighted to offer our solutions through this new framework agreement. It offers public services the opportunity to invest in value for money support in delivering effective, efficient and innovative public services. Now more then ever, it is essential that public services get better for less. The framework agreement is a crucial element to achieving this.”

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For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

4. The Lots that Northgate have been awarded are as follows:

Lot 1 Bespoke Applications
Services in this Lot may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance, application hosting and support for a range of applications. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring, tailoring and integration of existing products and also include some goods and services as part of a wider solution.

Lot 2 Customer/Citizen Relationship Management And Case Management Solutions
Provides for Customer/Citizen Relationship Management and Case Management solutions which may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance and support or managed service. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring or tailoring of existing products and also include some goods and services as part of a wider solution. Including the provision of call and contact centre and similar operational services.

Lot 3 Document & Records Management Solutions
Provides for Document and Records Management solutions which may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance and support as part of a wider solution. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring or tailoring of existing products and also include some goods and services as part of a wider solution.

Lot 5 Information Management Applications
Provides for Information Management application solutions or amendment of existing solutions which may include solution identification, design, development, implementation, data take-on, migration, integration and security; user training, maintenance and support. It may also cover the prototyping, configuring or tailoring of existing products and include some goods and services as part of a wider solution. This lot also covers data management services which may include Data Interfacing, Data Integration, Data Governance, Data Analysis, Data Architecture, Data Modelling, Data Management, Data Security, Data Quality Management, Master Data Management, Data Warehousing, Business Intelligence, Content Management and Meta Data Management

Stop the empty property rot says Northgate

2009-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

Billions of pounds are being wasted by the soaring problem of empty homes. Many of these properties continue to benefit from a 50 per cent discount for council tax, according to a leading provider of transformation services, which is calling on the government to stop the empty property rot that blights our local communities.

Northgate Public Services is today backing the call for a national strategy to end the scandal of empty property. It is demanding that government takes urgent action following the publication of the latest authoritative reports by the Audit Commission and Halifax Building Society in the last two months. It wants government to:

• remove the discretionary council tax on empty properties
• consider allowing local authorities to impose punitive levels of council tax for property for very long term empty properties
• introduce a statutory duty for local authorities to develop empty property strategies
• reduce VAT from 17.5% to 5% for the refurbishment of empty properties
• give housing associations the right to apply to the Homes and Communities Agency for the repair and purchase of run down empty homes
• enable empty properties in the public sector to be transferred to parts of the public sector or housing associations under the Public Request Disposal Order system which allows the public to request the disposal of empty public sector property

The latest Halifax Survey result shows that the number of long term private empty homes has risen to 303,285, the highest level since April 2003. There is a clear inequality gap and North/South Divide. Empty properties are associated with higher levels of deprivation – such as lower earnings and more unemployment. The recent Audit Commission report shows that by bringing only five per cent of empty homes back in to use, councils could cut their homelessness costs by as much as £500 million. Every £1 spent on providing housing support for vulnerable people can save nearly £2 in reduced costs of health services, tenancy failure, crime and residential care.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said today: “Many of the local authorities that we work with have good policies to tackle empty homes. Yet others are doing too little or nothing at all. My fear is that things will only get worse and not better. Therefore, we are calling on the government to attack the pernicious waste of empty property in our local communities, to introduce a statutory duty for local authorities, and to stop the council tax discount that is of negative public value. Why should we pay for the waste of an empty home when our council taxes could be better spent on promoting community well being? It is simply an economic nonsense that the government must not tolerate in an economic downturn.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

3. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. To support local authorities deliver their empty homes strategies, the company has recently launched an empty homes service that is supporting local councils to bring empty properties back into use.

£6.5m ICT services contract to deliver key efficiencies

2009-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

North Lanarkshire Council has forged an ICT Service Delivery Partnership worth £6.5m with leading ICT company, Northgate Managed Services (Northgate).

The five-year contract is part of the council’s drive to operate more efficiently and cost effectively in line with the Efficient Government programme impacting all Scottish Local Authorities.

The Partnership will support the Council’s ICT Strategy supporting over 8,000 IT users across 220 sites ultimately helping the Council to provide high quality services to its citizens.

With the rise in users’ expectations of what constitutes a high quality ICT service, Northgate’s Managed Service offers a flexible solution allowing for increased user productivity and satisfaction.

At the heart of the service is an ITIL Service Desk supported by continuous remote monitoring of the Council’s network and infrastructure.

The service, modelled on industry best practice, will promote high first time fix rates and ensure incidents and problems are managed efficiently.

The Service Desk together with the dedicated on-site team will provide an integrated managed service, supplemented where required with resources drawn across Northgate ensuring maximum flexibility and efficient delivery.

As part of the Partnership, Northgate will also provide support for ICT projects enabling the share of innovation and continuous improvements.

North Lanarkshire Council Finance Convener Councillor John Pentland said: “The council needed a partner with a long standing commitment to Scotland, one who will provide high quality services that will best assist us in achieving our vision to ‘put Service and People First.’

“Northgate’s approach fits in with our desire to address new ways of doing things.”

Commenting on the partnership, James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure Solutions, Northgate Managed Services said, “We are excited by the prospect of working with the council and feel that our strengths and capabilities in this market will allow us to bring innovative and value added ideas to the partnership on a regular basis.”

He continued, “We are strongly committed to the region, and to Scotland in general, where we have been conducting business for some 30 years now.

“Our aim is to develop North Lanarkshire as our Regional Centre of Excellence, bringing in more employment to the council area and supporting the local community wherever we can.”

NorthgateArinso to provide human resources solutions and services to AstraZeneca

2009-12-17T00:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso, a leading global Human Resources (HR) software & services provider, today announced it has signed a seven-year, multi-million pound contract to provide global HR software and services to AstraZeneca, a major international healthcare business.

The decision to work with NorthgateArinso to provide HR support services is part of AstraZeneca’s long term corporate initiative to improve efficiency and reduce costs. NorthgateArinso will provide AstraZeneca with the support and expertise to help achieve these goals:

•      Streamlining and consolidating HR services and solutions onto its globally deployed euHReka HR services platform, powered by SAP
•      Providing in-country payroll services from its global delivery network for over 100 countries
•      Delivering HR administration and talent management services from HR service centres in Manila, Buenos Aires, Granada and Katowice

AstraZeneca has approximately 65,000 employees in over 100 countries.

“This agreement underscores our global delivery capabilities and the unique benefits of our euHReka platform with standardised out-of-the box HR processes and services. Employees, managers and HR professionals can now benefit from easy-to-use self-service applications, accessible for everyone over the Internet, across 105 countries supporting a wide range of local languages,” commented Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso.

“Our investment in a software-based OnDemand HR outsourcing platform changes the HR outsourcing landscape as it efficiently leverages a multi-tenant HR solution while avoiding the pitfalls and risk associated with traditional mega-deals. A standard and straightforward HR services solution empowering employees, managers and HR teams is what drives our vision as a global workforce administration, payroll and talent management service provider. Together with our partners SAP and BDO, this agreement illustrates our commitment to delivering HR excellence across the globe,” continued Ettling.

“We were pleased to find a service provider that can administer and pay all of our employees across more than 100 countries supporting an impressive number of local languages. Our search for a service provider and solution has been anchored by a strong desire to improve the experience for our employees and leaders,” said Penny Stoker, VP Global HR Services for AstraZeneca.

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>

For more information:

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com

Citizen services in Melton Borough Council improve in record time

2009-12-16T00:00:00+01:00

A partnership between Melton Borough Council and Northgate Public Services has led to the rapid improvement of services for local citizens, at a time when hard pressed local authorities are faced with increased demand for quality public services.

Northgate’s citizen relationship management solution was installed in just twelve weeks, faster than the standard time of four to five months for such systems. The partnership enables Melton Borough Council to provide better and faster services. Council staff benefit from seamless integration with back office systems that grant them with access to all the information they require. As a result, citizens can get reliable answers to their queries on council tax and benefits at the first point of contact.

The innovative solution has proven vital to the rural area of Melton. Citizens now have better services available to them with a reduced need to travel. Council staff also benefit from a simple interface, an easy to learn system and speeded up transactions. The user friendly nature of the system has allowed Melton to empower non-specialist advisors, freeing up specialist staff.

Melton Borough Council has been working with Northgate since 1992, using Northgate systems in revenues and benefits and housing, providing the highest quality service to its citizens in the most cost-efficient way.

Jill Simpson, Customer Services Manager, Melton Borough Council said: “The implementation went extremely smoothly. This solution gives us an easy to use platform for handling citizen queries reliably at the first point of contact. Northgate staff ensured that the system went live on time and without problems.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services said today: “We are very proud of the work we are doing with Melton Borough Council. Whilst the Council gains from the quick implementation of the service, it is the local citizens that benefit from better and faster services. Every member of our local communities should enjoy high quality public services, especially those considered most vulnerable, and that is what Melton has achieved.”

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44(0)20 7324 6221; +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7324 6222; +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors

4. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information.

Mycompanyfleet identifies five-point plan for fleets for 2010

2009-12-14T00:00:00+01:00

With the UK still in recession, fleet cost control will continue to be the key priority for most companies in 2010. Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet has devised a five-point plan for fleet managers to help them keep costs under control by tackling five key issues: the grey fleet, fuel management, vehicle utilisation, fleet servicing and data entry.

Most companies look set to keep a tight control on all aspects of corporate expenditure next year, as the UK economy struggles to recover from the depths of recession. Julie Jenner, chairman of the Association of Car Fleet Operators, underlined the point recently in confirming that she expects there to be three key priorities for fleets next year – cost, cost and cost.

Mycompanyfleet has identified five key areas of cost control that, with the appropriate use of fleet management software, will improve cost effectiveness for fleet managers.

1 Grey fleet management
An often-invisible cost that the BVRLA, amongst others, calculates is too high on most fleets. Mycompanyfleet offers a solution through its intuitive Driver Self-Serve web portal, which stipulates that drivers sign a declaration confirming that their cars have been regularly checked and serviced in accordance with manufacturer instructions before they can claim their business mileage expenses.

This not only also meets duty of care requirements by confirming vehicle condition, but reduces administration time and costs as drivers are required to verify and input mileages themselves. The system also proactively informs the driver of the number of miles before the next service is due and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for a service to be carried out.

2 Fuel management
The average price of diesel has passed the £5 a gallon mark, and is set to go higher from January following the Pre-Budget Report, putting the emphasis on controlling fuel costs and cutting business miles. This can be achieved by the use of fuel cards integrated within the fleet management system, linked to the use of exception reporting to highlight those drivers who are exceeding pre-agreed spending parameters.

The use of fuel management modules, such as Mycompanyfleet’s ‘fuel optimiser‘, which identifies the most fuel-efficient cars and vans from all major motor manufacturers, can also help fleet managers select the right mix for the fleet. They can also be used to produce fuel cost reports of existing fleet models to flag up the best and worst performers, showing which vehicles and drivers are the most expensive for the company to operate.

3 Vehicle utilisation
Fleet managers can cut vehicle hire costs through better utilisation of vehicles already on the fleet. Vehicles that are freed up when employees leave through redundancy or natural wastage can often lay unused for days sometimes weeks before they are re-allocated or returned to the vehicle supplier.

By using a fleet management system, such as Mycompanyfleet’s FleetAcumen platform, to log and pinpoint the location of all vehicles it is possible to keep a much closer control of the whereabouts of vehicles across different sites at various locations.

The system can be pre-set to flag up when vehicles become free across multiple locations within the business, allowing the fleet manager to take the appropriate action to re-allocate vehicles as quickly and effectively as possible, so avoiding expensive extra hire charges.

4 Fleet servicing
By utilising up to date vehicle information including mileage details, the current generation of fleet management software systems flag up, through exception reporting, those vehicles due for servicing, well in advance of their allotted service interval. This ensures that service intervals are not missed, which would invalidate vehicle warranties, and that the fleet does not face the potential for expensive corrective maintenance bills.

5 Data entry
Fleet managers can reduce administration costs and time by the use of modern fleet management systems which allow data input from third parties, including drivers and suppliers. Systems, like FleetAcumen, integrate with the back office of leasing companies, for example, which avoids the need for time-consuming double-keying of data. Key information such as monthly vehicle contract hire rates can be integrated seamlessly within the company system without the need for manual intervention, saving both time and money.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, said: “Without doubt the major focus for fleet operators next year will be tighter cost control.

“We have devised a five-point plan for fleet managers which we believe will have a significant impact on fleet costs and will be able to help save between10 and 15% of total fleet operating costs.”

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet
Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Wellingborough invests in radical improvements to its front line services

2009-12-10T00:00:00+01:00

Over 75,000 citizens in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, are set to benefit from radically improved front line services thanks to a new initiative from their local council and Northgate Public Services.

The Borough Council of Wellingborough is implementing Northgate’s citizen relationship management solution (CRM), which will provide a better, more efficient and more responsive service.

The development will deliver measurable benefits to the local community and council employees alike. Among other improvements, Northgate’s CRM will:
• increase the number of queries dealt with at the first point of contact
• raise citizen satisfaction through better services
• empower employees to enhance the quality, consistency and range of services they offer by equipping them with information to satisfy enquiries from citizens
• ensure efficiencies across the Council’s services
• support an associated initiative to enable citizens to make better use of the Internet to obtain services and information.

Lyn Martin-Bennison, Chief Executive of the Borough Council of Wellingborough, said today: “Our mission is to make Wellingborough a place we can all be proud of. We want to deliver efficient and high quality services for our local communities and we recognise that some of our systems need to be improved.

This is why we are delighted to work with Northgate. We were looking for a proven local government solution that would take our service delivery to the next level, drive future service improvements and increase efficiency. With Northgate, this is exactly what we have found. I am confident that investing in their solution will significantly enhance the quality of our citizens’ lives by improving the services they receive."

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “At Northgate, we focus exclusively on meeting the evolving demands of the public sector. We work closely with local authorities to maximise the benefits of collaboration. Our knowledge and expertise helps us to work in partnerships with our customers that enable citizens to enjoy the benefits of effective and efficient services.

“The Borough Council of Wellingborough looked for a solution capable of meeting the current and future needs of its citizens. While many areas in the Borough are relatively affluent, we want to reach less advantaged members of the community and ensure that they receive the services they deserve in the right way and at the right time.”
-Ends-

For more information

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. The Borough of Wellingborough is situated eleven miles from the county town of Northampton and just south of Kettering. It has a population of 75,500. Wellingborough has approximately 2,500 businesses within its boundaries.

2. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs is core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

4. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

5. Front Office is Northgate’s leading citizen relationship management system. It has an established reputation for helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers; track the progress of queries; and review performance while providing other management information.

Northgate Public Services gains gold award from Investors in People

2009-11-27T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services has achieved the highest recognition from Investors in People and achieved the Gold award. Less than two per cent of public and private sector organisations have achieved this elite status.

The prestigious award was awarded to its specialist transformation division, Northgate Kendric Ash, following a rigorous inspection process which judged the organisation on business strategy, learning and development strategy, people management strategy, leadership and management strategy, management effectiveness, recognition and reward, involvement and empowerment, learning and development, performance measurement and continuous improvement.

The Gold award represents achievement of world class best practice. It shows a truly cutting-edge organisation is operating at the very highest levels of people management practice using Investors in People to drive the business forward.

Trish Fraser, Managing Director at QSE said today: “The Northgate Kendric Ash division of Northgate Public Services has an empowering and highly supportive approach to people management which underpins their clear business goals. Their commitment to continuous improvement, their highest quality of standards and delivery of results are underpinned by a set of people focused values which are believed and lived by everyone in the company. This achievement of Investors in People Gold is a rare accomplishment of which all staff should be proud.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services added: “Our transformation business has had unprecedented success in working with people in the public sector to create better and efficient services built around the needs of all within the community, including the most disadvantaged. A central part of our strategies is that we offer organisations sustainable solutions by building up the capacity and capabilities of their own employees through skills transfer.

“We practice what we preach. Our investment in our people is an integral and vital part of our organisational development. Now more than ever, in times of unprecedented economic demand, it is essential to invest in people to provide them with the capability to respond to change through innovation.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows' Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7324 6221; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7324 6222; +44 (0)7949 421356

Mycompanyfleet backs BVRLA's grey fleet position

2009-11-27T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet is backing the British Vehicle Rental’s position on grey fleet drivers and agrees that employers should prevent staff from using their own vehicles for business, unless they can give proof that their car is roadworthy and insured.

The view came from BVRLA chief executive John Lewis, who, according to reports, told delegates at the Office of Government Commerce grey fleet conference last week that they needed to adopt a ‘zero tolerance’ policy on staff who were unable to prove that their vehicle was properly maintained and insured or give details of their driver licence status.

Mycompanyfleet recently launched its Driver Self-Serve portal to meet demand from fleet customers worried about the duty of care implications posed by their grey fleet drivers, and believes it has found the answer to the problem.

“We very much support the BVRLA’s position on grey fleet drivers and believe that fleet operators, perhaps especially those in the public sector, need to be seen to do more to verify the condition of their grey fleet vehicles,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, the automotive software division of NorthgateArinso.

“All too often we hear stories of the problems faced by fleet managers in verifying the condition of their grey fleet vehicles. Duty of care requirements state that companies must check and verify the condition of the vehicles that employees use on company business and that they are fit for purpose, even if employee-owned.

“Our new Driver Self-Serve not only tackles this problem, and provides a clear audit trail, but reduces the amount of administration time spent by the fleet manager as the drivers have to enter the mileage and service history details online themselves.

“Without that update and a signed agreement, the drivers do not receive their monthly mileage expenses - which is a major incentive for them to update the vehicle records as required,” he said.

Drivers, both grey fleet and company drivers, log on to the Driver Self-Serve portal and enter their current business mileages and their mileage expenses claims online as normal.

In doing so, they sign an agreement that they accept the company’s terms and conditions and that they have had their vehicle serviced in accordance with the manufacturer’s approved service schedule, or with the company’s own bespoke servicing schedule.

Once the vehicle details and business mileages are entered by the driver, the fleet software system that sits behind the portal compares them against the manufacturer’s approved service schedule, and the company conditions, for the vehicle in question.

It then proactively informs the driver of the number of miles left before the next service or the next check and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the service to be carried out.

“Used in this way, our Driver Self-System provides the fleet manager with a confirmation that a service has taken place and a record of the date, in an easily visible audit trail that meets duty of care requirements and effectively tackles grey fleet problems,” added Andrew Leech.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Ends

Contact information:

Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Northgate picks up top accolade at UK IT Industry Awards

2009-11-18T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services confirms its position as one of the UK’s leading IT providers after being named as IT Services Supplier of the Year.

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) has been crowned Best IT Services Supplier of the Year at the British Computer Society (BCS) & Computing UK Industry Awards.

Up against several big names in the UK’s IT industry, Northgate beat the competition to secure the title based on investing in its people and communities without compromising on business growth. Northgate demonstrated high levels of customer satisfaction which resulted in a significantly increased order book and pipeline, winning new customers and renewing or extending all major contracts, whilst increasing permanent headcount and delivering innovative schemes for apprentices and graduates across the UK.

As a company, Northgate has consistently met its own challenging objectives to ensure the successful use of IT while continually exceeding the requirements and expectations of customers. With business growing and sales success on the up, Northgate is continuing to make headway across the UK, providing IT services to a wide portfolio of customers in a range of sectors such as AAH, Balfour Beatty, Viridian PLC, NI Water, DVA, Hartlepool Borough Council and Kent County Council.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services commented, “Our continued ability to successfully deliver IT systems across a breadth of sectors has enabled us to strengthen our business by winning over £100m in new contracts, increasing our order book by 85% to £185m and developing a sales pipeline in excess of £200m. The judges based their decision not only on our substantial business growth over the last 12 months but on our continued investment in our people and the communities we work in. We are delighted to have been able to showcase our achievements against some of the biggest players in the industry.“

David Clarke, Chief Executive Officer of BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, said: “This year’s Awards have been exceptional. I was delighted to take part in the judging day and witness firsthand the quality of the winners and medallists. To qualify as a finalist is terrific, to win is an absolutely fantastic achievement, and I offer my heartfelt congratulations to all those who took part. They not only provide examples of best practice but also demonstrate how IT is enabling today’s information society from entertainment to healthcare, manufacturing to retail.”

The UK IT Industry Awards see a new venture between BCS and Computing, merging the BCS IT Industry Awards and the Computing Awards for Excellence to create one platform for the entire profession to celebrate best practice, innovation and excellence.

Northgate was also short-listed for Promoting IT Professionalism Award.

Ends

Huge savings from whole life costs, says Mycompanyfleet

2009-11-18T00:00:00+01:00

Huge savings can be made from adopting a whole life cost approach when adding new vehicles to the fleet, and not relying on their upfront monthly leasing rentals or front end price, says Mycompanyfleet, the fleet software solutions provider and automotive division of NorthgateArinso.

For many fleet managers, a vehicle's monthly rental often helps them in their vehicle choice. However, this quick and easy snapshot is not an accurate method of assessing the true financial impact on the operation of a company fleet.

The true cost of a vehicle is its whole life cost which includes manufacturer discounts, taxation, national insurance, fuel economy and CO2 emissions. Special offer rentals that draw buyers in on a short term basis could end up costing more in the long run if you choose the wrong vehicle.

To illustrate the point, Mycompanyfleet compared two vehicles over a typical three year contract hire agreement - a Volkswagen Passat 1.8 Highline TSI 4dr and a BMW 320d ES 4dr.

At around £357 per month to contract hire, the BMW is some £30 per month more expensive than the Passat. But the Passat emits 178g/km of carbon dioxide compared to just 128g/km for the BMW.

And over three years, the Passat’s whole life costs are £23,255 including fuel, national insurance and the tax on the lease rental restriction as its emissions are above 160g/km, the limit at which cars can qualify for full deduction of their lease rentals against profits.

This compares unfavourably to the BMW’s whole life costs of £21,700, with the BMW’s lower CO2 output meaning that it is cheaper to operate over three years by more than £1,500.

Choosing cars that emit less than 160gm/km of carbon dioxide makes perfect sense as these are the most financially attractive under the new rules governing capital allowance and leasing rentals that were introduced in April this year.

Mycompanyfleet’s FleetHR and FleetAcumen software solutions are designed to help fleet managers make the right model choices, identify those which are the most cost efficient and help keep fleet operating costs under control.

Both fleet management systems use a traffic light system to rank each car on the policy list with an environmental rating, with the cleanest cars given a ‘green’ carbon rating and the most polluting, a ‘red’ one.

If the particular model is in the ‘red’, then it is above the 160g/km limit and the fleet manager has the option of introducing a financial penalty for choosing such vehicles, or insisting that drivers have to make a personal contribution towards its cost.

Similarly, financial incentives can be offered to drivers to choose those cars that fall within the ‘green’ zone, as there are both financial and environmental benefits for the company.

Mycompanyfleet business manager Andrew Leech said: “Moving as many cars as possible into the 160g/km or less category will not only offer clear whole life cost benefits, as well as reducing the fleet’s carbon footprint – and this in the perfect time to do it.

“We have designed our fleet management systems to allow fleet managers to help set fleet policy that cuts costs and rewards environmental initiative at the same time,” he said.

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet
Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.

As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.

NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Northgate Managed Services appointed preferred bidder for ICT provision in Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Councils' Building Schools for the Future programme

2009-11-17T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate), a leading provider of ICT services and solutions, has been announced as Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Councils' preferred bidder for the supply of ICT in the £450million Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme.

The new public private partnership consisting of Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton Councils, Balfour Beatty Education and Partnerships for Schools (PfS) will refurbish or rebuild nine Blackburn with Darwen secondary schools (one phase) and 15 Bolton schools (three phases), providing flexible and attractive learning environments that better support learning. Northgate will provide and manage the very latest innovative learning and teaching tools to make learning more engaging and exciting.

Northgate already supplies managed services to over 1,200 school and college networks across the UK and is responsible for 14 out of 127 schools currently benefitting from BSF investment as well as providing interim managed services to an additional 10 BSF schools. This is Northgate’s fourth BSF contract win, in addition to recent success in the single schools and academies market.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services said: “We are delighted to be a part of the preferred bidder consortium for Blackburn with Darwen and Bolton. Northgate is in an outstanding position to supply state-of–the-art ICT managed services across the boroughs. By working in partnership with the schools and local authorities, we will be able to challenge the thinking of what is possible with ICT provision to help deliver personalised learning tailored to the needs, interests and aptitudes of their learners.”

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices.

Ends

Better vehicle utilisation can cut fleet hire costs, says Mycompanyfleet

2009-11-16T00:00:00+01:00

Fleet managers can cut rental and other vehicle hire costs through better utilisation of vehicles already on the fleet. That’s the view from Mycompanyfleet, the fleet software solutions provider and automotive division of NorthgateArinso, which says that companies can save money by improving the way they utilise the vehicles they already have.

Vehicles that are freed up when employees leave through redundancy or natural wastage can often lay unused for days sometimes weeks before they are re-allocated or returned to the vehicle supplier, especially in a multi-site situation.

Quite often they can be in locations very near to where they are required. In one example, a Mycompanyfleet customer that had been resorting to short term hire to meet local mobility needs, was able to identify that it had spare vehicles in the car park at another office only 20 minutes away through the use of its FleetHR fleet software system.

By utilising those spare vehicles back within the fleet, it was able to make savings running into thousands of pounds that would have otherwise been incurred in terms of short term hire costs.

By having all vehicle details entered and up-to-date on a fleet software system, such as FleetHR, it is possible to keep a much closer control of the whereabouts of vehicles across different sites at various locations.

FleetHR employs Mycompanyfleet’s acclaimed exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment that highlights areas that require immediate management action.

This can be pre-set to flag up exceptions such as vehicles becoming free across multiple locations within the business, allowing the fleet manager to take the appropriate action to re-allocate vehicles as quickly and effectively as possible.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “Companies are all too ready to bring in daily rental or short term hire vehicles to meet their short term mobility needs, without first taking stock of what vehicles they already have on the fleet which are currently being under-utilised.

“By having up-to-the-minute vehicle details on the fleet management system in real time, any changes to the status of a vehicle can immediately be flagged up, and that vehicle can then be reallocated to fill a short term need, thus avoiding additional hire costs.

“By keeping better control of all vehicles on the fleet through the fleet management system in this way, available vehicles can be matched to those locations where they are most needed and vehicle utilisation and cost control improved dramatically,” he added.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Focusing on data security

2009-11-16T00:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services (Northgate) addresses data security issues by sharing customer experiences to members of Scotland’s public sector on how leading-edge protection technology can safeguard citizens' data.

Northgate hosted a data security seminar at Falkirk Wheel for Scottish public sector representatives responsible for safeguarding public data. Following recent well publicised security breach incidents the seminar highlighted security issues to consider, the impact and the need to ensure that ICT systems are robust and offer the proper levels of security. Two public sector organisations within Scotland shared their experiences managing data security for large public sector organisations, the solutions which have been put in place, results and future plans.

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Northgate Managed Services, Scotland added, “The issue of data security is one that is affecting more and more organisations in today’s technology-based business environment. It is important for data management to be carefully monitored and constantly reviewed, this seminar was an excellent platform to identify areas of concern around data security and discuss the solutions which are available to address these issues.”

One size doesn't fit all! - schools and academies to transform learning supported by ICT with Northgate Managed Services' personalised solutions

2009-11-11T00:00:00+01:00

Every school and academy across the country can now benefit from a truly personalised ICT solution tailored to the needs of staff and students with Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/education). Building upon its significant experience working with Building Schools for the Future programmes in Leicester, Kent and Bristol, Northgate is now working with a plethora of exceptional centres of learning, including Trent Valley Academy in Gainsborough, Bristol Cathedral Choir School in Bristol, Havelock Academy in Grimsby and Litherland High School and Abraham Guest High School, one school BSF Pathfinder projects school in Sefton and Wigan.

Every school has its own development and improvement plan so Northgate takes a flexible approach to solutions and designs the service to each school’s needs. Appreciating the individuality of every school and the concept that one size doesn’t fit all, Northgate’s team works closely with the leadership team from the outset to foster a flexible, dynamic partnership to support this vision and ultimately help to transform learning. Northgate’s services are built from a number of key components including, infrastructure design and installation, device and software procurement, service desk, problem and incident management, infrastructure management and remote management and monitoring. The service is designed to meet the needs of the school and can also include elements of outsourcing of technical and support staff.

Northgate believes it is employed to challenge as well as support a school’s ICT provision so it is vital that there is a constant two-way dialogue. Both parties need to be continuously engaged and challenge each other every step of the process to improve ICT provision. For example, Northgate’s team will analyse the efficiency of existing resources before making recommendations for new technology so believe feedback from the school about the current efficiency, usage and uptake of technologies is vital.

Northgate’s approach to TUPE* (whereby school ICT technicians work directly for the company) is helping to improve standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, establishing confidence across the school community. As schools face the challenge of developing a shared vision for ICT, this approach ensures that Northgate’s team of professionals gain a much deeper understanding of the different ICT needs and issues experienced by individual schools. It also helps to build a solid working relationship imperative for successful change management. Working alongside school technicians from such an early point also means that extensive evaluation of existing resources can be carried out to ensure best value for the school.

Abraham Guest High School, the BSF One School Pathfinder in Wigan, is due to open its doors in spring 2010. Keen to implement robust technologies which facilitate anytime true personalised learning for students, its senior leadership team is working closely with Northgate to ensure solutions are tailored to the needs of staff and students and will also stand the test of time. The new school will be fully wireless-enabled allowing students to access their work via a range of fixed, mobile and handheld devices wherever they are in the building. This will also help staff to achieve their vision of delivering anytime, anywhere learning for every student.

Roy Caslake, Headteacher at Abraham Guest High School, comments: “It is vital that all our partners share the common goal of building a learning environment which is meaningful for students of the future. From the outset, Northgate has been incredibly flexible and adaptable in its approach and as a result, truly understands and has helped shape our school’s vision. A relationship built upon confidence and trust is so important so all our heads of department, teachers and students have been involved in this vision. Technology is moving so fast that we are already adapting parts of the ICT so Northgate’s flexible approach is enabling us to achieve great things.”

Exciting technology plans for the new school include Northgate’s Thin Client solution which will enable students to log-on to any computer, anywhere and access the school’s full range of applications, and the school’s ‘Faraday Project’ which aims to incorporate science into the building and grounds. Northgate is integrating technology to take readings from the school’s new wind turbine, 60-year clock and a Knowledge Garden which will see waste products from the science blocks filtered into a tank and pumped through reed beds to create recyclable water. All this data will be available on the school’s intranet for staff and students to interpret in class.

For further information about Northgate Managed Services, please visit the web site at: www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact our Schools and Academies team via email info@northgate-is.com

*The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations

Teachers across the country join Northgate Managed Services' experts to share best practice for ICT at BETT 2010!

2009-11-04T00:00:00+01:00

** BETT PREVIEW 2010 *** BETT PREVIEW 2010 ***

NORTHGATE MANAGED SERVICES,
STAND D70,
BETT 2010,
OLYMPIA, LONDON,
13-16 JANUARY 2010

Teachers from around the UK will be joining experts from Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/education) on stand D70 at BETT 2010 to share best practice for ICT to enhance learning. Teachers and technology partners will be running Northgate’s Seminar Zone throughout the show, discussing their personal experiences of the dynamic partnership with the ICT specialist and the innovative ways they use technology to engage and improve learning for students. Visitors to the stand can also learn about the benefits of Northgate’s ICT managed service by entering its Interactive Video Pod where they will be able to explore some of Northgate’s schools..

Teachers can also visit Northgate’s School Demonstration Area where each day a teacher will be promoting innovative usage of ICT that they are using to engage students. For example, using the Apple iPod Touch as a teaching tool in music classes

Working closely with many Building Schools of the Future (BSF), Academies and Pathfinder schools Northgate is keen to share its vast experience and expertise in the field of ICT and demonstrate how a flexible, dynamic partnership between ICT provider and school can support transformation in learning. Northgate’s team will be available throughout BETT to discuss the benefits of a Managed Service for those schools due to embark on BSF; helping to improve standards, ensure a smooth transition for ICT and ultimately transfer risk, establishing confidence across the school community.

Each and every school has its own development and improvement plan so Northgate takes a flexible approach to solutions and personalises service delivery to each school's needs. Northgate believes it is employed to challenge as well as support a school’s ICT provision so it is vital that there is a constant two-way dialogue. Both parties need to be continuously engaged and challenge each other every step of the process to improve ICT provision. For example, Northgate’s team will analyse the efficiency of existing resources before making recommendations for new technology so believe feedback from the school about the current efficiency, usage and uptake of technologies is vital.

In the Interactive Video Pod, visitors can submerge themselves in the real-life experiences of schools currently working with Northgate. Just one of many engaging case studies, teachers will hear from Hugh Christie Technology College in Tonbridge, Kent; a state foundation, mixed PFI school, which is at the forefront of introducing innovative resources to improve the learning experience for its students. Collaborating with Northgate, Hugh Christie is engaged in a ‘discovery programme’ using the company’s expertise to maximise its ICT efficiency and to offer students the best education.

Just one of a number of key seminars held at the show, Northgate will be discussing the company’s approach to TUPE*, whereby school ICT technicians work directly for Northgate. Helping to improve standards for ICT within schools and ensure a high level and continuity of service, Northgate is working with school technicians to determine their skill levels, providing professional training, guidance and support. This combined with early engagement makes the process much more effective and less stressful, ensuring technician time is better channelled into supporting staff and developing the school’s new ICT strategy.

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education at Northgate Managed Services, comments: “Our extensive experience of working closely with schools has taught us that a relationship built upon openness, flexibility and trust enables a partnership to innovate, challenge and ultimately improve learning through ICT. We welcome teachers from all schools, whether they are beginning BSF, an academy, or a single school to come along to our stand and meet our teachers, partners and team to hear more about how we can support them in their transformation.”

Northgate will be running seminars throughout the show exploring many different topics including those dedicated to specific pieces of technology and schools’ personal experiences. For further information about Northgate and its seminars, please email info@northgate-is.com or check the website for regular updates www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

*The Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations

Truro and Penwith College scores top marks with NorthgateArinso - college implements flexible HR and payroll platform to deliver more efficient HR to all staff

2009-11-04T00:00:00+01:00

Truro and Penwith College has signed a seven-year deal with NorthgateArinso to implement ResourceLink Aurora, its web-enabled HR and payroll solution.

Prompted by changes with its current bureau service and the desire to achieve an integrated HR and payroll solution, the College has chosen the ResourceLink Aurora solution to provide a more efficient and flexible back office service for HR and payroll. The overall strategy is to deliver a more joined up service for employees, supporting their day-to-day activities, with an emphasis on empowering Team Leaders and staff across the college to concentrate on the key issue of supporting students.

As ResourceLink Aurora is delivered via the web as a zero footprint solution, the system will deliver significant savings by reducing paper flow and duplication of data. From an IT perspective, the College is able to deploy the solution through a web browser, utilising web technologies. This will not only reduce the day-to-day management that can hamper more traditional client server applications, but also open up the opportunity for greater accessibility from home.

The solution is highly configurable, meaning processes can be streamlined and personalised to an employee’s role or task. It puts vital information at the fingertips of each person in the HR and finance team, giving them the tools and data needed to do their jobs in an integrated view. Managers and staff members will be able to interact with HR and have their own self-service view of the information they need, wherever they go.

Andy Goodman, project manager for Truro and Penwith College, said: “We have ambitious plans and we're keen to make use of the web-enabled technologies in ResourceLink Aurora to drive forward our HR and payroll strategy. We will be able to streamline our working practices, bringing payroll and HR information together so that it can be used efficiently and intelligently on one platform. It was important to select a tried and tested supplier that was keen to work in partnership with us. NorthgateArinso invested time in us during the evaluation process and the company has proven it has a strong relationship with other colleges”.

Dave Proctor, business development director for NorthgateArinso, said: “We’ve worked closely with the College to bring the HR team a more efficient way of working with all the benefits of an e-HR solution, based on a proven and reliable platform. Additionally, we have created a Further Education User Group to work with us on ongoing developments in our ResourceLink Aurora Solution. We look forward to embracing Truro and Penwith College into this community and seeing them deliver the best HR in line with the College’s strategic objectives”.

(437 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.
--

For information:
Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com

Councils could save up to £90 million a year in council tax

2009-10-28T00:00:00+01:00

Over seven million pounds has been saved since 2008 by local authorities working in partnership with Northgate Public Services through targeting ineligible discounts for single people claiming council tax according to figures released today as the company mounts a campaign to persuade other councils to gain significant additional revenue of up to £90 million by taking advantage of its self-funding service.

In unique public private partnerships that link fees to performance, offering councils a self-financing approach to sharing risk with the private sector, Northgate provides local authorities with a fully managed Single Person Discount Review Service. This helps to promote revenue assurance as an integral part of transforming revenue and benefits services based upon citizen needs. Local authorities who sign up only pay up when cancellations have generated a direct cashable saving. Councils who have benefited from the service include Kirklees and Walsall.

Since 2008 twenty three local authorities have taken advantage of this service, with over 500,000 records reviewed, and 30,000 ineligible discounts removed. This has generated £7.8 million of savings to the local authorities at a time when the public sector is under great pressure to make further efficiencies.

A recent Audit Commission report has highlighted the fact that council taxpayers could be losing as much as £2 million a week to people who are ineligibly claiming single person discount on their council tax (Protecting the Public Purse – Local Government Fighting Fraud, September 2009).

Northgate offers councils a service which:
• provides the most accurate reporting of occupancy status available - using the most extensive data sources including over 300 million name and address links;
• covers the electoral register, over 400 million credit records and Mosaic lifestyle data on over 10 million households and individuals;
• reaffirms the vast majority of legitimate claims with no need for contact with the household and updates the councils’ council tax records;
• delivers results rapidly through dedicated project teams with an exercise typically taking twelve weeks to complete.

Mike Carr, Revenues Manager at North Kesteven District Council said today: “I do feel that the partnership has worked very well over the period of the review and again would thank you all for the professional way in which the contract has been handled …The exercise has not only proved very beneficial for North Kesteven from a financial point of view, but has now been highlighted as “good practice” in the recent Audit Commission report on “Protecting the Public Purse” which is also rewarding.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services for Northgate Public Services said today: “As the pressure on public services increases as a result of the economic squeeze, it is now more vital than ever that councils take quick steps to ensure that our communities receive their proper entitlements. This requires proactive campaigns to increase take up of benefits where this is low, particularly for those most vulnerable in our communities. It also means making sure that people pay the right amount of council tax and do not claim benefits to which they are not entitled.

“I am delighted that we have helped councils to make these cashable savings and we urge other councils to take advantage of our self-funded service to create more cash to spend on vital frontline services.”

[Ends]
For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.
2. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships.
3. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Teachers asked to share best practice in the innovative use of ICT in the classroom

2009-10-28T00:00:00+01:00

Entry Deadline - 20th November 2009

Teachers from schools throughout Northern Ireland are to be recognised for their innovative ideas and forward-thinking use of ICT in the classroom, thanks to a unique competition organised by Northgate Managed Services, the ICT managed services provider.

The province-wide competition aims to harness and share the very best ideas generated by NI’s teaching community, with the long term objective of enhancing the learning of our children and young people.

Northgate‘s aim is to maximise the very real and practical skills of the teachers by offering a vehicle to share how they use ICT to enhance teaching and learning in their school.

“Teachers are at the forefront when it comes to shaping the workforce of the future – and when it comes to ICT their input is vitally important,” said Stuart Gunning, Regional Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services. “From our work with schools province-wide we know there is a wealth of innovative talent out there – with many teachers creating fantastic, innovative learning techniques by using ICT in ways which others might never consider, for example using Nintendo Wii Fit for PE classes and incorporating Apple I-touch into music lessons. Our aim is to use the insights of our teachers to create a ‘best practice’ platform which can be shared by all teachers. Only by hearing from those at the coal face can we really appreciate how ICT will continue to play an inclusive and fully effective role in teaching today and in the future.”

Thanks to the success of its partnership with Classroom 2000 (C2K), Northgate works closely with every school in Northern Ireland in the delivery of ICT Managed Services and network support. Yet the company feels it can go further still to fully understand how education can benefit from ICT, and more importantly how Northgate can help teachers and pupils maximise their learning potential.

Open to teachers from all primary, post-primary, special educational needs and nursery schools throughout NI, the competition will highlight what ICT is achieving in the classroom, how it helps deliver the learning process, and the key educational benefits resulting from ongoing investment in ICT.

Teachers spanning all subjects and modules are asked to submit a short summary (maximum 400 words) detailing how they’ve used ICT innovatively and effectively in their classroom. Two members of staff from two schools in NI will each win all expenses paid trips to BETT 2010, the world’s largest education, information and ICT event. Held in London in January, BETT showcases the best examples of international educational technology and is widely anticipated by teachers throughout the UK.

For competition details and terms and conditions, please contact ciara.mccoy@northgate-is.com, the competition deadline is Friday 20 November 2009. For further information on Northgate Managed Services visit www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner, Morrow Communications Tel: 028 9039 3837

Mycompanyfleet tackles grey fleet problem with Driver Self-Serve

2009-10-14T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet software provider Mycompanyfleet is helping fleet managers tackle the problem of grey fleet drivers and remote company workers with the launch of its new intuitive Driver Self-Serve web portal.

With grey fleet drivers who use their own cars on company business and remote-lying field sales staff and engineers who may visit head office infrequently, verifying vehicle condition, servicing and business mileage is a constant battle for fleet managers.

Now Mycompanyfleet has developed Driver Self-Serve to meet demand from fleet customers worried about the duty of care implications posed by their grey fleet drivers, and believes it has found the answer to the problem.

Drivers, both grey fleet and company drivers, log on to the Driver Self-Serve portal and enter their current business mileages and their mileage expenses claims online as normal.

The company has the option to add a bespoke element to the service schedule by including items, such as additional tyre pressure and fluid level checks at various mileage intervals, and making them part of the company terms and conditions.

It then proactively informs the driver of the number of miles left before the next service or the next check and when the vehicle will need to be booked in for the service to be carried out.

Used in this way, the system provides the fleet manager with a confirmation that a service has taken place and a record of the date, in an easily visible audit trail that meets duty of care requirements.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “We all too often hear stories of the problems faced by fleet managers in verifying the condition of their grey fleet vehicles.

“Duty of care requirements state that companies must check and verify the condition of the vehicles that employees use on company business and that they are fit for purpose, even if employee-owned.

“Driver Self-Serve not only tackles this problem, and provides a clear audit trail, but reduces the amount of administration time spent by the fleet manager as the drivers have to enter the mileage and service history details online themselves.

“Without that update and a signed agreement, the drivers do not receive their monthly mileage expenses - which is a major incentive for them to update the vehicle records as required,” he said.

Northgate Managed Services supports Northern Ireland's first all-girl ICT conference

2009-10-08T23:00:00+01:00

Glengormley High School puts the I.T. in Femininity

Belfast’s Waterfront Hall opened its doors to 500+ female school pupils today for a special ‘Girls Only’ ICT event designed to highlight the exciting career opportunities in what is predominantly perceived as a ‘male’ industry.

Organised by Glengormley High School and ICT Academy, one of Northern Ireland’s specialist ICT schools, the ‘FemininITy’ conference is a first for Northern Ireland. It is one of the latest in a range of ICT initiatives pioneered by the school.

Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane attended the event along with leading females within the ICT industry including figureheads from Microsoft and Google as well as representatives from Northern Ireland’s Universities. Several interactive workshops were held throughout the day with topics ranging from the practical side of ICT to the future of robotics. The workshops incorporated break out sessions allowing the pupils to put questions to the guests, discuss some of the stereotypes that surround the industry and the prospects available should they decide to pursue a computing related career.

Speaking at the event, Education Minister, Caitríona Ruane commented: “It is vital that today’s female pupils are aware of the excellent careers available within the software profession and that they make informed subject choices based on this. It is a well known fact that the ICT industry is typically viewed as a male dominated sector and I would like all our young people to have the chance to excel in these areas. I’d like to congratulate Glengormley High on hosting a wonderful event in an attempt to dispel these myths for good and get the north’s female pupils thinking about ICT. Hopefully they will be inspired by the successful women they have met here today and will themselves make steps to becoming the leaders of the future.”

During his address, Glengormley High School principal, Alex Hayes took time to thank the Minister and industry representatives, “After many long nights and lengthy meetings, we are delighted to have made it to the day of the conference and have our vision of a ‘girls only’ ICT conference realised. We, as teachers, are excited about the prospects within Northern Ireland’s ICT industry and we want to encourage that excitement in all pupils, especially girls. I would like to extend my gratitude to all partnering bodies and organisations, as without their participation and generosity, this event wouldn’t have happened.”

Stuart Gunning, Regional Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services Commented “We are delighted to support Glengormley High School in this initiative and congratulate them in a highly successful event. As a leading IT company, working with every school in Northern Ireland we are committed to working with young people including females to encourage them into a career in IT. We already offer a number of initiatives including career workshops, IT apprenticeship schemes, graduate placement and training programmes and were pleased to be involved in this event to further promote IT as a career for girls”

The event falls under the ‘BringITon’ banner; a partnership between Momentum, the Department for Employment and Learning, Invest Northern Ireland and eSkills UK that encourages GCSE and A-level pupils to consider a computing related pathway through school and at University.

Improving citizen service in Scotland

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

The Improvement Service and Northgate Public Services today announce that Inverclyde, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire councils have entered into five year agreements to promote high quality benefits services.

In a shared procurement led by The Improvement Service, the three councils will work with Northgate to ensure that vital revenues and benefits information is available to customer service officers serving over 331,000 citizens. Northgate’s leading Revenues & Benefit system is set to be integrated with the councils’ implementations under the National Framework Agreement in Scotland. The National Agreement has now enabled 17 Scottish councils to standardise on a common caseload management platform and has facilitated a number of additional collaborative benefits.

The deals support The Improvement Service Customer First programme aimed at supporting councils deliver 'first time' public services by re-designing them around customers' needs. Through joined up systems citizens will benefit from:

• speedier responses with vital back office information relating to revenues and benefits easily accessible by front line employees;
• better quality services with more queries dealt with at the first point of contact;
• cost-effective services with less duplication and a reduction in bureaucracy.

At a time of unprecedented economic and social demand, the councils have benefited from the value from money gained through working with The Improvement Service in a collaborative procurement with Northgate.

Hilary Horton, National CRM Project Manager for The Improvement Service said: “Through collaborative procurement and deployment local councils can take advantage of a more cost effective approach to joining up services, as well as helping to improve customer service and increase efficiency. We are delighted that we were able to conclude these contracts with Northgate on behalf of the three councils and look forward to developing our partnership further.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services said: “All of us need to work collaboratively and develop new ways of working to deliver citizen-centred services at a time of great need. We are delighted to be supporting the work of the Improvement Service in promoting its national programme. We are committed to working with Scotland’s councils and the not for profit sector to deliver better services and to reach out to all, particularly the most disadvantaged within our communities.”
[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. The Improvement Service was set up in 2005 to help improve the efficiency, quality and accountability of local public services in Scotland by providing advice, consultancy and programme support to councils and their partners.

2. Its purpose is to help councils and their partners to improve the health, quality of life and opportunities of all people in Scotland through community leadership, strong local governance and the delivery of high quality, efficient local services.

3. The Improvement Service is a partnership between the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives (SOLACE). It is a Company limited by guarantee.

4. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

5. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships.

6. In Scotland, clients include NHS trusts, local authorities, fire and rescue services and passenger transport services as well as many in the commercial sector. Northgate works with 4 out of 5 local authorities and every police force in Scotland. Its human resources services are used by over thirty public sector bodies in Scotland. .In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Northgate Managed Services announces �100m of new contracts

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Managed Services today announced that during the last 6 months it has secured more than £100m of new contracts.

Northgate Managed Services, an Invest Northern Ireland client company, and one of the largest IT services providers in Northern Ireland, has secured a number of new contracts, including an ICT and Business Process Outsourcing contract with Viridian, an extension with C2k to provide further ICT services to secondary schools in Northern Ireland and an ICT outsourcing contract with Northern Ireland Water. Using Northern Ireland as a near-shore delivery centre, Northgate is continuing to export skills and expertise to help secure contracts in other parts of the UK, and has won new business in the Local Government market with Hartlepool, Greenwich and North Lanarkshire councils, and in the Education Sector with 5 new Academies.

Andy Ross, Chief Executive of Northgate Managed Services said: “ As a result of tough trading conditions due to the global economic downturn we set ourselves three key objectives at the start of the year; delivering financial results to our shareholders, fulfilling delivery commitments to our customers and protecting the jobs of our permanent employees. It is very pleasing that we have achieved all these objectives; strengthening our business winning over £100m in new contracts, increasing our order book by 85% to £185m and developing a sales pipeline in excess of £200m. In addition we are at preferred bidder stage on business worth a further £60m, and expect to sign these contracts over the next four months.

“We continue to be committed to Northern Ireland as a Centre of Excellence and our recent successes are testament to our ability to compete and win, in particular against strong off-shore competition, proving that Northern Ireland can be a credible and viable near-shore alternative.

“Notwithstanding the tough economic conditions we are continuing to invest significantly to expand our business activities, which is vital if we are to continue to deliver value to our customers, long term career opportunities for our employees and profitable sustainable growth for our shareholders.

Congratulating Northgate Managed Services on its recent successes Alastair Hamilton, Chief Executive Invest NI said: “Northgate Managed Services is a key player in the growing IT and business services sector, employing more than 1000 staff in the UK, 500 of which are based in Northern Ireland. Over the past 12 months, the company has engaged in a major drive to renew existing and win new contracts, which has resulted in more than £100 million of additional business.

“This is a remarkable achievement for Northgate Managed Services at a time when many companies continue to experience difficulties in the current economic climate and I commend their clear drive and determination to succeed. It demonstrates how market challenges can be overcome if a company invests in its people, products and services, and remains focused on targeting new opportunities.”

Northgate Managed Services supports ICT for every secondary and special education needs school in NI freeing up valuable teacher time

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

£24m C2k contract extension awarded to ICT specialist Northgate Managed Services

Teachers and students at 238 Northern Irish post-primary and 47 special educational needs schools are to continue to benefit from an ICT managed service and technology refresh from Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) as part of a £24milllion investment by the Department of Education and Classroom 2000 (C2k).

Northgate will install 22,000 new workstations and 1,600 printers, and continue to manage the ICT infrastructure to ensure teachers and students can rely on technology in their schools. Northgate manage all school based technology from the network to access devices and curriculum software. As part of the new service, Apple Macs will also be integrated into the managed network and supported by Northgate. .

Northgate manage the schools ICT across Northern Ireland from their centre of excellence in Newtownabbey. Dedicated teams constantly monitor the school based systems intervening to resolve any problems often before schools are aware there is an issue either remotely or through the team of engineers. Schools now rely on availability of technology in the classroom and Northgate works hard to ensure that teachers and students are provided fully access to the technology.

Providing further peace-of-mind for schools, Northgate will implement advanced security updates with encrypted backup to protect school networks and data from unauthorised access due to hacking or unpermitted usage.

Jimmy Stewart, Director, C2k, commented: “I am delighted to announce Northgate’s continuance as the main partner on the C2k network. The company has played a pivotal role in the implementation of Northern Ireland’s Education Technology strategy and opening new e-learning pathways into further and higher education. By removing the burden of managing and maintaining IT systems from the school and replacing it with a reliable, supportive and more effective alternative, Northgate has demonstrated its true leadership in the education sector.”

David Hyland, Managing Director, Education, Northgate Managed Services added, “I am delighted that C2k has taken the decision to further extend our partnership to help transform teaching and learning for students in Northern Ireland. It is an honour to continue working with such forward-thinking schools and we remain dedicated to ensuring that our ICT solutions work to provide the Department of Education and C2k with the flexibility and enhanced services needed by students and teachers alike.”

Northgate Managed Service has been working with C2k since 1998 providing over 1,200 primary, nursery, post primary and special needs schools across Northern Ireland with the ICT infrastructure to access a wide range of education technology content and services to support the Northern Ireland curriculum.

For further information please visit the web site at www.northgate-is.com/managedservices or contact Northgate Managed Services on Tel: +44 (0) 28 90859085 or e-mail education@northgate-is.com.

Issued: Ends Ref: NG024

Notes to editors:

Established by the Department of Education, C2k’s main remit is to deliver on the Department’s strategy for Education Technology in Northern Ireland. The strategy’s main aim is to address the issues constraining the uptake of ICT in schools across Northern Ireland and to provide a high quality, reliable and equitable ICT service for all pupils in every school in Northern Ireland.

Northgate wins contracts with Viridian Group companies

2009-10-04T23:00:00+01:00

- Major contract win safeguards jobs in Newtownabbey
- Contract award consolidates Northgate’s position as Managed Service Specialist

Northgate Managed Services has won a number of 5 year managed service contracts with Viridian Group companies against stiff competition.

Viridian, Ireland’s leading independent energy group, which includes Northern Ireland Electricity, NIE Energy and Viridian Power & Energy, has awarded Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) contracts to Northgate following a lengthy procurement process, which attracted submissions from a number of the world’s leading technology and outsourcing specialists.

With the overall aim of providing Viridian Group companies with the most cost effective, flexible and high performing ICT systems and services available, Northgate will retain responsibility for managing the Group’s ICT infrastructure, networks, software applications and disaster recovery facilities. Northgate will also provide a range of BPO services to two of the Viridian Group companies.

Northgate will be working in partnership with eircom Northern Ireland on the implementation of a fully refreshed data network and upgraded IP telephony service.

“The ultimate aim of this contract is to enhance efficiencies and deliver improved services to our business users,” said Caroline Murphy, Head of Technology, Viridian Group.

Congratulating the team on their success Ed Brown, Managing Director, Utilities and Public Services NI for Northgate added:

“This is a tremendous achievement, not only for Northgate Managed Services, but for the Northern Irish economy as a whole, securing jobs for our workforce and creating a number of new positions within the fast moving technology sector.

“With a proven track record in the utilities sector the team at Northgate relishes this opportunity to work in partnership with Viridian Group companies as they seek to further improve operational efficiencies and benefit from world class systems and services”

Ends

For further information contact Claire Bonner/Gareth Colhoun, Morrow Communications
Tel: 028 9039 3837

Online citizen self-service support

2009-09-30T23:00:00+01:00

Innovation in delivery is essential for the long term sustainability of the social care system. Northgate Public Services today launches an online self-service support solution which gives the citizen greater control and promotes enablement and early intervention in adult social care.

Supporting a pro-active and preventative model of personalised social care centred on improved wellbeing, with greater choice and control for individuals, My Support helps citizens to shape their own lives and the services that they receive. It helps people access care and support through a number of features including:

• My Assessment – a self assessment tool that allows citizens to directly and simply express their needs and requirements.

• My Money – an on-line view of the money that the person has in their personal budget, it shows a statement summary including the amounts, payee, date and description of service.

• My Schedule – the citizen is able to see what visits they are getting, who is seeing them, and at what time

• My Plan – this provides guidance and structure for individuals and their support networks by putting together a personalised support plan. The plans can be amended by the individual. Supporting documents including video clips and images can be stored against the plan.

• My People - this gives the citizen their key contacts in a simple address book.

• My Details – this enables the citizen to manage their basic personal details

• My Views – this gives the citizen the ability to provide feedback on their support plan such as the services that they receive and the outcomes of different forms of support

• My Docs – an online repository of documents relating to an individual and their support. It can include support plans, care plans, letters from the GP, copies of correspondence and evidence including photographs

• My Shopping – a catalogue that contains the details of goods and services. It has a simple built in inventory and comes with a portal for providers to upload their own products and for citizens to purchase online.

Whilst online self service will not be appropriate for all citizens, Northgate Public Services believes that for many it will provide a means of increasing citizen satisfaction with their social care support. Citizens will benefit from 24x7 access to information and services from the comfort of home at a time that suits them. The company is now mounting a campaign for local authorities to introduce self service in adult social care as a means of improving delivery and making efficiencies through the reduction in visits and paperwork.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director, Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services, said today: “Many citizens want to be active participants in the care and support they receive. They do not want to be recipients of standardised packages and they want to be at the centre of identifying what is personally important to them to deliver effective and efficient outcomes.

“Our self service solution places the dignity and respect that people have a right to expect at its heart. At a time of unprecedented pressure on our health and social care system, there is a need to introduce change now. Over the next few months we will be working with our partner authorities to deliver self service as an essential element of radical change that our social care system so desperately needs.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates;
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors
1. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

3. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. Northgate’s social care solutions are used by 40 per cent of local authorities.

Northgate Launches IT Apprenticeship

2009-09-30T23:00:00+01:00

New job opportunities and training for school leavers offered by Northgate Managed Services

Northgate Managed Services is bucking the current economic trend for downsizing with the launch of an IT Apprenticeship Scheme - offering school leavers a direct route to develop a long-term career in the IT sector.

Northgate employs over 1000 people, and services customers across the UK from its base in Northern Ireland. It is the first company in the IT sector in NI to officially recognise the potential talent pool that exists locally, and is directly targeting 16 to 19 years olds via an on-the-job training scheme. In addition to its existing Graduate schemes, Northgate is commencing the 18 month training scheme with the recruitment of six apprentices in September and intends to extend the scheme significantly over the next few years.

In addition to studying for the NVQ Level 2 IT systems and support qualification, the apprentices will ‘earn as they learn’, combining educational study with hands-on training as part of the IT service team in Northgate’s head office. Each apprentice is also allocated a mentor and ‘buddy’ to support and advise them throughout the 18 month programme. As with every employee in Northgate, the apprentices will have their own personal development plan and upon completion of the Scheme, there is potential for them to move into permanent positions in Northgate with opportunities to develop their skills within a wide variety of career paths in the company.

“As a leading IT company, working with every school in Northern Ireland, I feel it is important to encourage young people into a career in IT, offering job opportunities to those people who for whatever reason choose not to go on to University. The typical 16 to 19 year old is already IT literate, and can very quickly become productive in an IT services environment. As a successful and growing IT services company Northgate Managed Services is committed to working with young people in the communities where we are based and I am delighted we have been able to launch the IT Apprentice Scheme” said Andy Ross Chief Executive, Northgate Managed Services.

“Many people seem to believe that a university degree is the only route to a career within the IT sector. This isn’t the case and by offering an IT Apprenticeship Scheme as an additional option to our existing Graduate schemes, we are developing a qualified and talented workforce that will help us grow our business.

Northgate Managed Services has also commenced the roll out of the IT Apprentice Scheme across the UK with the recruitment of Apprentices to IT teams in Kent, Bristol and Leicester already underway.

Supporting the progressive move by Northgate, Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey said:
“This is a welcome development which offers great potential benefits for Northgate as a company and for the new IT Apprentices employed here. We have been convinced for some time that Apprenticeships could offer a viable route into this exciting industry and I am therefore delighted that a major IT employer like Northgate has decided to launch an Apprenticeship scheme.

“I wish Northgate and their new employees all the very best with this new initiative and hope that the scheme goes from strength to strength.

“I would also encourage other IT companies in Northern Ireland to look carefully at what Northgate have done and follow their lead in bringing future talent into the industry at an early stage.”

The first six apprentices started in August, and Northgate will visit schools and colleges to promote the Scheme during the autumn term with the next assessment centres being held in Feb/March, aiming for another batch of new recruits to start in June 2010. Those interested in finding out more about the IT Apprentice Scheme should contact info@northgate-is.com or via www.northgate-is.com/managedservices

G2G3 simulations point towards success for Northgate Managed Services

2009-09-30T23:00:00+01:00

G2G3 (www.g2g3.com), the leading provider of simulations and immersive readiness programs, today announced an exciting new partnership with Northgate Managed Services, the leading provider of infrastructure services to both public and private sector organisations and specialist managed services to the education, government and utilities sector.

Northgate Managed Services (www.northgate-is.com/managedservices) will license G2G3's Polestar ITSM simulation to add value to its ICT managed services solutions portfolio.

Polestar ITSM from G2G3 is energetic and fun way to accelerate understanding, involvement, and acceptance of ITSM and ITIL V3 best practice in any organisation. Facilitated in a familiar high technology scenario, Polestar ITSM brings to life the behavioral and process issues faced by IT organisations. This unique experiential learning approach causes breakthrough understanding of ITSM and ITIL V3 best practice and transforms learning into an engaging, fun, and highly memorable shared experience. Polestar ITSM was the world's first ITIL simulation to be based around the latest version of the Service Management best practice framework, the IT Infrastructure library (ITIL) Version 3.

Northgate Managed Services support over 2,000 customers and 420,000 IT users across the UK. It’s ITIL based, accredited ICT managed services offer customers a range of options from outsourcing a single element of their IT to a full outsource including TUPE transfer of staff. Working in partnership with their customers, Northgate’s goal is to make IT work harder, delivering efficiencies and unlocking the potential of IT to transform organisations.

Mark Ross Sutherland, CEO at G2G3 commented: “We are delighted to welcome Northgate Managed Services to our global partner community. Simulations are an ideal platform to create a holistic level of awareness and understanding around the power of the Managed Services model of business and the benefits it can ultimately deliver.”

James Turnbull, Managing Director, Infrastructure, Northgate Managed Services commented: “Northgate can bring together all the aspects of our customer service provision into a single dedicated unit that can deliver prompt, professional and high quality IT services. We feel it is important to engage with our customers from the outset to ensure they receive the best solution to meet their needs. The addition of the G2G3 product will enable both our internal and external customers to understand and experience the tangible benefits that our ITIL ICT managed service can offer them. We have trialled the simulation and have found it both useful and interesting and we look forward to rolling it out with our customers”

For more information on G2G3's products and services please contact Linda King at lk@g2g3.com or +44 (0) 131 461 3333.

For more information on Northgate Managed Services please contact 028 9085 9055 or info@northgate-is.com

IRRV accredits Northgate as training provider in revenues and benefits

2009-09-28T23:00:00+01:00

The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) and market leader Northgate Public Services today announce that they have joined forces to provide accredited training in revenues and benefits in a concerted attempt to drive up standards, improve service delivery and deliver efficient and effective services at a time of unprecedented demand and economic recession.

Northgate is the first organisation to participate in the Institute’s new accreditation scheme as a training provider. Its user-focused revenue and benefits training programme will be the first of its kind to be accredited by the IRRV. The training is designed to encourage excellence and performance improvement for Northgate’s clients’ employees using Northgate’s systems. It is focused on achieving best practice and working with and assessing staff on the systems that they use in their workplaces.

Northgate clients stand to benefit from the introduction of end-user training through skills enhancement for their employees and improved performance. In an innovative offer, Northgate clients who put their staff forward will receive preferential rates from Northgate on the basis that they are less likely to call on Northgate for help and support.

Northgate believes that by tackling end-user improvement it will ensure that best practice and excellence amongst its clients can be attained by all. Northgate clients consistently outperform local authorities that use other revenues and benefits systems as measured by official data such as comprehensive performance assessments and best value performance indicators.

The courses are intended to fully complement the suite of vocational and non-vocational qualifications provided by the IRRV and other training providers in the practical interpretation of legislation and customer service. They are uniquely targeted at the 10,000 employees who use Northgate’s system on a regular basis. Best practice will be defined and maintained through close consultation with customers and third party training providers.

End users will gain a certificate accredited by the IRRV if they complete their course and pass a formal test. If successful, they will also receive a unique license that can be recorded against their user account. It is anticipated that the average time to complete the course will range between three to six months.

Learners will be able to work through the course at their own pace using online facilities. Each will have access to On Line Tutorials and a course database for self learning and assessment. A mentor will be on hand throughout their studies to provide help and support.

Cont.
David Magor, Chief Executive of IRRV said today: “Our accreditation scheme rewards quality training providers focused on improving performance. Northgate has passed our robust test with flying colours. We believe that investment in training creates opportunities for employees and authorities alike. Whilst employees benefit
from skills enhancement, authorities gain by improving performance in revenues and benefits and maximising their subsidy.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services, said today: “Working alongside and valuing public service employees is an essential part of improving performance. Our courses are designed to improve job satisfaction, motivation and morale, as well as to build and develop capacity and capability. They are also focused on providing better for less with Northgate clients benefiting from our preferential rates at a time when they need them most. We are delighted that the IRRV has accredited our organisation. This is an integral part of our campaign to transform public services through innovation in how and what we do in partnership with the public sector.”

[Ends]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

The Accord Group looks to a greener future through web-based HR and payroll - integrated technology supports goal to be the greenest housing association

2009-09-22T23:00:00+01:00

The Accord Group, comprising several housing associations and over 1,000 employees, has signed a seven-year contract with NorthgateArinso to implement its fully integrated web based HR and payroll solution, based on the ResourceLink-Aurora platform.

Working with NorthgateArinso will enable the Group to focus on its business objectives for growth. It will streamline and consolidate its operational practices through the use of web-based HR and payroll technologies, underlining Accord’s aims to become a more efficient and greener organisation.

NorthgateArinso’s ResourceLink will support the Group in delivering an organisational development strategy, which is focused on performance improvement and aligned to the development of managers and employees, who will drive the business forward.

Allison Taylor, head of organisational development at The Accord Group commented: “We were looking for a provider that understands the challenges Housing Associations face. NorthgateArinso recognised these challenges and highlighted how its solution and a close working partnership could assist us to meet our objectives.”

“We have bold plans in organisational development, and we needed a solution which would allow us to get the basics of HR and payroll right, whilst empowering managers and employees with better information to make proactive decisions,” Taylor continued.

Access to management information and the ability to use that to develop new policies and procedures is key to the success of The Accord Group HR and payroll project. ResourceLink will deliver a comprehensive set of reports for the HR and payroll user, and for managers, the ability to access KPIs through a web-based solution on turnover, absence, training etc.

Lakhbir Jaspal, Deputy Chief Executive of the Accord Group commented: “With social housing high on the political agenda, the Accord Group has ambitious plans for the future and our partners need to be aware that we will change as an organisation to meet these challenges. The NorthgateArinso team proved they wanted to work with us to support our business and the organisational development strategy that will underpin our overall business strategy. Our new organisational development team is playing a key role in creating the environment in which Accord and its people will grow and thrive today, tomorrow and far beyond, and ResourceLink will play a key part in this strategy.”

“NorthgateArinso has seen some great results with housing associations, based on a partnership approach, which The Accord Group highlighted as a key requirement in its evaluation process. I am confident that our partnership will go from strength to strength,” said Dave Proctor, Public Sector Director at NorthgateArinso. “The Accord Group has ambitious plans for the ResourceLink solution, providing an enhanced level of business intelligence to managers and employees to become more empowered in their roles. Furthermore through the use of web-based technologies, for example online payslips and timesheets, our solution ensures that we support The Accord Group’s goal to become the greenest housing association in the UK.”

(496 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso

www.northgatearinso.co.uk <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk>

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, solutions integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.

More information:
Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive
LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com

Standardised information key to improving service delivery

2009-09-13T23:00:00+01:00

Regional policing information must be standardised to allow accurate comparison between forces to take place, asserts Northgate Public Services today in a response to Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary’s (HMIC) consultation on Value for Money (VfM) profiles.

Commenting on the proposed content, Northgate suggests that differences in operational data may undermine the profiles, which were designed to highlight opportunities for service improvement. The company recommends that HMIC develop a rationalisation mechanism for police service information. This would allow the differing operational requirements of forces to be taken into account whilst still allowing an accurate comparison to take place.

Northgate welcomes the emphasis placed on value for money as a means of assessment. Its response stresses the importance of maintaining a balance between value for money and service improvement, with a clear focus on achieving better for less.

The company also makes suggestions as to how the use of VfM profiles can be supported and encouraged. These include:

• the provision of a sample analysis and sample business change plan;
• dedicated resources to support forces in the analysis process;
• identification of VfM profile champions; and
• sharing of success stories and lessons learnt.

These actions would be supported by the creation of a user guide to VfM profiles. Northgate recommends that these material should be provided via a range of channels including specialised portals, audio-visual material, web-training services and new media.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Public Safety for Northgate Public Services, said today: “We welcome this opportunity to respond to HMIC’s consultation on VfM profiles. The profiles come at a time when, due to the economic climate, police forces are under increased pressure to do better with less.

“VfM profiles will provide a useful tool for police forces across the country to measure their performance. This will open up opportunities for improved service delivery to be identified by them. Effective delivery of service improvements is vital to building public trust. We are committed to working in partnership with the police service to build efficient and effective services built around the needs of our diverse communities and placing the citizen at their heart.”

-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0) 20 7395 1516; +44(0) 7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0) 20 7395 1518; +44(0) 7949 421356
Notes to Editors

Councils opt for Northgate Revenues & Benefits system

2009-09-13T23:00:00+01:00

Two councils have chosen to become early adopters in switching to Northgate Public Services’ Revenues & Benefits system following the company’s acquisition of Anite Public Sector in November 2008, the company announced today.

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and Wrexham Borough Council have chosen to replace the former Anite Public Sector’s overlapping Pericles system with that of Northgate’s leading system.

Following extensive consultation with clients and employees over the future of Anite Public Sector’s overlapping product, Northgate has decided to close down Pericles over the next few years, offering clients the opportunity to gain the benefits from switching to Northgate systems.

Unlike Pericles, Northgate’s Revenues & Benefits system has been subject to substantial investment and has functional additions, and the councils are confident that their early transition will deliver improved levels of service to citizens in the most efficient and effective manner at a time of unprecedented demand. Sixty one per cent of Northgate’s clients to whom Comprehensive Performance Assessment for Benefits applies scored 4* in 2008, with the remaining thirty nine per cent scoring 3*.

Mark Horrigan, Head of Revenues and Benefits at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council said: “I am satisfied that the early adoption of Northgate’s system will improve the revenues and benefits services we provide to our customers. We have held detailed discussions with Northgate since the decision was taken to de-support Pericles, and we believe it is a company that is constantly looking for ways to improve its products, to meet our customers’ needs”

Mark Owen, Head of Finance at Wrexham County Borough Council said: “We already work with Northgate and they have an excellent track record with us. We are committed to delivering citizen-centred services at a time of increased demand. We believe that by making the switch early we will reap in the benefits of improved service. Northgate has a good track record in Revenues & Benefits and we are delighted to be extending our relationship with the company.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizens’ Services, Northgate Public Services added; “The early adoption of our system is a sign that our post- acquisition strategy is working. We have closely consulted our employees and clients over this decision which was not taken lightly. We believe that the decision to focus solely on one system in the future will bring our clients added public value over the years to come and bring citizens efficient and effective public services.”

[Ends]
For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

Four new appointments reinforce Northgate"s success in local government

2009-09-07T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of four directors as the company gears up its activities to drive transformation through innovation in local government and public services.

Michael Parry leaves Computershare to join Northgate as Director of Specialist Solutions managing Northgate’s energy, financials and elections businesses. Michael has worked with the public sector for over 20 years and has a background in project management, consultancy, sales and business development. Ten of these years were spent as a practitioner in local government working with West Lancashire District Council and Liverpool City Council.

Peter Houselander is appointed as Director of Health and Social Care. Previously Director of Anite Social Care acquired by Northgate in 2008, Peter has twenty five years of experience in developing solutions for the public sector and ten years working directly in social care. Northgate’s social care solutions are currently used by forty per cent of local authorities. Its healthcare business is rapidly expanding. It has recently won the contract for the NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE) in which every child is offered a top-to-toe physical examination shortly after birth and again at 6 to 8 weeks of age

Trevor Hampton is promoted to become Director of Enabling Technologies. Trevor joined SX3 in 2003 acquired by Northgate in 2005. He has over twenty years of work experience in the public sector focused on business innovation and product design and development. Enabling Technologies will focus primarily on innovation using mobile and information management to improve local government performance.

Matthew Salter is appointed as Director of Environmental Solutions. He has over fifteen years experience of working in the public sector. Prior to joining Northgate, Matthew was Operations Director for Caps Solutions. He has also worked for Capita, and was previously an IT consultant for North Somerset. He has a strong background in delivering new solutions and business improvement services into local government.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director, Citizen Solutions, Northgate Public Services, said today: “Local government is facing its most severe challenge in a generation. We are committed to strengthening local authority delivery so that it can provide locally based services built around people’s needs and expectations.

“These new appointments reflect the increasing demand that we have for our services. Increasingly local government is working with Northgate in innovative partnerships guided by the intelligent use of technology. By strengthening our team yet further, we will support local government in making the radical change that it must make to meet the challenges today and to build better services for tomorrow.”
[Ends]

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Kwik-Fit Fleet selects Mycompanyfleet solution

2009-09-06T23:00:00+01:00

Leading corporate fast-fit supplier, Kwik-Fit Fleet, has selected a bespoke version of Mycompanyfleet’s YourAcumen Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to help enhance driver support services to UK leasing companies through its new Service24 proposition.

Kwik-Fit Fleet provides call centre-backed driver support services to the overwhelming majority of the UK’s leading contract hire and leasing companies as defined by the FN50 league table of leading companies.

The new software solution will handle and co-ordinate driver bookings through Service24 for vehicle servicing, glass replacement, breakdown assistance and vehicle recovery for all Kwik-Fit Fleet’s leasing customers.

It will also streamline processes and provide greater reporting capabilities than the system it replaces, as well as providing mapping facilities for the entire Kwik-Fit Fleet centre network.

Kwik-Fit Fleet selected YourAcumen from leading fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet, after a review and selection process that investigated other systems on the market before the final decision was taken.

Simon Lucas, Kwik-Fit Fleet operations director, said:”We felt that the Mycompanyfleet solution was the perfect fit for us and the ideal solution to help provide enhanced driver support services to our major corporate customers.”

Mycompanyfleet provided an extensive demonstration of the capabilities of its YourAcumen system, involving a bespoke, personalised and fully operational version of the system that completely met Kwik-Fit Fleet’s exacting and demanding specification and requirements.

“By being able to demonstrate the full capabilities of our solution, we were able to convince Kwik-Fit Fleet that it was the correct one to meet their customer service requirements,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet.

“We are delighted to be providing Kwik-Fit Fleet with the means to enhance their driver support services in this way. We hope to be working with them on a number of projects in the coming months,” he added.

The YourAcumen CRM system integrates fully with the company’s FleetAcumen software system, and allows users to capture customer feedback and satisfaction at every point of customer interface.

It is the ideal solution for fleet operators that provide services to customers through delivery fleets, such as couriers, fast-fit companies, air conditioning and other service engineers, as well as those involved in multi-disciplinary activities such as facilities and maintenance management.

“We believe YourAcumen to be a unique proposition as there is no other system that allows the seamless integration between fleet user and customer in this way,” added Andrew Leech.

“YourAcumen can capture every aspect of interface with the customer to help assess customer satisfaction, productivity, vehicle utilisation and business efficiency.

“Many companies have service standards and rules they want to meet for either new or existing customers. YourAcumen automatically polices those standards to ensure that pre-set levels are being reached and not exceeded,” he said.

YourAcumen uses Mycompanyfleet’s acclaimed exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment to highlight areas of the business that require management attention. It avoids the overload of information that characterises many other current systems.

It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:
Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

A new national system to help frontline police officers deal with offenders more quickly is being developed by the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA)

2009-09-01T23:00:00+01:00

PentiP (Penalty Notice Processing) will improve the recording and processing of two types of one-off financial penalties, reducing red-tape and enabling police officers to spend more time patrolling the streets.

The two types of penalty are:

• Fixed Penalty Notices, issued for driving offences such as speeding and failure to wear a seatbelt.
• Penalty Notices for Disorder, issued for offences such as petty shoplifting and damage to property.

Both notices are currently issued on paper and processed by two separate computer systems. PentiP will computerise the issuing of the ticket and bring the two computer systems together into one. Rather than carrying books of tickets, recording offences on paper and then taking them back to the station for processing, police will be able to record information on their hand-held computers.

Moving to a central electronic processing system will deliver over £120 million in cashable benefits over 10 years to the police and courts services and improve the accuracy of information on driving offences held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).

It will enable the police and magistrates courts in England and Wales to access information on a single administration system and allow the police to make cross boundary checks and share information on a national basis. It is currently stored only at a local level.

Frontline officers will also benefit by being able to quickly check whether a penalty notice is the most appropriate method of dealing with an offender or if there is a previously issued unpaid penalty.

The NPIA has awarded the contract to design, build, deliver and manage the service to Northgate Public Services. The service is planned to go live from July 2010. This will initially be in Lancashire, Leicestershire and Kent, with nationwide rollout anticipated by the end of 2011.

Chief Constable Peter Neyroud, Chief Executive of the NPIA said:

"The NPIA looks forward to working with Northgate to deliver a more efficient national system for processing offenders.

"Quick access to information is essential to help frontline officers deal with offenders appropriately. PentiP will speed up the administration of penalty notices, cut bureaucracy and give officers more time to spend on the frontline and contribute to a more joined-up criminal justice system."

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director of Northgate Public Safety said:

"We are delighted to be awarded this contract by the NPIA to modernise the penalty notice system.

"It will be welcomed by police and magistrates courts across the country, helping them to enforce justice fairly, effectively and efficiently. We have a long track record of working in penalty notice enforcement and this contract represents the culmination of our activities in helping to increase public trust through joined up justice and fair enforcement."

PentiP is part of the Information Systems Improvement Strategy (ISIS) programme. The aim of ISIS is to transform the way police information services (including IT) are developed, procured, implemented and managed by the police service. ISIS addresses the need to bring about real change in police information systems by joining them up.

For more information:

Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Councils move to paperless offices

2009-08-16T23:00:00+01:00

Councils are increasingly moving to enterprise-wide paperless offices as they seek more efficient and cost effective ways to deliver high quality public services under the current economic conditions, and to assist in combating climate change.

Two councils in South Wales are leading the way – Carmarthenshire and Merthyr Tydfil – are working with Northgate Public Services to deliver enterprise electronic information management services across their councils. And Northgate is urging more public services to adopt corporate wide information management systems in its drive to help transform public services and build public trust.

The councils have tested different electronic document systems on a departmental basis and have decided to move further to deliver improved information management services for their citizens.

The proven outcomes include:
• freeing up staff time to increase productivity and service quality;
• enhanced information-sharing to encourage a whole person approach to public services;
• a reduction in administrative overheads, enabling employees to focus on adding to public value;
• savings in accommodation and storage costs;
• regulatory compliance.

According to expert organisations, inefficient use of paper documents amounts to
between 20 per cent and 45 per cent of an organisation’s entire labour costs, and the introduction of automated information solutions can increase productivity by 20-30 per cent, and bring about 30-50 per cent savings on desk space. Councils have experienced dramatic improvement in performance, such as halving the time it takes to process benefits claims, which has contributed to customer satisfaction levels of 98%.

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Northgate Citizen Solutions said today: “Doing nothing is simply not an option. If councils wish to save resources and improve services they must act now. Otherwise they will count the cost later, at a time when they can least afford it.

“This is not primarily a technology but a cultural issue. It requires leadership at the very top to achieve an organisation in which appropriate information flows effortlessly between the people who need it. This involves the total commitment of senior management, and must have the full engagement of employees throughout the organisation.

“South Wales is showing positive leadership in embracing the need to change now, to transform services, to build public trust and satisfaction. We are proud to be working in partnership with these councils. And over the next year we will be undertaking a concerted campaign to encourage other public sector organisations to drive home the transformation that can occur through automating information management.”

[ENDS]

For more information:
Fellows’ Associates:
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

3. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. It stores and manages two billion documents and records electronically for public sector bodies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

Invensys signs global HR deal with NorthgateArinso using euHReka to manage HR and Payroll processes for 21,000 employees in more than 50 countries

2009-08-16T23:00:00+01:00

Invensys, a global technology group supplying solutions, software, consultancy and equipment to monitor, control and automate processes in a wide range of environments, has signed a seven-year contract worth GBP £35million with NorthgateArinso. The global HR services provider will deliver HR and payroll processes to Invensys’ global workforce in more than 50 countries.

Invensys aims to deliver a more efficient service to its employees through euHReka, NorthgateArinso’s standard HR solution powered by SAP HCM, using the solution both as a BPO service for administrative HR and payroll processes, and in an OnDemand mode for Talent Management processes.

The self-service element will enable staff to manage general administration and processes themselves, reducing the HR team’s administrative duties and allowing them to focus on wider strategic initiatives. Invensys will also take advantage of euHReka to deliver HR processes, such as learning and compensation management, via self-service, without the need to install a software platform locally. In addition to deploying euHReka globally, NorthgateArinso will also use its proprietary ResourceLink solution to deliver payroll services in select geographies.

“By outsourcing all HR administration and payroll we’re able to take advantage of NorthgateArinso’s global expertise and vast experience in this area – it’s a fantastic bank of knowledge we’d never have been able to replicate in-house in an efficient, cost effective manner,” said Paula S. Larson EVP HR at Invensys. “We started to review our options to provide a better HR service to our internal clients and realised that working with NorthgateArinso would transform the way we provide the service, at a lower cost.”

“Outsourcing the HR, payroll, learning and compensation performance management functions to a single, consistent point of contact will not only free-up managers’ valuable time, but also ensure Invensys complies with the many employment regulations that exist worldwide. Ultimately, this partnership means all HR processes will be supported by a single supplier from the day an employee starts in the business to the day they leave,” said Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso.

(354 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 6,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

For further information, please contact:

Ellen Spenceley or Lisa Gillingham at LEWIS

Tel: +44 0117 315 8586
Email: northgatearinsouk@lewispr.com

/...

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com
Blog: www.lewis360.com
ImageBank: www.lewisimagebank.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lewispr_uk

The Holmes Report – Technology Agency of the Year, 2008
Computing Excellence Awards - IT PR Company of the Year winner, 2008
Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence finalists, 2008
CNET Networks - UK Technology PR Campaign of the Year winner, 2006, 2007
PRWEEK - International Consultancy of the Year finalist, 2006, 2007
PRWEEK - Not-for-profit Campaign of the Year short listed, 2007
The Holmes Report - European SABRE awards finalists, 2008
Best Companies accreditation, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009
Investors in People accreditation, 2006-2009

NorthgateArinso strengthens leadership

2009-08-12T23:00:00+01:00

~ HR specialist appoints global sales and marketing director, and regional managing director to build ANZ operations ~

NorthgateArinso, the global provider of HR systems and services, has appointed two senior executives. Jürgen Seibert will be leading the global sales and marketing teams and Jim Walker will head NorthgateArinso’s business in Australia and New Zealand.

Jürgen Seibert has over 20 years’ experience in the IT and business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. He will focus on business development, sales and marketing, by maximising growth opportunities around the globe, developing and sharing innovation and best practice, and improving sales effectiveness. Seibert joined from his previous role as VP sales of global outsourcing and infrastructure services at Unisys, where he has worked for the last four years. Prior to Unisys, Seibert worked in various sales and management functions for Hewlett-Packard.

“Jürgen’s experience in successfully leading sales organisations to greater effectiveness and winning large strategic deals will be important to achieve our vision of becoming the No.1 global HR services provider,” said Mike Ettling, CEO at NorthgateArinso. “Working within our key markets in the public and corporate sectors, Jürgen will identify new opportunities, help grow relationships with existing customers, and respond to larger bidding opportunities.”

Jim Walker will head NorthgateArinso’s business in Australia and New Zealand, a priority growth market for the company. His appointment comes during an exciting time for NorthgateArinso as it expands its commitment to the Australian market. Jim Walker has over 25 years’ experience in the finance and technology sector, having previously worked at SAP, KPMG and IBM.

“I’m joining NorthgateArinso at an important time in its growth. I relish the opportunities and challenges ahead as we continue to promote our capabilities for transforming HR services and helping companies to effectively manage talent in the ANZ region,” said Jim Walker. “Our leading position provides an ideal base from which to explore further opportunities to deliver value for our customers, and to help them meet the challenges that they face both now and in the future.”

“The appointments of Jürgen and Jim bring us tremendous strengths; particularly in the form of almost half a century of combined experience in the technology market. NorthgateArinso has the best people in place to develop new business opportunities and deliver our customers and partners superior value,” added Ettling.

(386 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS
About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas such as workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.
Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

Boxer chooses Mycompanyfleet solution to automate fleet services

2009-08-11T23:00:00+01:00

Portuguese fleet management provider Boxer has selected Mycompanyfleet’s FleetAcumen fleet software system to fully automate its service offering to fleet customers in Portugal, following a review of the leading software systems in the UK.

Boxer, an independent new start-up, was launched earlier this year by Rui Pinto and Luis Carajote, both fleet professionals with long fleet experience, to provide support and consultancy services to major fleet customers, including Portuguese leasing companies and major corporate fleets.

These services range from total outsourcing of the fleet to individual tasks such as car preparation, refurbishment and logistical support, as well as consultancy services through a separate consultancy arm.

But to fully automate and manage the services they wanted to provide, Boxer needed a state-of the art fleet software solution that was not only reliable but capable of handling the multi-faceted requirements of modern fleet management.

The directors turned to the UK in their search for the ideal system, and reviewed several on the market before selecting the FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet.

“As a new company ourselves, we wanted to work with the very latest and most recent state of the art technology partner,” said managing director Rui Pinto. “Mycompanyfleet offered everything we were looking for with FleetAcumen.

“We wanted a solution that was not only capable of being delivered over the internet, as many of our own services are web-delivered, but was very modern and capable of fully automating and managing all the complexities of modern fleet management.

“After a number of presentations and demonstration, we arrived at a final shortlist of two systems, and selected FleetAcumen as the best all round solution,” he said.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It has a multi-lingual functionality with up to 20 different foreign languages and is language intuitive, switching seamlessly to the host language when it recognises the country of origin.

FleetAcumen uses exception reporting methodology to highlight areas of the business that require management attention. It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems across national boundaries, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, said his company was looking forward to working with the new Portuguese fleet management provider.

“We recognise many of our own characteristics in Boxer – a young company, a can-do attitude, and a desire to use the latest systems and delivery mechanisms to provide first rate support services to fleet customers,” he said.

“We look forward to supporting them and helping deliver those services to Portuguese fleet customers,” he added.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

About Boxer

Boxer is a specialised provider of fleet services whose mission is to help fleet managers meet the challenges of a changing environment. Boxer is managed by people with in-depth knowledge of the Portuguese fleet market, and works with the best technological partners. Boxer provides all the services that a fleet manager needs to reduce the operational costs of his fleet.

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Rui Pinto
Managing Director
Boxer
Tel: +351 93 708 5571
Email: rui.pinto@boxergroup.pt

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Mycompanyfleet launches new chauffeur module

2009-08-09T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet solutions provider Mycompanyfleet has launched a new ‘movement module’ as the latest addition to its acclaimed FleetAcumen fleet software system, which provides executive chauffeur fleets, specialist rental and taxi firms with more effective route mapping and driver and vehicle allocation planning.

The new module is ideal for companies which need to allocate the appropriate driver and vehicle to transport executives or other personnel to the correct location in a timely and efficient manner.

It allows more efficient route scheduling and allocation of drivers, and interfaces with modern telematics systems to ensure complete capture of all relevant data from that particular journey, including vehicle speeds, route taken, length of journey and miles covered.

Integrated PDAs allow drivers to record when jobs are completed as well as allowing messaging and next-job scheduling.

The new module was initially developed for the efficient and scheduled transportation of company executives in the Middle East but has now been adapted for the home market.

“This latest addition to FleetAcumen will allow the more efficient scheduling and planning of customer journeys for chauffeur firms, or indeed for any firm where the main activity is the transportation of human cargo,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It has a multi-lingual functionality and can be used in up to 20 different foreign languages.

FleetAcumen uses exception reporting methodology to highlight areas of the business that require management attention within a dynamic and highly visual dashboard environment.

It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems across national boundaries, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Hilton selects FleetAcumen from Mycompanyfleet

2009-08-09T23:00:00+01:00

Hertfordshire-based contract hire and leasing supplier, Hilton Vehicle Leasing, has selected the FleetAcumen fleet software system from fleet solutions provider, Mycompanyfleet, to manage its corporate fleet.

Hilton Vehicle Leasing, based in Bishops Stortford, is part of the larger Hilton Group which includes manufacturer approved bodyshop operations for prestige marques including Mercedes Benz, and an accident management division.

Prior to selecting FleetAcumen, the company, which launched in November 2007 as a bolt-on to the Group’s main activities, had relied on a self written quotation system and spreadsheets, but had reached the stage where volume dictated that an automated system was required.

FleetAcumen gives it cradle to grave coverage of its contract hire fleet, handling all vehicle records, service scheduling details, contract mileages and terms, and features sophisticated workflow and KPI management, making the user aware of upcoming issues before they become an operational problem.

Managing director Morgan Devereux said:” We have seen significant growth in the last 18 months with over 400 vehicles to manage and Mycompanyfleet offered us a compelling proposition with FleetAcumen, and we particularly liked its reporting capabilities, not just for us, but for our corporate customers, too.

“We are convinced it will make a major difference to our business, including a significant reduction in the administrative burden,” he added.

Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet said: “Hilton Vehicle Leasing is a young fast growing company, and whilst still a relatively small company, we are delighted to be playing a key role in helping handle the administration of the leasing fleet.

“By automating all their fleet processes through FleetAcumen, they will be able to cut down their administrative burden and really drive efficiencies to the business.”

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It has a multi-lingual functionality and can be used in up to 20 different foreign languages.

FleetAcumen uses exception reporting methodology to highlight areas of the business that require management attention within a dynamic and highly visual dashboard environment.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

New IT Solution to Drive Quality Improvement

2009-08-06T23:00:00+01:00

The NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE) today (07/08/09) announces the appointment of Northgate Public Services to assist in the development and implementation of a national IT system. It will capture the results of the physical examinations, making it possible to monitor and maintain standards.

Every newborn baby is offered a top-to-toe physical examination shortly after birth and again at 6 to 8 weeks of age. These examinations have been carried out routinely by healthcare professionals in England for more than twenty years, but there is considerable variation in the way the examinations are documented. Paper-based systems are mostly used making it difficult for sites to audit their performance, assess referral rates and follow-up treatment outcomes. An IT system that interfaces with both maternity and GP services will facilitate simple and accurate data capture.

Programme Director, Professor Adrian Davis said: “I am delighted that Northgate Public Services is working with us to develop and implement a national IT system - the company has a strong track record in healthcare information management, providing robust solutions to other screening programmes. A national NIPE IT system will enable practitioners to drive quality and improve standards and that is good news for babies and their parents.”

The tender for the contract saw 14 companies compete for the £2.2 million contract. Alan Campbell, Head of Screening Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “Our solution will help to join up information held in the NHS. We are committed to contributing towards high quality healthcare by providing professionals with the information they need to continuously improve services.” Subject to successful evaluation the IT system will be rolled out across England by 2012, as follows:

• Phase 1: The feasibility study, where initial ideas and systems are tested, will begin in two maternity units in 2009.

• Phase 2: Following evaluation of the proof of concept phase, further development of the prototype system/s will be carried out. The final solution will be piloted in a larger number of maternity sites by 2010 as part of the strategy for service transformation.

• Phase 3: National roll out of the systems will be completed by 2012 or earlier.

Ends

For further information about the NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme press office on:
Telephone: 020 7478 7841
Email: nipepressoffice@trimediauk.com

Notes to Editors:

1. The NHS Newborn and Infant Physical Examination Programme (NIPE) offers parents of newborn babies the opportunity to have their child examined shortly after birth. The examination includes a general physical check as well as an examination of the baby’s eyes, heart, hips and testes in boys. The examination is repeated at six to eight weeks, usually by a GP.

Police expert joins Northgate Public Services

2009-07-29T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of former police officer Geoff Anderson as the lead adviser on policing excellence as the company gears up its activities to respond to the challenges facing policing at a time of unprecedented demand.

Geoff was previously with Avon and Somerset Police where he held the position of Detective Chief Superintendent, Head of Criminal Investigations Department. He was responsible for managing the response to major and serious crime for a force of 6,000 staff with a community of 1.5 million citizens.

Geoff is a highly accomplished senior manager and investigator with considerable experience spanning a wide spectrum of policing, including the delivery of innovative and strategic multi agency initiatives across the public and criminal justice arena. His involvement with numerous national groups including the National Policing Improvement Agency (NPIA) Workforce Modernisation Programme, the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Homicide Working Group and the Southwest Regional Collaboration Project gave him the opportunity to influence the direction of the law enforcement community both at a local and national level. For Northgate, Geoff will be the senior officer responsible for shaping and guiding its policing business, strengthening further the company’s innovation work with police forces throughout the UK and abroad. He will lead the development of partnership work to ensure that business process change is police-led and professionally informed.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Public Safety, Northgate Public Services,
said today: “I am delighted to welcome Geoff to Northgate at a pivotal time in the development of our public service business. The economic and social challenges facing the police service are unprecedented. The breadth and depth of Geoff’s experience will help us consolidate the relationships that we enjoy with police forces up and down the land and work with them in partnership to build citizen satisfaction and public trust through innovation.”

Geoff Anderson added: “I am thrilled to be helping Northgate at such an exciting time in the company’s development. Innovation must be informed by the day-to-day practice and operational demands of the police and measured by the levels of public satisfaction. There is a clear realisation that radical change is necessary in how the service is currently run. I believe that there is enormous opportunity to innovate within the police service and develop creative and innovative responses in trusted partnerships and look forward to working with the police in my new role.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401

Notes to Editors

Northgate unveils new appointment to strengthen healthcare drive

2009-07-27T23:00:00+01:00

Northgate Public Services today announces the appointment of Alan Campbell as Head of Screening Solutions as the company spearheads its drive further into the management of health screening programmes as an integral part of its health business growth strategy.

Alan who has over twenty years of experience within the healthcare sector previously with Hays, and latterly with Northgate, will be responsible for the delivery of current services, the development of new programmes, and for extending Northgate’s capability to innovate both at home and internationally.

His appointment builds on the success of Northgate’s management of the world class Newborn Hearing Screening Programme (NHSP). This has been running for over five years, has screened nearly three million babies, and identified over 3,000 cases of hearing impairment. Northgate’s contract has recently been extended for a further three years.

The company has also recently completed a successful proof of concept programme for Bloodspot screening, leading to the development of a pilot programme which. if successful, will lead to a national roll-out. Further successes in screening are due to be announced next month.

Ian Blackhurst, Managing Director, Public Safety, Northgate Public Services, said today: “This appointment marks a step change in the development of our healthcare business. The management and successful delivery of high quality, efficient and effective healthcare screening programmes is an integral part of our growth strategy. Alan has already contributed greatly to the success of our strategy. He will play a central role in consolidating and strengthening our work to support healthcare professionals in the future.”

Alan Campbell, Head of Screening Solutions added: “I am delighted by this appointment. I am committed to supporting the health service in its drive for high quality and equitable services for all patients. Northgate has a track record of working collaboratively with healthcare professionals to deliver quality assured systems. Over the next few years we will be using this expertise to deliver further innovations in providing healthcare professionals with the information they need to continuously improve services and health outcomes for patients.”

[Ends]

For more information

Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton
+44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401

Konstantinos Makrygiannis
+44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to Editors

Emap achieves whole new model through outsourced HR, payroll and benefits

2009-07-27T23:00:00+01:00

~ outsources all HR, payroll and benefits activity
to streamline business units ~

Emap, the B2B media group, has outsourced all HR, payroll and benefits delivery to NorthgateArinso. The move follows Emap’s acquisition by Apax and the Guardian Media Group in 2008. The contract is part of a wider strategic plan to outsource all IT, finance and HR services, enabling Emap to focus on its objectives for growth.

Emap’s Performance Director, Tracey Gray, has a vision for aligning the organisation to its core values, which encourage staff empowerment and accountability. As part of her overarching strategy, Gray has appointed heads of resourcing, employee relations, learning and development and reward. The service that NorthgateArinso is delivering to Emap complements the strategy, providing core HR services and supporting her and the directors in helping to instil employee accountability and ownership.

Key elements of the service that are aligned to the core values include self-service, which enables staff to manage their own affairs, from booking holidays to reporting sickness. Managers are then encouraged to take responsibility for following HR procedures in their own teams, using the self-service functionality and supported with an advice line, run by experts at NorthgateArinso, who can be called for guidance whenever it is required.

All of Emap’s HR process will be integrated on one platform, creating a central database that will provide integrated business information via an intuitive dashboard display. This will give Emap’s senior team the workforce information they require for accurate decision-making across the business.

After examining the offerings from other key providers, Emap found that NorthgateArinso was the only provider in the UK that could offer complete process management across HR, payroll and benefits, using an end-to-end outsourced solution. Not only did NorthgateArinso have best-of-breed solutions, but having recently been acquired by private equity group KKR, there were clear synergies between the companies. Tracey Gray explained: “Soon into our search, we realised that NorthgateArinso's values were well matched to our own. The team has a good understanding of our challenges and priorities, and is well placed to support our future growth.”

“Outsourcing the HR, flexible benefits and payroll functions to a single, consistent point of contact will not only free-up managers’ valuable time, but will ensure all HR processes are supported by a single supplier from the day the employee starts in the business to the day they leave,” concluded Gray.

(407 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.com

Our 5,000 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers worldwide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

Ellen Spenceley
Account Executive

LEWIS – Global Public Relations
St. Nicholas House
31 – 34 High Street
Bristol
BS1 2AW

Tel: +44 (0)117 315 8586
Web: www.lewispr.com, www.lewiswire.com & www.lewismediacentre.com
Blog: www.lewis360.com
ImageBank: www.lewisimagebank.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lewispr_uk

Take advantage of our introductory rates on training courses. More details at http://www.lewispr.com/main/services-P48.html
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Gateshead tenants get go ahead for customer improvements

2009-07-12T23:00:00+01:00

The Gateshead Housing Company today announces that it has extended its partnership with Northgate Public Service to help deliver customer service excellence and to meet the increasing expectation of its 21,000 tenants through modernising customer systems and service delivery.

In an agreement worth over £590,000 over five years, The Gateshead Housing Company will introduce Northgate’s citizen relationship management solution, designed to radically improve customer engagement and help deliver services on time, at the right time. The partnership aims to deliver realisable benefits for both tenants and staff including:
• increasing the amount of services delivered at the point of contact and increasing the number of queries dealt with at the first point of contact
• improving customer satisfaction levels through improved services
• enabling customer service agents to have access to the relevant information at the point of customer contact with the tenant and helping them to answer multiple queries
• empowering staff to increase the quality and range of services they offer customers
• delivering greater efficiencies across the organisation’s services.
Bill Fullen, Chief Executive of The Gateshead Housing Company, said today: “We have a commitment to continuously improving the many essential services our customers receive. By giving our employees access to the right technology, we believe we can even further improve our relationship with customers, and then use it to make our excellent services even better. We are committed to delivering the very best and we are delighted to have extended our partnership with Northgate. That partnership is based firmly on the trust an effective track record brings. We have shared values and also believe placing the needs of customers at the centre of service delivery is paramount. This investment is proof to our customers that we will carry on making improvements to ensure they continue to have the standard of services and homes they truly deserve."
Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services, said: “Today, over one in five of the population served by local authorities is benefiting from our citizenship relationship management systems. Increasingly, social landlords such as The Gateshead Housing Company understand the importance of investing to improve service delivery and customer satisfaction. This provides better services focused on the individual needs of people. It also removes bureaucracy and inefficient processes, enabling greater efficiencies to be made at a time of economic need.”

-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. The Gateshead Housing Company is the Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) of the Gateshead Metropolitan Council. It is a non-profit organisation responsible for the day-to-day management of over 21,000 properties.

2. In February 2009, the Audit Commission assessed the housing services provided by The Gateshead Housing Company as ‘excellent’ with ‘excellent prospects for improvement’ and gave the service the top 'excellent' three star rating. This was because it has a strong commitment to customer care, estates are well managed and major improvements are being made to thousands of homes to bring them up to modern standards.

3. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

4. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies.

5. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information.

'GREEN FINGERED' TEAM FROM NORTHGATE TEND TO CHILDRENS' HOSPICE GARDEN

2009-07-11T23:00:00+01:00

A team from Northgate Managed Services swapped office life for the great outdoors this week to tend to the garden at the NI Children’s Hospice at Horizon House, Newtownabbey.

The 15 volunteers from Northgate visited the Hospice over two days as part of Business in the Community’s Cares Challenge, a campaign that encourages employee volunteering in the local community. To encourage participation in community challenges Northgate offers each of its 500 employees in Northern Ireland a community link day.

Leaving the technical world of ICT behind and getting back to nature, the Northgate team were on hand for duties vital to the upkeep of any garden including weeding, path clearing and hedge clipping.

Commenting on the campaign, Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services said, "The team from Northgate were delighted to take on the Cares Challenge. It was a hands-on task and they weren’t afraid to roll their sleeves up and get their hands dirty."

"In signing up to Business in the Community’s Cares Challenges, the Northgate team are able to give something back to the local community, benefiting organisations and groups who themselves make such a difference. The Hospice challenge is the third project that we have been involved in this year and is part of the organisation’s ongoing CSR strategy. "

Stefani Butler, regional fundraiser, NI Children’s Hospice praised the team’s efforts, “On behalf of Children’s Hospice I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Northgate volunteers. They put so much effort in over the two days and really must be commended for all their hard work. The garden is a very special place at Children’s Hospice and is used not only by our children but the entire family. It gives our families the opportunity to be in a comfortable and safe environment with their life-limited child along with the help from our specialist nursing team.

Stefani continued, “The garden is paramount to Hospice ethos as it gives that ‘Home from Home’ experience and we are thrilled with what Northgate have achieved. Well done.”

Credit crunch – councils fight back to improve citizens" services

2009-07-07T23:00:00+01:00

Wycombe District Council and Northgate Public Services today announce that they have formed an innovative, incremental partnership which will improve customer services in Wycombe. The agreement will see the establishment of a Regional Shared Services Centre designed to advance and promote transformation of council processes across the South East.

From Monday 6th July 2009 Northgate took over responsibility for the management of Wycombe’s Customer Service Centre. Under Northgate’s leadership, employees will benefit from improved investment and support, as their skills and capabilities are developed to meet changing demand.

The partnership is focused on radically improving customer experience and supporting business processes within the council. It will help to increase residents’ satisfaction at a time when services are under extreme pressure and unprecedented demand. It will enable customers to benefit from service enhancements and the Council to radically improve the way it deals with enquiries with improved response times, better information processing, and customer service.

The partnership will not only deliver immediate efficiencies to the Council, in the longer term, it will proactively seek other public service and not for profit organisations as additional partners to develop the Regional Shared Services Centre. It is anticipated that this could bring in substantial revenues coupled with guaranteed cost savings over the course of the five year partnership. The success of the Regional Shared Services Centre will also help to boost jobs in the town.

This partnership builds upon a successful ICT managed services relationship between Wycombe District Council and Northgate which has already delivered productivity gains from service level consistency. The proposed centre is the first of a number of regional excellence centres planned by Northgate as one of its responses to the challenges faced by the public sector over future years. The centres are aimed at providing public bodies and community organisations with new opportunities to radically overhaul business processes, improve services, and generate cost efficiencies through economies of scale and shared resources.

Councillor Roger Colomb, Wycombe District Council’s cabinet member for procurement and customer services said today: “This partnership is first and foremost about delivering positive outcomes for our residents. Wycombe District Council is committed to providing excellent customer service. We recognise that we have to improve the way that we engage and deliver services to our residents in these difficult economic times. At the heart of what we are doing are major service improvements combined with value for money for our council taxpayers.

“We are delighted to be working with Northgate on this innovative, joint venture, and in the longer term, we are hopeful that ultimately other authorities, public services and community-based organisations in the South East will work with us to make the Regional Shared Services centre a major success.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director, Citizen Services, Northgate Public Services, said today: “These are difficult times for councils across the UK. They are faced with increased demand and extreme pressure on resources. People not only want more but better services. We are committed to transforming the way that services relate to people and their needs, and to reaching out to the most disadvantaged in our communities.

“Wycombe Council shares our values and our vision. We are delighted that it has chosen to become part of our South East Regional Service Centre. Over the next year, we aim to establish regional centres of customer excellence throughout the UK. These will help public bodies deliver better services for less and provide guaranteed cashable savings over the lifetime of a contract. So long as councils like Wycombe wake up to the challenge, they can deliver the successful services that their communities have a right to expect.”
[ENDS]

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton +44 (0)20 7395 1516; +44 (0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44 (0)20 7395 1518; +44 (0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. Wycombe District Council serves an area of approximately 125 square miles and a population of 162,000. The District is situated south west of Buckinghamshire and is linked to the M40 at 3 junctions - 3, 4 and 5, with rail links to Birmingham and London Marylebone via the Chiltern Railways line. The District has three historic town centres - urban High Wycombe, the small town of Princes Risborough and Marlow on the River Thames.
2. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.
3. Northgate’s task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology; to understand why and what change is necessary; to provide new thinking leading to improved performance; and to link company rewards with positive outcomes for the communities for whom it works. It supports transformation through sustainable performance partnerships.
4. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies.

Cobalt takes off with HR support from NorthgateArinso

2009-07-07T23:00:00+01:00

~ HR and outsourced payroll help drive London airport ground services smoothly ~

Cobalt Ground Solutions Ltd <http://www.cobaltgs.com/about_us/> , the airport ground services company, has signed a five -year deal with NorthgateArinso for outsourced payroll <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/payroll_outsourcing> and an in-house HR system <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/hr_solutions> for its 900 employees. Cobalt was created as the result of a recent merger of KLM Ground Services Ltd (KGS) and Air France Services Ltd (AFSL).

The newly formed organisation will use the latest version of NorthgateArinso’s Empower software <http://www.northgatearinso.co.uk/content/hr_solutions> for all HR processes and a fully managed outsourced payroll service.

“With an increased workforce resulting from the merger, we knew that administering a larger number of employees could be a real challenge. We needed a service that would be quick and easy to implement, and would help us stay efficient during a time of change,” said Harminder Kullar, IT manager at Cobalt. “We chose NorthgateArinso because it could meet our demanding HR requirements quickly and efficiently.”

Malcolm Aldis, managing director at NorthgateArinso, commented: “Cobalt will have an HR and payroll solution from one provider, which allows its processes to run seamlessly. Integrated services such as this work very well for organisations, improving accuracy and reducing time wasted on basic administrative tasks.”

Cobalt delivers handling services for major international and domestic airlines. It currently operates in London Heathrow <http://www.heathrowairport.com/> and London City Airport <http://www.londoncityairport.com/> .

(227 words)

NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
NorthgateArinso, the HR division of Northgate Information Solutions, was created in 2007 following the acquisition of ARINSO International, thus creating a merged entity with more than half a century of combined HR expertise.

NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software and services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortune™ 500 companies and many public sector organisations.

Our vision is simple: we want to be the trusted partner of HR decision makers for improving HR service delivery through smarter processes and more efficient technologies. We help HR executives optimize their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

NorthgateArinso’s 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, best-of-breed software solutions, outsourcing services and systems integration. NorthgateArinso has offices in 32 countries on 5 continents.

www.northgatearinso.com <http://www.northgatearinso.com>
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Mycompanyfleet launches multi-lingual and fiscal functionality for pan European fleets

2009-07-01T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet has launched a new multi-lingual and financial function for its FleetAcumen software system which should prove an ideal solution for pan European fleet operators, leasing companies and service suppliers.

The new functionality provides up to 20 different foreign languages and is language intuitive, switching seamlessly to the host language when it recognises the country of origin.

The new multi-lingual function also provides multiple financial rules for up to 20 different European countries, handling both direct and indirect taxation and other financial regulations.

The enhanced functionality should be a major benefit for pan European fleet operators and leasing companies which operate across national boundaries and work within different national financial regimes.

“This new multi-lingual functionality removes the language barrier and is truly able to operate across national boundaries.
“With its capability to operate in all European countries, and provide the financial framework to work within those countries, it should be of huge interest to pan European fleet operators, leasing companies and service suppliers,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, the automotive division of global HR software provider, NorthgateArinso.

“Most European countries have different national tax regimes with local rates for direct and indirect taxes such as VAT, but now we are providing fleet operators with the ability to cope with this diversity of financial regulations from one central system,” he added.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets, leasing companies and fleet service providers of whatever nationality. It uses exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment to highlight areas of the business that require management attention.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Invest in public trust to create public value

2009-06-30T23:00:00+01:00

NEWS RELEASE1^st July 2009 Invest in public trust to create public value Direct investment in citizen relationship management solutions will help to build trust in hard pressed local authorities, says Northgate Public Services today, as it mounts a drive to encourage greater citizen involvement and engagement in councils’ performance improvement. Over 80 local authorities and housing clients are working in public value partnerships to revolutionise service delivery through using Northgate’s citizen relationship management solutions, says the company. Northgate now serves over 11.6 million citizens in England and Wales – almost one in five of the population. The company believes that many more citizens could benefit if other hard-pressed public services and not-for-profit organisations overhauled their processes and comprehensively re-engineered their services around the sole target of improving public satisfaction and trust in public services. According to its local authority and housing clients, the positive outcomes arising from such partnerships include: · providing one-stop services for citizens, including self service for an extended number of services and online payments services; · joining up front-office and back-office systems to allow staff instant access to citizen information to improve the service they provide; · reducing the time taken to deliver services; · providing citizen-centred services with service delivery built around the needs and choice of the individual citizen and their family;· tracking the progress of customer queries more quickly and effectively; · delivering performance and other management information; · reducing the bureaucratic burden on staff; · and delivering efficiencies whilst improving services. Cont. Northgate believes that the police and social care sector could particularly benefit from engaging in such partnerships and it is mounting a campaign to persuade them of the benefits. Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services said today: “Talking about direct investment in the current economic climate is absolutely necessary. We cannot have more of the same, if the same is characterised by silo mentality, paper processes and outmoded methods of working. “Our local authority clients’ experience is that this is investment well spent, helping to build public satisfaction and create better and more efficient services when the public needs them most. “At a time when social care services are heavily focusing on the personalisation agenda, and the police service has adopted a single customer satisfaction target, we believe the public sector has much to gain from a greater emphasis on building services based on satisfaction.”

[Ends]

For more informationFellows’ AssociatesKathy Sutton +44(0)20 7395 1516;+44(0)7966 890401Konstantinos Makrygiannis +44(0)20 7395 1518; +44(07949 421356 Notes to Editors 1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology, and to share in the economic and social benefits that this brings. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities and every police force. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Its services are used by over 180 benefits payments authorities which pay out over £6.5 billion per annum in housing benefit; electoral administration systems covering 18 million people; over one hundred housing associations; and to support the national system for reporting police performance. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. 2. ‘Front Office’ is Northgate’s leading citizen-relationship management system, helping public sector bodies to improve transactions with customers, track the progress of queries, and review performance and other management information.

Mycompanyfleet offers tips for driving abroad

2009-06-27T23:00:00+01:00

With the summer holidays upon us, fleet software specialist Mycompanyfleet is offering advice to drivers taking their company vehicles abroad and also warning of the potential pitfalls.

Andrew Leech, Mycompanyfleet business manager, said: “More and more of us are taking our cars abroad and this summer, with its promise of good weather, looks likely to be no different.

“But there are some definite do’s and don’ts to driving abroad and we thought now would be a great time to remind drivers of some of them.”

Mycompanyfleet tips on safe driving abroad this summer:

1. Get the car checked, especially the filters, belts, fluid levels, wipers, tyres and oil.
Don’t wait until the last minute. It may take time to get an appointment at the garage and parts may need to be ordered. You also want some time to drive around before you go and make sure that whatever they fixed stays fixed.

2. Research the roads you’ll take.
You will especially want to know if you’ll be travelling through areas of major road construction. Ensure the navigation software/maps you are using are up-to-date. Check the roads before you go! You may also want to find out ahead of time, which routes are heavily frequented (especially, when school holidays start or end). Good sources here are the local automobile clubs.

3. Carry a warning triangle, a complete set of spare bulbs, first aid kit and safety jacket.
This should comply with most European laws. In some countries a fire extinguisher must be carried in the vehicle. Also be aware that radar detection devices may be prohibited in some countries.

4. In most European countries it is compulsory to carry a reflective jacket.
This should be worn if the driver or passenger has to exit the car onto a motorway or main road. Please note that in some countries, such as France, the jacket has to be carried in the cabin rather than the boot of a car, and to not do so can result in a fine.

5. Almost all European countries have a blood alcohol limit
The best advice, if you’re driving, is don’t drink any alcohol – at all!

6. Seat belts front and rear are obligatory everywhere
Belt up at all times, applies to the kids as well!

7. Check your plates, registration and insurance information.
Be sure to place your insurance company’s emergency contact number in your car. Make sure the green insurance card is valid (if issued).

8. Check your driving licence is up to date.
You may use your EU licence for driving in other European Community member states. The member states are: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Republic of Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Before you head off on your holiday make sure, you have in your possession:

• A spare set of keys.
• A country identifier sticker
• First aid kit, tool kit, spare bulbs, warning triangle, safety jacket and (in some countries) a fire distinguisher. Generally, a torch might be helpful in case of breakdowns at night.
• Registration document, driving licence, passport or ID card.
• Your motor insurance certificate, Green Card (if issued), and details of any breakdown and travel insurance, together with any emergency helpline numbers.

If you are using a leased or rented vehicle the registration certificate will normally be held by the company that supplied the vehicle. When travelling abroad it is important that drivers are able to produce documentation to show they are authorised to be in possession of the vehicle. The vehicle on-hire certificate (VE 103) has been developed to satisfy this requirement. The certificate, which is normally subject to a small administrative fee, is valid for 12 months from the date of issue.

The VE103 form can be obtained by contacting your supplying leasing company. The form will be completed over the phone. You will be asked to provide the following information:
• Exact dates the car will be out of the country
• Countries to be visited
• Any additional drivers.

Upon completion, the relevant documentation will be sent to you by post. To make sure you receive this in time for your trip, please allow at least two week’s notice.

Also note that not all lease cars may come with European roadside support as a standard. Please check this either directly with your leasing company. Where additional cover is required, you may be responsible for organising its provision and the associated cost.

“By following this simple advice and sticking to the rules there is no reason why driving abroad should be any trickier than here in the UK,” added Andrew Leech.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

Mycompanyfleet launches "unique" CRM module for delivery and service fleets

2009-06-23T23:00:00+01:00

Fleet software solutions specialist Mycompanyfleet has launched a new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) module primarily for delivery and service fleets to measure customer satisfaction with the service they have supplied.

The new CRM module, called YourAcumen, integrates fully with the company’s FleetAcumen software system, and allows users to capture customer feedback and satisfaction at every point of customer interface.

“We believe this is a unique proposition in the fleet software arena,” said Andrew Leech, business manager at Mycompanyfleet, “as there is no other system that allows the seamless integration between fleet user and customer in this way.

“YourAcumen allows the capture of every aspect of interface with the customer to help assess customer satisfaction, productivity, vehicle utilisation and business efficiency.
“Many companies have service standards they want to meet for either new or existing customers. YourAcumen automatically polices those standards to ensure that pre-set levels are being reached.”

The new CRM module allows users to measure every aspect of interface with the customer and, where the vehicle fleet is involved, to feed that back into the main fleet management system.

It includes mapping and help desk functions and has full connectivity through PDAs between delivery drivers and system. Digital signature capture allows delivery times to be logged to ensure they are within pre-set limits and that efficiency levels are being achieved.

It also allows the better monitoring of vehicle utilisation and job planning to ensure that maximum efficiencies are being achieved across the fleet and that downtime is reduced.

The FleetAcumen solution from Mycompanyfleet is aimed at larger, commercial fleets and fleet service providers. It uses exception reporting methodology within a highly visual dashboard environment to highlight areas of the business that require management attention.

It is designed to integrate with other applications and supplier systems, and provides an unrivalled level of analysis and reporting similar to that of its sister application, FleetHR.

Ends

Notes to Editors

About mycompanyfleet

Mycompanyfleet is NorthgateArinso's automotive software division, focused on the fleet, leasing and general automotive sector. Mycompanyfleet provides fleet managers with the systems they need to more efficiently and cost-effectively run their vehicle fleets, as well as tackling the latest issues that affect day-to-day fleet operations, such as duty of care and environmental issues.
As part of NorthgateArinso, we have customers from every conceivable marketplace, spread over 46 countries and spanning five continents. We pride ourselves on delivering cost effective solutions that become integral to your business, with technology as an enabler.
NorthgateArinso is the specialist HR division of the Northgate Information Solutions Group. The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 7,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents. For more information please email marketing@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Contact information:
Andrew Leech,
Business Manager
Mycompanyfleet
Tel: 07939 509273
Email: andrew.leech@mycompanyfleet.co.uk

Press enquiries:

Mike Gunnell
MGMedia Services
Tel: 01832 275060
Email: mike@mgmediaservices.com

service@north-herts radically improves services and delivers efficiencies

2009-06-22T23:00:00+01:00

Citizens living in the towns and rural areas served by North Hertfordshire District Council, including Baldock, Hitchin, Royston and Letchworth, have benefited from a public value partnership in which the Council has delivered major service improvements, whilst realising cashable savings of £866,000 per annum, and these are expected to increase further.

In an innovative public-private partnership with Northgate Information Solutions service@north-herts was established to help deliver the council’s change management programme, radically improve service access and to provide public value by delivering more efficient services to the citizens of North Hertfordshire.

In a major programme lasting over three years, six key improvement projects were carried out under the governance of a project board which included representation from all political parties as well as the Chief Executive. Citizen access enhancements included the introduction of a new website, a new Customer Service Centre (CSC), and an e-Payments service.

The number of services provided by the CSC is now fourteen and includes council tax, housing, planning, waste, sports and play bookings, parking, environmental health, bus pass enquiries and elections. The number of interactions with the CSC increased from October 2006 – October 2008 by 43 per cent, as citizens increasingly realise the advantage of using the Council’s CSC service.

Citizens have been able to use the web as an additional channel to access council services. Continuing website development has involved greater interaction and self-service. There are now 27 e-forms on the website, and plans to develop a further ten with built in seamless payment facilities. Website usage has nearly doubled over the year to September 2008, as has the number of e-payments made by citizens. A new e-billing option has provided citizens with the opportunity to view their Council Tax and Business Rate Bills on-line, reducing printing and postage costs to the Council.
A new corporate document management system has also been introduced. This has created additional savings through a reduction in paper and the space required to store it, and enables the council to develop more sustainable methods of working for employees, including moving forward with home and mobile working services. The Revenues and Benefits Service implemented document management in 1997 and this has now been extended firstly to the Planning & Building Control Service, followed by Housing & Environmental Health. The council plans to roll this out through all remaining services. A corporate post and scanning room has been created which addresses citizen concerns over information security. Sensitive documents can be received, scanned, and returned in the post, without leaving the secure area.

Making the most of the capabilities and capacity of Council employees was integral to the development of the strategy, as was the delivery of business improvement through a review of processes. As a result of the joint partnership, the Council’s IT department has been rated within the top third of District Councils for their customer support, technical skills and knowledge.

John Campbell, Chief Executive at North Hertfordshire District Council said today: “Today, in a world of scarce resources, councils have to make a strategic examination of their services and to use technology to enhance service delivery through improving citizen access. This was a major programme which came in under budget, delivered significant improvements to citizen services, and delivered realisable savings. It’s a success that we are rightly proud of, and it’s a sign of how partnership can be used to change the way we do things and improve the way we work for our local communities.”

Joe Bradley, Managing Director of Citizen Services at Northgate Public Services said today: “In these hard economic times, the role of local councils has never been more important. They need to deliver more in the context of growing need and constrained resources. North Hertfordshire District Council recognised that to reach out to the citizen, including the most vulnerable, there must be a root and branch review of the way that processes are organised and how technology can be used intelligently to improve services. It is this that provided them with the route map to success.”
-Ends-

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516 +44(0)7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518 +44(0)7949 421356

Notes to editors
1. North Hertfordshire District Council has a population of 116,908 and covers an area of 145 square miles. There are three historic town Baldock, Hitchin and Royston - and Letchworth, the world’s first Garden City. North Hertfordshire consists of over 30 rural parishes with their main villages and hamlets.

2. service@North-Herts was a partnership between the Council and Anite Public Sector which commenced in mid 2005. Anite Public Sector was acquired by Northgate in October 2008. The programme was run on PRINCE2 principles.

3. Northgate Public Services is an innovative provider of transformation and improvement services to the public sector. It is committed to high quality public services that place individuals and their communities at their heart. Its knowledge and understanding of people’s needs are core to its business, as too, is its depth and breadth across public services.

5. In the UK, Northgate works with ninety five per cent of local authorities, every police force, and a large number of health organisations, housing associations, utilities and transport companies. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees. Northgate provides North Hertfordshire District Council with its Revenue & Benefits solution.

PROIV signs new carbon emissions measurement partner

2009-06-18T23:00:00+01:00

NorthgateArinso's PROIV sales team has signed a new business partner, Green Oak Solutions, to develop the first carbon emissions data gathering platform in the market called Carboncheck, using the latest PROIV technology.

Automated data capture from multiple sources, including smart meters and vehicle telemetry systems, helps government divisions and private companies monitor their carbon footprints. It enables them to identify areas for improvement and then implement robust and highly efficient carbon management systems and strategies.

"We are excited about teaming up with Green Oak to assist them in developing a truly pan-corporate solution for companies struggling with the raft of new environmental and compliance legislation, said Hugh McDaniel, PROIV Business Development Manager.

"When Green Oak suggested that they worked with the PROIV team to develop the first automated carbon measurement solution available anywhere in the world, we recognised immediately that we could jointly take a leadership position in this new market."

Robert McKechnie, Green Oak's Managing Director, has a history of leading companies into new markets and building successful businesses.

Speaking of the new relationship he said, "The strategic partnership agreement with NorthgateArinso's PROIV product for the development and delivery of Carboncheck is hugely important. The combination of Green Oak's environmental expertise and innovation and NorthgateArinso's brand strength and global delivery capability provides customers with a turnkey solution to carbon management."

To discuss measuring your organisation's carbon emissions, please contact Hugh McDaniel (hugh.mcdaniel@northatearinso.com) or call +44 (0)8707 55 25 98.

Electronic documents bring Reading economic and environmental gains

2009-06-16T23:00:00+01:00

Reading Borough Council’s partnership with Northgate Public Services is delivering economic and environmental gains to the council, at a time when local authorities are under increasing pressure to deliver efficient and effective services.

Using Northgate’s electronic document management system (Northgate EDMS), Reading has slashed the time taken to source documents by two thirds, and the time taken to locate an invoice from fifteen minutes to just one minute.

Northgate EDMS enables local authorities to capture, manage, store, deliver and share documents electronically. In a project to free up space, the incremental roll-out of the system targeted paper-heavy departments, including Revenues & Benefits, Housing and the payroll and creditor teams. The space saved as a result of the reduction in storage space is the equivalent to desk space for twelve employees.

The document management system has been well received by council employees. They are benefiting from paper-less offices, the ability to provide more efficient services to Reading’s population of 140,000, and greater access to more flexible forms of working. The system reduces the need to travel into the city centre and opens up the possibility of working from home, satellite and remote offices, reducing the carbon emissions from travel.

The workload on the post room has been significantly reduced. Three hundred and twenty thousand documents per year are now being electronically scanned and imported into the system. Other improvements identified include better sharing of information between employees, greater security of data and information, an enhanced audit trail and a link up with the citizen relationship management system which gives a 360 degree view of both customer data and their related documents and correspondence.

Claire Thompson, IT project manager, Reading Borough Council said: “The project has been a great success. There were no problems during implementation and training has been very straightforward and easy. Staff find it very user-friendly.”

Russell Osborne, Managing Director of Citizen Solutions at Northgate Public Services said today: “We are delighted that our work with Reading promotes the triple benefits of electronic documents for citizen-centred services. The council gains from the effective, economic and environmental outcomes of our partnership and it is the people of Reading who are the true winners.”

For more information
Fellows’ Associates
Kathy Sutton 020 7395 1516; +44 (0) 7966 890401
Konstantinos Makrygiannis 020 7395 1518; +44 (0) 7949 421356

Notes to editors

1. Northgate Public Services is a leading provider of innovative services to the public sector and utilities markets. Its task is to enhance public value through the intelligent use of people and technology, and to share in the economic and social benefits that this brings. In the UK, Northgate works with 95% of local authorities, every police force and a half of all fire brigades and ambulance trusts. It supports public service transformation through sustainable performance partnerships. Founded in 1969, the company has nearly 8,000 employees.

2. Northgate’s EDMS is used by forty per cent of local authorities. Northgate has processed, scanned, delivered and stored more than 50 million pages using this service. Northgate EDMS stores and manages 2 billion documents electronically.

NorthgateArinso provides HR 'as you like it'

2009-06-16T23:00:00+01:00

~ unveils ResourceLink-Aurora for versatile HR solutions delivery ~

NorthgateArinso, the global HR software and solutions provider, has launched ResourceLink-Aurora, the first HR solutions platform that can be delivered
on-demand, on-premise or in combination. The versatile solution puts workforce information at the HR team’s fingertips, delivering all elements of HR and payroll from a single platform.

Unveiled at the HR Software Show 2009, ResourceLink-Aurora is highly configurable and includes the ability to add complementary information – including reference-checking tools, business intelligence data, weather reports and news feeds, both from NorthgateArinso and external sources. It gives organisations the flexibility to choose a zero-footprint, hosted or in-house solution, or to offer different delivery models to different offices.

The versatility is something the industry has been crying out for, according to UK managing director Malcolm Aldis: “The benefits of on-demand during a tough economy have been well touted in the press, but until now it’s been hard to see how this translates to the HR department,” he commented. “Zero-footprint software will be the right choice for some companies, but what people really need is choice, to find the model that suits them, with the right technology that will deliver value to the business quickly.”

The solution was developed based on regular consultation with ResourceLink's already strong customer base of over 400 organisations from both public and private sectors, including some well respected household names. NorthgateArinso not only used its internal specialists, but consultation from worldwide industry analysts to enhance the HR professional's overall experience when using a functionality rich product such as ResourceLink-Aurora.

“ResourceLink-Aurora really is HR ‘as you like it’,” Aldis continued. “It is totally configurable ERP for the HR department, and can be deployed the company needs it. And because it is based on the proven, robust technology behind ResourceLink, there is no trade off between versatility and reliability.”

Available from June 17, ResourceLink-Aurora is fully supported by NorthgateArinso’s technical strength and the HR knowledge and expertise of its people.

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NOTES TO EDITORS

About NorthgateArinso
www.northgatearinso.co.uk
NorthgateArinso is a leading global Human Resources software & services provider offering innovative HR business solutions to employers of all sizes, including Global Fortuneä 500 companies and many Public Sector organisations. We help HR executives optimise their HR service delivery through smarter process and more efficient technology, supporting key HR areas like workforce administration, payroll, benefits, recruitment, learning, and talent management.

Our 4,500 employees are dedicated to HR excellence through strategic business consulting, outsourcing services, systems integration and best-of-breed software solutions. We are one of the 5 largest HR service providers world wide and have offices in 31 countries on 5 continents.

The Northgate Group is owned by private equity company Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) and currently employs over 6,500 staff and operates in 46 countries across 5 continents.