Council's AI-powered call handling system 'continues to learn'
Keeping you up-to-date with news and analysis across the public technology and innovation sector.
This week, we bring you news of a Scottish local authority at the forefront of AI technology adoption. Renfrewshire council's 'Millie' digital assistant 'continues to learn' as it works to improve call handling and customer service operations.
Read our coverage in full below, as well as the rest of our tech stories from the week. Don't forget to get in touch with your stories at [email protected] or send a tweet or DM to @futurescot_news, and please share with your colleagues.
AI
Council's AI-powered call handling system 'continues to learn'
A Scottish local authority implemented over 150 changes in a week to a new AI-powered call handling system as a council officer said: ‘It continues to learn.’?
Renfrewshire council is working with its IT supplier to provide a better service to customers for its new digital assistant ‘Millie’, which was introduced in November last year as a 24/7 digital assistant and support for telephony-based staff. MORE?
CYBER
Operating theatre platform adopted
A Scottish health board has become the fourth to adopt a data-driven technology platform designed to optimise the efficiencies of operating theatres.
NHS Lanarkshire has joined the growing list of customers using the Infix Support software, which is aimed at reducing hospital waiting times and speeding up the patient pathway nationwide.?MORE?
AI
Digital 'trove' to open Scotland's past
Three million records spanning 5,000 years of Scottish history have been made available online in a new national records, collections and archives platform.
The ‘Trove.scot’ platform allows people to search among archives. MORE?
CYBER: CONFERENCE SPECIAL
Hear the inside story of the fight against cybercrime
The global “Five Eyes” security alliance will top the bill at Futurescot’s Cyber Security 2025 conference in February. Members of the Anglosphere intelligence alliance will share the latest on evolving cyber threats – and how to prepare against them. Comprising the UK, US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, the group will discuss how to combat the rise of ransomware and cyberattacks targeting the West.?MORE?
CYBER
Patient monitor vulnerabilities threaten healthcare security
On January 30, 2025, CISA and the FDA issued a notice about critical vulnerabilities with Contec CMS8000 patient monitors, including an embedded backdoor and potential data exposure of private patient information. Healthcare organisations are advised to disconnect monitors where possible to prevent further exposure to their technology environments and sensitive data [Partner Content].?MORE?
?HEALTH
Boosting healthcare efficiency and security?
As the demands on healthcare facilities continue to rise, ensuring that critical equipment and devices are readily available is paramount. LapSafe? is proud to provide its range of Smart Lockers, offering healthcare organisations an advanced solution for improving efficiency, security, and overall service quality. With these innovative systems, healthcare professionals can streamline operations, reduce device management burdens, and elevate patient care. [Partner Content]?MORE?
CYBER
Proactive cybersecurity: staying ahead of evolving threats
As businesses find ways to defend against specific attacks, adversaries craft new assault techniques that are harder to detect and stop. This cycle repeats over and over in a constant struggle to see which side can pull ahead, and unfortunately, the cybercriminals are winning. Today, organisations must switch to using proactive cybersecurity policies instead of relying on reactive measures. [Partner Content]?MORE?
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?HEALTH
T-Pro will be at Futurescot health and social care conference
T-Pro is delighted to announce our participation in Health & Social Care Transformation 2025, taking place on 11th March 2025 in Glasgow. This highly anticipated event brings together healthcare leaders and innovators from across Scotland and beyond, showcasing transformative technologies and initiatives that are shaping the future of healthcare.
As a global leader in AI-driven solutions, T-Pro is excited to exhibit our advanced speech recognition and digital dictation technologies.?[Partner Content]?MORE?
GREENTECH
Government heat pump scheme blighted by 'bureaucracy'
A Scottish Government heat pump scheme is being blighted by ‘bureaucratic’ form-filling and low levels of uptake, according to new figures released today.
Ministers have come under pressure following the publication of new data showing that there are just 14 grants being awarded per day to households under the Home Energy Scotland grant and loan scheme.?MORE?
Cybersecurity in 2024: Global trends and their Impact on Scotland’s public sector?
As we move through 2024, the landscape of cybersecurity has become increasingly challenging. Cybercriminal networks are more resilient than ever, and attack surfaces are growing more complex. Scotland’s public sector has been directly impacted by these evolving threats, facing sophisticated cyber-attacks that are becoming harder to defend against.?MORE?
CAMPAIGN
Optimising Microsoft licensing together
A new Futurescot campaign, in partnership with Brightsolid, is set to bring to light the often-overlooked complexities of Microsoft licensing and the significant financial opportunities hidden within proper management and optimisation. This initiative seeks to raise awareness among public sector and corporate leaders in Scotland about the potential cost savings and operational benefits they can achieve by understanding and addressing their Microsoft licensing structures.
?BRIEFINGS
Technology drive for world's oldest remaining building society
The oldest remaining building society in the world – headquartered in Edinburgh – is to undergo a technology-led transformation to modernise its member communications.
Scottish Building Society is partnering with digital specialists Legado – also based in the city – to go paper-free and enhance its commitment to net zero.?MORE?
Scottish Government advances social care transformation
The Scottish Government is making significant strides in transforming the delivery of social care, social work, and community health services. This initiative is part of a broader commitment to enhance the experience of everyone who accesses these vital services. MORE?
?Good practice in artificial intelligence in healthcare: the rights and wrongs – event report
The ALLIANCE and Scottish AI Alliance produce a DigiFest24 report with actions and recommendations across the digital health and care sector. This year, the ALLIANCE DigiFest event (October, Radisson Blu Hotel Glasgow) included a panel session with Digital Citizen Panel (DCP) member Peter McDade, the ALLIANCE Chief Officer for Development, Sara Redmond and Scottish AI Alliance (SAIA) Projects and Programmes Manager, Dawn McAra-Hunter.?MORE?
PUBLIC SECTOR IT CONTRACTS
Scottish Government scopes out 'cyber observatory' service for public sector?
The Scottish Government’s (SG) Digital Directorate expects there to be an ongoing need to design and develop a Cyber Observatory to ensure that the Scottish public sector is as secure and cyber resilient as it can be.?MORE?
North Lanarkshire Council awards corporate web filtering service?
North Lanarkshire Council has awarded a ￡498,000 contract to Marlow-based Softcat for a corporate web filtering service.?MORE?
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Assume the council AI service been added to the Scottish AI register