{"id":10761,"date":"2020-07-14T10:28:07","date_gmt":"2020-07-14T09:28:07","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=10761"},"modified":"2023-04-10T10:37:49","modified_gmt":"2023-04-10T09:37:49","slug":"what-is-uk-government-cloud-first-policy-what-it-means-for-public-sector-bodies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/what-is-uk-government-cloud-first-policy-what-it-means-for-public-sector-bodies\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is the UK Government\u2019s Cloud First Policy and What Does It Mean for Public Sector Bodies?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since its launch in 2013, the UK Government’s <\/span>Cloud First policy<\/span><\/a> has been a flagship technology initiative and an important point in <\/span>the Technology Code of Practice<\/span><\/a>. The policy says that organisations should <\/span>evaluate cloud solutions first <\/b>before considering any other option. Organisations are ultimately free to use other options, but need to demonstrate that alternatives offer better levels of security, flexibility and\/or value for money than cloud solutions.<\/span><\/p>\n

The policy was re-examined in 2019 by government officials and then confirmed that it would be upheld in October 2019, showing that cloud reigns as the endorsed methodology to modernising UK public sector ICT infrastructure.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

With the advent of unique challenges like COVID-19, the public sector needs digital solutions to meet their fast-changing requirements. While the immediate focus is to limit the human, social and economic loss, operating in the new normal also indicates extra pressure on government IT in years to come. UK public servants need to use digital channels to inform and serve residents. At the same time, many functions have gone all-digital during the pandemic, increasing the demand for omni-channel communications. Change is upon us and is inevitable at this stage.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One example of a local organisation embracing this change and adopting cloud first during the pandemic is <\/span>St. Bartholomew\u2019s Church of England Primary School<\/span><\/a>, who adopted RingCentral\u2019s cloud communications suite to help keep the learning and engagement going during lockdown.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Another great example of cloud first adoption is from <\/span>Fairtrade Foundation<\/b>, who kept advocating for farms and workers in the developing world, even as the rest of the world went into lockdown. When the pandemic hit, <\/span>Fairtrade Foundation needed to roll out RingCentral overnight so that employees and volunteers could continue to carry out their life-changing work from home<\/span>. <\/span>The full Fairtrade story<\/span><\/a> is available online.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The UK Government\u2019s vision for G-Cloud<\/b><\/h2>\n

The G-Cloud framework was developed to help UK government bodies evangelise the Cloud First policy and source suitable suppliers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The hope is that the framework encourages the use of multi-tenanted services that are shared and managed by several groups. Shared resources, infrastructure, software and information can be provided to a range of end users as a utility \u2013 on a pay-by-use, per user per month basis. It will be dynamically scalable, agile and easy to move in and out of the service. G-Cloud is not a single entity; it is an ongoing and iterative programme which will enable the use of a range of cloud services, and changes in the way government procures and operates ICT. By adopting cloud, the government will be able to more easily use and share ICT services. This enables the move from high-cost customised ICT solutions to low cost, standard, interchangeable services. It means changing the culture of government to adapt to the solutions the market provides and not creating unnecessary bespoke approaches.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\t\t