The PSBA Network Wins 'e-Government Excellence: Shared Services' Award

CARDIFF, February 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

- Celebrates Effective Services and Efficiency Gains in Public Sector

Ministers have welcomed the award to Wales' PSBA (http://www.psba.org.uk/ ) network, the UK's first public multi-sector network, of the 'e-Government Excellence: Shared Services' at the e-Government National Awards 2010 (http://www.e-governmentawards.co.uk/), for its work delivering effective services and efficiency gains in the public sector.

Ieuan Wyn Jones AM, Deputy First Minister of Wales and Minister for the Economy and Transport, commented: "The Public Sector Broadband Aggregation is creating a nationwide communications service and we welcome any efforts to help deliver our ambitions for a world leading digital economy for Wales.

"Digital technology of this kind provides a platform for innovation - a catalyst for cooperation that helps the process of economic renewal and our recovery from recession. I congratulate all involved in this major achievement, including our strategic delivery partner, Logicalis."

Minister for Business and Budget Jane Hutt said: "The PSBA now delivers secure broadband communications to more than two thousand locations across Wales. That means it covers the major offices of every one of our 22 local authorities, every doctor's surgery and hospital, and every university and college.

"We are proud that this is the UK's first public multi-sector shared services network - showing how we are using devolution to pioneer new ways of delivering joined up services and getting the very best value for people's money, an aim that is even more important at this time of Treasury-enforced cuts."

Presenting the Awards personally on the night, Minister for the Cabinet Office, Francis Maude said:

"Tonight's winners show why this country is at the very forefront of e-government delivery and as we push forward with our important modernising public services programme, digital technology will continue to play a crucial role in driving better services, while lowering costs.

"I would like to congratulate everyone who has taken part for their hard work, skill and imagination. Tonight clearly demonstrates enormous progress and it's this kind of progress we are committed to maintaining so we can continue to develop the services that this country needs and deserves."

The PSBA network is a Welsh Assembly Government led project which is creating a national information and communications platform. A single high speed connectivity network, PSBA supports the delivery of a wide range of voice, video and data services, so enabling increased efficiency and collaboration within and across the public sector.

The Awards ceremony, attended by ministers, top-civil servants and technology experts from the public and private sectors, took place on Wednesday 26th January at the London Guildhall.

Notes to Editors:

The Judging Panel

    
    - John Suffolk, Government CIO - Cabinet Office

    - Keith Bannister, Partner IT Advisory (Public Sector), KPMG

    - Steve Palmer, CIO at London Borough of Hillingdon

    - Jos Creese, Head of IT at Hampshire County Council and Socitm President

    - Chris Histed, founder, PublicTechnology.net & the e-Government National
      Awards

    - Ben Heald, Chief Executive, Sift Media

    - Ian Cunningham, Head of Public Sector Sales, Vodafone

About The PSBA Network

The PSBA (http://www.psba.org.uk/) network (Public Sector Broadband Aggregation) is a Welsh Assembly Government led collaborative national communications service that, in conjunction with other major Welsh public sector organisations, has created a national information & communications platform to enable greater efficiency and collaborative potential, helping to support the delivery of improved services for the people of Wales.

Conceived and delivered as a collaborative project with key stakeholders in Local Government, Health and Education, the network is now used by Unitary Authorities, Hospitals, General Practitioners, Universities, Further Education Colleges, Emergency Services, and a growing number of organisations funded by the public sector.

Connecting users since early 2008, the PSBA network delivers a wide range of communications services, supports voice, video and data traffic, and is currently delivering secure, fast and reliable communications to over 2000 (March 2010) public sector sites across Wales.

This unique and innovative public sector communications service, one of the first totally integrated Public Sector Networks (PSN) was conceived, designed, and built in Wales to meet the specific needs of the Welsh public sector.

About The e-Government National Awards

The e-Government National Awards are run by Sift Media. Sift Media (http://www.siftmedia.co.uk/) is a leading business-to-business publisher specialising in online professional communities and face-to-face business events.

With a range of services including websites, email publications, industry awards and exhibitions, Sift Media delivers original, branded content to over half a million professionals every month, across finance, accounting, HR and training, IT, marketing, customer management and knowledge management.