The ESF proposal is for legislation which would require immediate mandatory third-party approval of e-bikes and battery packs, among other aspects.

Jonathan Harrison from the Association of Cycle Traders said:

“There is a perception that has been allowed to develop that e-bikes are dangerous and it is not only inherently untrue but also has the potential to do great damage to the sector. There is clearly an issue around e-scooter and e-bike fires that needs to be addressed and, together with our colleagues at the Bicycle Association, we are keen for this situation to be addressed as swiftly as possible.”

However, the two Associations believe that, whilst sharing Electrical Safety First’s urgent focus on public safety, the current draft bill misses the mark in some key respects.

• First, while introducing mandatory third-party testing could be part of the solution, it must run alongside much stricter enforcement of product safety on products supplied to UK consumers direct from overseas sellers, often via online marketplaces. This has been identified by the Fire and Rescue services as a key area of concern for these lithium fires. It is notable that in New York City, where third party testing has been made mandatory, these mandatory testing measures reportedly had little effect on fire incidents – because most of the problematic products were sourced online and not from local retailers. So any regulatory action to boost e-bike safety must primarily address these high-risk imports.
• Fire and rescue services have also identified the app-based food delivery sector as a key area of concern due to the widespread use of e-bikes either created via kits (often sourced from overseas via online marketplaces) or by modifying existing e-bikes, both high risk factors for fire safety. We believe any Bill aiming to meaningfully address fire risk must impose responsibility (and liability) on food delivery app operators to ensure that the equipment used by riders is safe.

Together with the BA, the ACT would be happy to work with ESF on amendments to the proposed Bill to address these aspects, and to propose more practical arrangements for the mandatory approvals.

Most responsible suppliers in the industry would have no problem at all passing this mandatory approval process, because they have evidence of extensive product safety testing already in place. But the ESF Bill proposes no transition period to build approval capacity, and as written, would decimate the UK industry by imposing a sudden months-long halt in sales while even responsible suppliers waited for approvals to be granted.

Finally, while again we welcome the public awareness around e-bike fire safety that the ESF proposal is generating, the BA notes that the Government product safety regulator, the Office for Product Safety and Standards, is also working at pace on this issue to develop official, evidence-based proposals for regulatory actions. The BA is pleased, for the responsible e- bike industry, to be contributing positively to this work which will, we hope, address the root causes of this battery fire issue with a comprehensive package of measures which are swiftly implemented.

The ESF proposal coincides with a joint BA and ACT industry initiative to boost industry and consumer awareness of the difference between e-bikes which are generally very safe, and those which may be at higher risk of fire. The two cycle industry trade bodies in the UK have issued two guidance sheets for the industry, aiming to counter the often-misleading media headlines.

• The first guidance note summarises statements from fire services and industry experts to clarify the distinction between e-bikes from the reputable industry (which are generally very safe) as opposed to e-bikes, conversion kits, batteries and chargers which may pose significant fire hazard if certain risk factors are present, for example being sourced from overseas via online marketplaces.
• The second clarifies exactly what is road legal as an e-bike – and makes clear the actual legal status of vehicles which are often incorrectly reported as e-bikes, but which are in fact unregistered motorbikes.

Download the documents at cycleassociation.uk/e-bikes

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The MyHealthNet app uses patients’ HealthNet CT numbers, to enable them to log into the app securely. Once logged in they can start booking and confirming their medication deliveries immediately.

Through the app, patients will be able to book and confirm their medication deliveries electronically; change or update delivery addresses; check their medication orders, track when medication has been dispatched; automatically add delivery dates to their calendar; and set in-app reminders to ensure they don’t miss deliveries.

MyHealthNet is a logical extension to the HealthNet Homecare Patient Portal, which was being used to allow patients to schedule upcoming medication deliveries. More than three-quarters of HealthNet Homecare patients were already interacting with the company digitally.

Clinicians and pharmacists have been using E-Sign Hub, a secure platform that is approved by the National Clinical Homecare Association (NCHA). This enabled professionals to get prescriptions signed off quickly, safely and efficiently and ready for delivery.

As well as being convenient for patients, the new app is designed to help improve medication adherence, as well as minimise the number of delivery enquiries that are directed to healthcare professionals.

MyHealthNet is DTAC-approved (Digital Technology Assessment Criteria) and available through Google Play and Apple App Store.

Kerry Hinton, CEO, HealthNet Homecare, said: “HealthNet Homecare is a digitally driven organisation, with a focus on making patients’ lives easier. Our new app combined with the online Patient Portal and Clinician Gateway aims to improve patient and healthcare professionals’ overall medication management experience.”

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US-based conversational AI specialist NLX, whose technology is being used by airlines, hotels and FMCG suppliers among others, has raised $4.6 million in Series Seed II funding despite the tough market for tech companies and startups. 

This news comes almost one year after NLX announced a $5 million raise in seed funding in January 2022, bringing the total raised to $9.6 million. Since the last raise, NLX has significantly increased its customer base with enterprise, Fortune 200, and mid-sized companies; launched The Showroom (a live, personalized, multimodal conversational experience with AWS); obtained a patent for our method of multi-channel audio synchronization for task automation; has plans to launch Dialog Studio 2.0 in early 2023; and won “Best Customer Service Platform 2022” as well as “Best Tools and Services 2022”. 

“In an age of increasing digital interactions with customers, many companies are upgrading their customer service technology, including their contact centers, to improve large-scale internal and external communication and improve customer self-service through automation,” explains Andrei Papancea, CEO and Chief Product Officer of NLX.

“NLX helps brands drive their customer conversations to be engaging, personalized self-service experiences. Its no-code platform, Conversations by NLX, empowers teams to build, manage, and analyze their conversations in one place, and with a usage-based pricing model, brands can enjoy a cost-effective way to scale their customer support needs according to demand. When implemented, NLX empowers a brand’s customers to resolve their own inquiries at their own pace – with no wait time or frustration.”

Experience NLX’s technology through The Showroom here: https://nlx.ai/introducing-the-showroom

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Members of the MAN v FAT Challenge team will be on Level 1 in the hospital’s East Atrium on Friday November 25th from 9am offering quick mini-health checks for any adult, looking at height and weight and providing a BMI check. Your BMI, or Body Mass Index, is a measure of your weight compared to your height. Your BMI can indicate you are underweight, have a healthy weight, are overweight or obese. If your BMI is outside of the healthy range, your health risks can increase significantly.

Already in Norfolk, 126 men have taken part in MAN v FAT Challenge, losing 543 pounds of excess weight between them, to date. According to Norfolk County Council as many as 65.7 per cent of adults in the region are overweight or obese,

With MAN v FAT Challenge men join a local team, weigh in remotely online, scoring points for weight loss whilst receiving support from a dedicated coach. Participants take on other teams in weekly challenges, and earn bonus points for the best entries, losing weight and improving their health, and achieving bonuses for weight loss milestones.

“This is an important chance for us to be present at the hospital and to engage with as many visitors and staff members as we can,” says MAN v FAT Challenge Programme Manager, Ben Middleton. “At a time when obesity is becoming a major issue across the UK, a quick, simple and free health check with us on your way into or out of the hospital will give you a good indication of your own current status and we can then, if you wish, direct you towards services that can lead you towards a healthier lifestyle.”

One person who has already benefited from joining the MAN v FAT Challenge is 60-year-old Ian Lodge from Caister on Sea, who joined the programme in August this year after being referred by his GP. In that short time, Ian has lost 9.8Kg or just over 10% of his starting body weight on the Challenge, dropping from 15 stone down to 13.5 stone.

“I have been wanting to lose weight for some time but couldn’t really get motivated to do it,” says Ian, “And MAN v FAT Challenge fits with my lifestyle as I am away for work through the week.”

“The challenges help you to focus more on what you’re eating and get you exercising, even if previously you did very little. The other major factor is the support you get from other members. They are all going through the same process, and you are never judged. If you do put weight on there is only ever encouragement to help you get back on track.”

“I comfortably met my initial weight goal of 13st 7lb at around week 4 of the Challenge and at this point re-introduced some carbs but made sure these were the heathiest whole grain types.  I am now hovering weight wise between 12st 12lb and 13st 4lb – if I didn’t need to weigh in for the challenge, I probably would avoid the scales.”

“There have been a couple of weeks when my weight has gone up instead of down but there is always support there to help you through these difficulties. I would urge anyone to sign up and give it a try. It may not be to everyone’s taste, and I’ll admit I had doubts at first, but you may find it’s exactly what you need to get you started on losing weight. As I said, there is no judgement, no unrealistic expectations, you set your own targets and the other members give you all the support and encouragement to reach them.”

With MAN v FAT Challenge, weekly scores are based around three core principles:

Nutrition – participants will be challenged each week to create a meal from scratch around a theme. Each team’s best dish can be put forward to earn bonus points.

Exercise – teams will be challenged each week to complete the exercise challenge that they are set. They must also complete a workout in the MAN v FAT Virtual Gym and a freestyle 30-minute exercise of their choice.

Building Healthy Habits –members receive points for filling in their scorecard. Along with exercise and nutrition challenges, we also set tasks based on building habits such as tracking food. Teams are also introduced to the concept of increasing their NEAT calorie burn and include a self-care square to create a holistic approach to lifestyle change.

To find out more about MAN v FAT Challenge, email

challenge@manvfat.com or visit www.manvfatchallenge.co.uk

Ends.

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The document was created “to help guide the design, development, and deployment of artificial intelligence (AI) and other automated systems so that they protect the rights of the American public,” according to the department. It states that the blueprint “should guide the design, use, and deployment of automated systems to protect the American public in the age of artificial intelligence.”

Andrei Papancea, CEO and Chief Product Officer at conversational AI specialist NLX, which works with companies in the airline, hospitality and online retail spaces, says that the document outlines principles and protections that are in line with many of the things NLX helps clients think through when designing and building automated conversations. 

There are five core protections mentioned within the blueprint, as follows:

·       Safe and Effective Systems: You should be protected from unsafe or ineffective systems.
·       Algorithmic Discrimination Protections: You should not face discrimination by algorithms and systems should be used and designed in an equitable way.
·       Data Privacy: You should be protected from abusive data practices via built-in protections, and you should have agency over how data about you is used.
·       Notice and Explanation: You should know that an automated system is being used and understand how and why it contributes to outcomes that impact you.
·       Alternative Options: You should be able to opt out, where appropriate, and have access to a person who can quickly consider and remedy problems you encounter.

“Customers absolutely should be protected from unsafe and ineffective systems,” says Papancea. “There’s nothing more irritating than interacting with AI that doesn’t do the job it’s supposed to do, or worse – it puts you at risk! Brands offering automation need to ensure that customers get the help they need and aren’t left waiting and unhelped.”

Key, he adds, is to always try to do what’s right for the end-user:

“That said,” he continues, “not every customer inquiry should be automated, and businesses must have alternative options where the end user can opt out and get the help they need to resolve their inquiry. This may mean that “containment” metrics take a dip, but the trade-off is increased customer satisfaction with service because the end-user is receiving the help they need.”

Papancea agrees that Notice & Explanation is also important and that, while Conversational AI can be designed to be human-like, it is not human and that this is an important distinction to make.

“Failing to inform the customer that a virtual assistant is being used can add to further mistrust of AI, creating a poor customer experience. With that said, we also agree that end-users should be aware that an automated system is being used.”

The Biden-Harris Office of Science and Technology release continues to delve into further detail about protections for workers, healthcare providers, students, and others.

“While I think the blueprint could delve a bit further into promoting the benefits AI can have, beginning with basic protections is a good place to start. We look forward to seeing what else the department publishes in the coming months,” he concludes.

Ends.

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1. Source: https://www.mckinsey.com
2. Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sap/2020/10/15/fostering-an-inclusive-culture-is-a-business-imperative-not-a-trend/?sh=7c78f9194302

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SEEN Connects, a global influencer marketing agency with offices in the UK and the USA, will be hosting its annual Career Kickstarter event on Thursday May 12th. Anyone interested in a career in the sector will be able to book free one-to-one 30-minute sessions with any member of the Connects team, from account management to editorial, production to influencer and celebrity management and even with the founder and MD, Sedge Beswick.

The global Influencer Marketing Industry is forecast to grow to approximately $16.4 Billion this year and research has shown that more than 75% of brand marketers intend to dedicate a budget to influencer marketing in 2022. SEEN Connects has worked with brands including Nike, eBay, Panasonic and Red Bull and with celebrities including Jack Whitehall, Frankie Bridge and Fred Sirieux.

“The whole reason for hosting this event is for us to try and equalise access points to agency life, which incorporates so many varied roles. It provides a unique opportunity for graduates, school and college leavers or those looking to switch careers to gain our perspective of what it takes to get a foot in the door of both agency life and the influencer marketing sector,” explains Sedge.

“And we are keen for as many people from as many different backgrounds to book a spot. There are so many different brands and consumer products active in the influencer space, the industry needs people who understand and reflect that diversity and breadth.”

In addition to learning about the sector and agency life, participants can book specific online workshops at the Career Kickstarter event on subjects ranging from how to write cover letters, CVs and build a portfolio all free of charge.

And, if proof was required that the event can deliver results, attendees can even speak with SEEN Connects’ senior account executive Chantelle Burchett, who impressed so much when attending last year’s Career Kickstarter event, the agency offered her a job.

The event will run from 9am to 6pm both UK time and US Eastern Standard Time.

Details of how to book a Teams Appointment can be found on the agency’s website at www.seenconnects.com/career-kickstarter/ or on its social channels at @seenconnects.

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The UK Community Recovery Fund (UKCRF) scheme is designed to support businesses as they recover from the global COVID-19 pandemic, by providing a range of interventions aimed at increasing digital skills and capability.

Following a bid submission by Herefordshire Council, social media tech company Maybe* were awarded UKCRF funding by the government and will be disbursing grants for social media promotion to qualifying Herefordshire businesses, to the total value of up to £250k.

Insight shows that only 23% of businesses in Herefordshire are active on social media, meanwhile 40% of consumers in England say that they are spending more than 3 hours a day on social media†.

The social media training, delivered by the team of experts at Maybe*, includes everything from where to get started with social media to advanced strategies about how to use the Facebook ads networks to deliver winning sales tactics.

Shaun Ward, Managing Director of Wardington’s Original, makers of Ludlow Gin explains: “We launched at Ludlow Festival, but started talking about everything we were doing about three months before on social media. We were drip feeding our story and getting people interested in what we were doing.

“I will never forget the moment that the gates opened at Ludlow and people ran to our store, because they had been following our story.

“On social media, it’s not just product, product, product – we like to bring people into our lives, the things that bring us joy – then you intermingle the product into that. Social media is all about being consistent and making sure when people are flicking through their feeds, that you’re in among that crowd.”

Cllr Ellie Chowns, Cabinet Member for Economy and Environment said, “We’re delighted that Herefordshire has received UKCRF funding to support digital skills training for local companies. This will enable participating Herefordshire businesses to access new markets and customers, increasing their sales opportunities and profile.

“The training delivered by Maybe* will help our local workforce develop the digital skills that are increasingly required in today’s modern economy.”

Polly Barnfield OBE, CEO of Maybe* said, “It’s a privilege for Maybe* to be able to support the local business community in Herefordshire. We are enjoying working with these local businesses to help them use social media to connect with customers and improve their ability to reach new markets.”

Businesses can access the training and grants by signing up at www.maybetech.com/herefordshire

† Based on UK Consumer research conducted by Maybe* in February 2022

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Both new partnerships will mark the governing bodies’ transition from legacy systems, to delivering digital services to athletes, coaches, officials, and clubs, using Sport:80’s flagship ‘Platform’ service.

USA Water Polo joins 20 American compatriots including USA Archery, USA Climbing, USA Track & Field and USA Weightlifting in utilising Sport:80’s innovative technology solutions. Wales Netball joins the Welsh Judo Association, Table Tennis Wales, Cricket Wales and Snowsport Wales among the company’s Welsh contingent of clients.

CEO of Sport:80, Gary Hargraves explains: “We are delighted to be working with USA Water Polo and Wales Netball. Plenty of hard work has gone into getting both new platforms configured and we are excited that Sport:80 technology is at the heart of this new era for both National Governing Bodies (NGBs).

“As our partnerships develop and more features are added to solutions, I believe both new clients will set the standard for how technology can be used to enhance the service that NGBs offer people participating in sport.”

The two new partnerships contribute to Sport:80’s year-on-year growth which has reached 25% in 2021, up from 16% in 2020, while the number of full-time staff in the business has increased from 12 to 15 across the calendar year.

Gary continues, “2021 has been one of our best years yet. I am extremely proud of our team, how high we set the bar and we are all looking forward to 2022, when Sport:80 celebrates its ten-year anniversary.”

Vicki Sutton, Head of Growth, Wales Netball explains why Sport:80 has proved to be the ideal partner for their organisation and many other governing bodies of sport:

“Sport:80 bent over backwards to get us up and running on a new membership platform after our legacy system showed signs of coming to the end of its shelf life. They guided us through a thorough onboarding process which got into the detail of our requirements, and they were able to configure and launch a new solution in record time.

This now gives our NGB a solid foundation from which we can scale and enhance our digital services. We are very much looking forward to the future working alongside Sport:80.”

Christy Sicard, Senior Director of Membership and SafeSport Compliance at USA Water Polo, explained how they chose Sport:80 to improve the organisation’s stability and functionality of its digital services:

“With the new platform we are able to centralise a diverse range of member services to improve the online experience for members. In time, we are confident that it will also help us realise efficiencies across the organization so we can invest even more resource into the development of the sport. Added to this is the fact that Sport:80’s integrations with the US Center for SafeSport and NCSI further strengthen our compliance processes.”

In March, Sport:80 launched an innovative new club management system to help governing bodies and grassroots sports clubs engage their members.

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