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The Policy Fix · July 28 · 39 min

How Andy Burnham can build a sovereign digital state, with Mallory Durran | Episode 3: Andy Burnham's first 100 days

The UK spends billions renting back access to its own data from private vendors, leaving crucial public information locked away in disconnected systems. That fragmentation holds back public service reform, stifles innovation and hampers economic growth. If new Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants to transform the UK from a passive tech tenant into a sovereign digital architect, reforming our digital infrastructure is non-negotiable. So where should he begin? In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they'll stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue, and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days. In this episode, Ravi is joined by Nesta's director of applied research methods, Mallory Durran, to explore how government can take back control of our digital public infrastructure. They unpack why adopting common digital standards across government could reduce costs, improve services and end dependence on a handful of technology suppliers; how applying the principles behind Open Banking to healthcare could accelerate medical research, improve patient care and help grow the UK's health tech sector; and why attracting and retaining world-class technical talent should be treated as a national priority for effective government. Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network. We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833. To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials: Website: nesta.org.uk Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social Facebook:facebook.com/nesta.uk Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/hl=en LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta

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The UK spends billions renting back access to its own data from private vendors, leaving crucial public information locked away in disconnected systems. That fragmentation holds back public service reform, stifles innovation and hampers economic growth.

If new Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants to transform the UK from a passive tech tenant into a sovereign digital architect, reforming our digital infrastructure is non-negotiable. So where should he begin?

In this special deep-dive from the Policy Fix, Nesta's policy podcast, Nesta CEO Ravi Gurumurthy sits down with some of the country’s leading experts on policy and government. Rather than just rehearsing the problems facing Burnham, they'll stress-test the big ideas that should shape his agenda, discuss the policy solutions he should actually pursue, and map out the steps he should take to get started in his first 100 days.

In this episode, Ravi is joined by Nesta's director of applied research methods, Mallory Durran, to explore how government can take back control of our digital public infrastructure.

They unpack why adopting common digital standards across government could reduce costs, improve services and end dependence on a handful of technology suppliers; how applying the principles behind Open Banking to healthcare could accelerate medical research, improve patient care and help grow the UK's health tech sector; and why attracting and retaining world-class technical talent should be treated as a national priority for effective government.

Liked the episode? Rate, review, subscribe - and share with your network.

We are a UK charity and our work is enabled by a financial endowment. Nesta is a registered charity in England and Wales 1144091 and Scotland SC042833.

To find out more or connect with us, check out our website and socials:

Website: nesta.org.uk

Bluesky: bsky.app/profile/nestauk.bsky.social

Facebook:facebook.com/nesta.uk

Instagram: instagram.com/nesta_uk/hl=en

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/nesta

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