November 2004
National Decontamination
Programme now available to Acute NHS Trusts
September 2004
Intuition comes out on top in Northern Ireland Civil Service Tender
Intuition Partners
with Leading UK Awarding body to Deliver Groundbreaking IT Training Scheme
July 2004
EBS launches Inside
Track - Online resource to help share financial understanding with consumers
June 2004
Intuition and WBT
announce partnership contract
April 2004
NHS & Intuition - Training Programme will help deliver National Decontamination Programme
January 2004
RAF learning takes
off with Intuition
NHS Estates National Decontamination
Training Programme - Now Available
London, November 11, 2004 - NHS Estates has launched a new training programme
for the decontamination of surgical instruments with a series of regional
road-shows throughout England. (http://decontaminationtraining.nhsestates.gov.uk/)
The National Decontamination Training Programme has been developed for NHS
staff directly involved in decontamination of instruments, and those who
require an appreciation of decontamination principles. The training programme
covers a wide range of topics relating to Decontamination including:
• Cleaning and disinfection
• Inspection, assembly & packaging
• Sterilization
• Flexible endoscope processing
The on-line training programme has been developed as a direct response to
feedback from NHS Trusts, which identified the lack of formalised training
for staff on the decontamination of surgical instruments as a key issue
in meeting standards. Approximately 13,000 staff will benefit from this
centrally funded initiative.
The training forms a key part of the overall National Decontamination Programme
which has to date included, major investment for new equipment, significant
improvements to facilities, the provision of self-assessment tools and new
and revised guidance by which hospitals can review compliance to standards.
The contract for the development of the training scheme was awarded to professional
education specialist Intuition.
The training has initially been made available to staff in Acute NHS Trusts
in England, and will soon be rolled out to staff in Primary Care Trusts.
Discussions are also being held with the NHS in Scotland, Wales and Northern
Ireland, as well as private and voluntary sector organisations in the UK
with a view to making the training available to them.
As a result of the road-shows the uptake of the programme and positive feedback
has been remarkable. Fran Gaskell, HSDU Whiston Hospital, Merseyside commented,
" I have just completed 2 tutorials from the training programme and
have found them to be excellent. I have over 35 years experience in theatres
and sterile services and know that as well as helping me to refresh and
learn more it will help my staff in HSDU to understand why we do the things
we do."
Advantages to the on-line programme include:
• Instant access, via the Internet, to consistent and accurate information
• Allows users to learn at their own pace at convenient times
• Reduces time spent away from the workplace
• Assists Trusts fulfil the risk management strategy for infection control
The programme has been developed with the support of the Institute of Sterile
Services Management, the Infection Control Nurses Association and the National
Association of Theatre Nurses (NATN).
Commenting on the programme, Melanie van Limborgh, Chairperson of the National
Association of Theatre Nurses said: "I strongly support this important
educational opportunity. This package brings essential and valuable decontamination
training directly to preoperative and other relevant healthcare professionals.
This is much needed education to ensure patients are cared for by professionals
who are proficient and fully aware of their important roles in the decontamination
of surgical instruments."
Staff who wish to use the training package can access it from any PC with
an internet connection. Training will also be supported by a full time programme
implementation manager, available to assist users at local workshops, by
e-mail or phone. All delegates from the Acute NHS Trusts that attended the
national road-shows where given details on how to register, for those that
were unable to attend and do not have access to the training please contact
the Programme Marketing Manager at decontamination@intuition.com for your
trust ID and access details.
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Intuition
Comes Out on Top in Northern Ireland Civil Service Tender
London, 30th September 2004 - Professional education specialist Intuition
announced today that it has won a two-year contract to provide desktop applications
training to nineteen Northern Ireland public sector bodies.
Intuition was selected by a specially set-up review group and won the six-figure
contract against twelve other companies that also tendered for the contract.
Under the terms of the deal Intuition will provide e-learning solutions
mapped to the following certifications:
• European Computer Driving Licence (ECDL)
• Computer Literacy and IT (CLAIT)
• Microsoft Office Specialist (MOS)
• Internet and Computing Core Competence (IC3)
Training will be delivered over the civil service intranet and via CD-ROM
for up to 35,000 employees across the public sector that include the Department
of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, the Northern Ireland Prison Service,
the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and the Department
of Agriculture and Rural Development, and will begin this month.
David Harrison, CEO of Intuition, commented: “Intuition's successful offering
includes approved e-learning materials that support all the leading end-user
certifications.
Intuition is pleased to be a part of the commitment by the Northern Ireland
Civil Service to ensure high standards of IT skills and to provide a more
flexible approach to training and certification.”
The Northern Ireland Public Sector contract is the latest in a series of
high profile wins for the award-winning professional education specialist.
Intuition was recently selected by the NHS to develop and deliver the national
training programme on decontaminating surgical instruments. The company
also won a contract to provide an e-learning solution for the Royal Air
Force in the UK.
Tom Hamilton, of the Northern Ireland Civil Service, commented: “The Intuition
tender succeeded on the strength and breadth of its product offering, in
particular the range of approved e-learning materials in support of the
four main certifications.”
- Ends -
Intuition Partners with Leading UK Awarding
body to Deliver Groundbreaking IT Training Scheme
Dublin/London, 13 September – Professional education specialist Intuition
is partnering with OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA Examinations), a leading
UK awarding body, and a UK-wide network of 15 Further Education colleges
to provide a groundbreaking IT user skills and certification initiative
to be known as IT Skills Training for the Business Community .
David Harrison, CEO of Intuition, described the initiative as a unique partnership
between the private and public sectors. “Under the agreement OCR certifies
employees' skills, Intuition provides nationwide e-learning and the Further
Education colleges deliver locally based classroom support and qualifications
to employees,” he explained.
The partnership offers businesses training with certification for Microsoft
Office Specialist (MOS), the globally recognised standard for validating
expertise with the Microsoft Office suite of business productivity programs,
and training leading to OCR CLAiT Suite qualifications.
Clare Shuttlewood, Sales Manager at OCR, commented: “The offering is designed
to boost overall employee IT skills, increasing efficiency and productivity,
while also reducing the level of support required from the helpdesk at the
employee's organisation.”
Training needs analysis for both organisations and individuals are provided
under the scheme. Employees can access e-learning materials for MOS and
the OCR CLAiT Suite 24 hours a day and tutor support is provided through
mentoring and classroom sessions. The programme also provides accreditation
of employees' skills resulting in a nationally recognised qualification.
- Ends -
For further information contact:
Seamus Coogan
Intuition
Tel: +353 1 605 4300
About OCR
OCR ( www.ocr.org.uk ) is a leading UK awarding body, providing a wide range
of qualifications to meet the needs of learners of all ages and abilities.
OCR qualifications include AS/A Levels, GCSEs, VCEs, Key Skills, Entry Level
Qualifications, NVQs and other vocational qualifications in areas such as
IT, business, languages, teaching/training and office skills.
About the OCR CLAiT Suite of IT qualifications
The groundbreaking OCR CLAiT Suite provides hands on IT skills for everyone.
It is a relevant and flexible package of three IT user qualifications, which
allows progression from basic to advanced levels.
The OCR Level 1 Certificate for IT Users (New CLAiT) enables learners to
build in confidence. Optional units include the popular BBC Webwise and
IC 3 .
The OCR Level 2 Certificate for IT Users (CLAiT Plus) allows learners to
boost their productivity. It includes optional Microsoft Office Specialist
units - allowing learners to prove software-specific skills.
The OCR Level 3 Certificate for IT Users (CLAiT Advanced) helps learners
become highly proficient. Optional Microsoft Office Specialist units are
also available at this level.
EBS Launches Inside Track - Online resource
to help share financial understanding with consumers
Inside Track launch strengthens EBS range of ‘Shared Know-How' Information
Services
EBS today, June
28, 2004, announced details of its exciting new online resource, Inside
Track, a consumer initiative aimed at making everyday financial information
easier to understand. The site was developed following a series of workshops
and consultation sessions held with members last November when members raised
their concerns about their ability to make fully informed decisions about
their personal finances. Some members felt that they did not fully understand
the products and services that were on offer to them from financial institutions
and they found financial terminology to be overly complex and at times intimidating.
Inside Track, developed in partnership with financial education specialists,
Intuition has been developed as a direct response to the concerns raised
by members and has been produced in consultation and collaboration with
them.
The online resource, accessible via the www.EBS.ie, is the latest in a series
of consumer information tools and services that EBS has developed under
the ‘Shared Know-How' umbrella. This forms part of the EBS commitment to
help its members, and the general public, make informed decisions about
their personal finance requirements. Other elements in the non product specific
series include information seminars for first time buyers and a forthcoming
series of booklets on a number of everyday financial matters.
The information on Inside Track is presented around life's key financial
decision points and circumstances and offers objective and straight forward
information on matters such as coping with credit card debt; starting your
first job and buying your first home. Inside Track offers straightforward
information for all ages and all knowledge levels and the language and layout
is designed so that it is accessible to anyone with a reading age of twelve
and above.
Inside Track is 100% objective and independent and does not provide any
information on EBS specific products or services. In line with the overall
principle of ‘Shared Know-How', the objective of the website is to share
financial know-how with everyone by increasing access to, and improving
insight into, the basic issues of money management and lifetime financial
skills. The site is rich with information and interactive services.
A common issue raised by members in the feedback sessions late last year
was the feeling of intimidation and anxiety that some experienced when dealing
with both day to day finances and financial life events such as; buying
a home, dealing with a family bereavement, sudden change of financial circumstances
or planning for retirement. EBS has developed the site content to reflect
the issues most frequently raised by members.
Speaking at the official launch of Inside Track, EBS Head of Corporate Communications,
Dave Keenan said: “Finance related decisions can be some of the most important
that a person has to make in the course of their lifetime. As increasing
numbers of members raised their concerns with us about this area we felt
that as a membership based organisation and in keeping with our commitment
to mutuality and to education it was appropriate that we should invest in
the development of a tool that could be used as a resource, not just by
our members but for all interested consumers.
“The content on the site is deliberately non EBS specific and we are not
making any efforts to persuade readers to select our products and services.
Instead, the intention is to help people become better informed so that
any future financial decisions that they make can be made with greater confidence
and certainty. This site is all about imparting good financial habits and
personal accountability, giving people the confidence and knowledge to enable
them to make independent decisions for themselves.
“As a mutual financial services provider we have a broader role to play
in society and have a responsibility to our members. Therefore, unlike plc
based organisations who must show a profit return on any investments made,
if our members benefit from Inside Track it is then justified. This is another
pure tangible benefit of EBS mutuality. We are looking forward to getting
feedback from users over the coming weeks and months so that this tool can
evolve and remain relevant to the day to day demands that are placed on
them,” Mr. Keenan concluded.
Inside Track examines a range of financial areas including the basics of
how money works; financial information every consumer should know; assessing
finances in the short term and planning for the future. Based on feedback
that has been received to date from members EBS is already planning to add
content to some existing content and is adding new topics such as the financial
considerations when having a baby.
Other notable features include a glossary which explains over 120 financial
terms and a feedback mechanism which allows users to have their say and
to suggest future topics that should be covered by the site.
Inside Track does not sell, advertise or promote any specific financial
products or services but is simply meant to educate and inform consumers
on a wide array of financial matters important in their lives. It was produced
in association with Intuition, the award winning financial education specialists.
Established in 1985, Intuition is the market leader in financial services
education and was chosen by EBS as its partner for the development of this
tool due to its vast experience in this field.
- Ends -
For Further Information
(media only) on Inside Track:
Q4 Public Relations 01-4751444
Angie Kinane / Jillian Heffernan 087 8126249 / 087 9016880
Software, Consulting And content
firms form The Compliance Consortium
Compliance Consortium to promote enterprise governance, risk and compliance
management
Dublin, June 15,
2004 – Intuition, the professional education specialist, has joined with
several leading international software, content and services firms to form
the Compliance Consortium www.thecomplianceconsortium.org.
The consortium will promote effective and efficient enterprise governance,
risk and compliance management. In addition to Intuition, founding members
include: Approva, Axentis, Hyland Software, Hyperion Solutions Corp, Jefferson
Wells International, Navigant Consulting, The Network, PLI-Corpedia, and
Staffware.
By providing definitions of key components of a governance, risk and compliance
(GRC) framework, standards for integration and thought leadership, the consortium
will provide much needed clarity to a market currently hit with a broad
array of conflicting information.
The consortium believes that establishing better GRC management practices
has become imperative in response to dramatic growth in new regulations
and market expectations such as Sarbanes-Oxley, the USA Patriot Act, Basel
II and others.
“The formation of the Compliance Consortium is a significant milestone in
the maturation of the compliance management marketplace,” said Lane Leskela,
financial services industry vice president and research director of Gartner
Research. “The founding members represent a healthy cross section of the
components required for a comprehensive compliance management portfolio.”
“While there has been considerable investment in developing best practices
for ongoing compliance management, the application of technology and the
automation of compliance management best practices has lagged behind,” said
Richard Steinberg, founder and Principal of Steinberg Governance Advisors,
Inc. and a principal author of the Committee of Sponsoring Organizations
of the Treadway Commission (COSO) Internal Control – Integrated Framework.
“The Compliance Consortium is a significant market event that promises to
correct this imbalance.”
About the founding members of the Compliance Consortium
Technology, content and services companies participating in the consortium
work to identify best practices for applying technology to compliance business
processes and to exploiting those best practices to improve overall business
performance. The Compliance Consortium's founding members are:
Approva www.approva.net
Axentis www.axentis.com
Hyland Software, Inc. www.onbase.com
Hyperion www.hyperion.com
Intuition www.intuition.com
Jefferson Wells International www.jeffersonwells.com
Navigant Consulting www.navigantconsulting.com
The Network www.tnwinc.com
PLI-Corpedia www.pli-corpedia.com
Staffware www.staffware.com
About the Compliance Consortium
The Compliance Consortium is an international membership organisation designed
to promote effective and efficient enterprise governance, risk and compliance
management. Technology, content and services companies participating in
the consortium work to identify best practices for applying technology to
compliance business processes and to exploiting those best practices to
improve overall business performance .
Areas of interest
The Compliance Consortium will work to
• publish governance, risk and compliance (GRC) best practices and reference
architectures
• influence and contribute to GRC-related industry and computing standards
• establish conferences and other professional events focused on GRC-centric
topics
The consortium will work independently as well as in collaboration with
established independent organisations as appropriate .
The Advisory Council
Initially, each founding member shall nominate a representative to serve
on the advisory council. The council shall work to establish
• A consortium charter specifying both the consortium's mission and its
scope
• Initial activities including deliverables, resource allocation and funding
• Organisational structure including confirmation of dedicated staff, new
membership recruitment
activities and governance.
Ted Frank, Axentis CEO will serve as the provisional Advisory Council Chair.
- Ends -
Intuition
and WBT Systems Announce Partnership Contract
Dublin, Ireland - May 12th, 2004 - WBT Systems, a global leader in enterprise
e-learning solutions, today announces a major partnership contract with
Intuition, the leading provider of e-learning programmes and products to
the corporate sector. Under the terms of the contract, Intuition will use
WBT's solutions to power its new application service provider offering,
enabling it to offer a more comprehensive end-to-end solution to customers.
The deal brings together two world leading e-learning companies with complementary
offerings; WBT's enterprise learning management and content delivery platform
and Intuition's extensive content library and custom development skills.
Both companies are leading providers to the financial services sector. The
sector is seeking to leverage e-learning as banks and insurance companies
try to cope with the on-going requirements of employee certification and
training arising from increased regulation.
Intuition develops bespoke and off-the-shelf e-learning content for major
financial institutions. With customers all over the world, it wanted a reliable,
scalable, robust infrastructure which it could offer to its customers along
with the Intuition programmes and content. WBT's focus as a total solutions
provider for the sector has resulted in a number of significant wins for
its enterprise solution including Credit Suisse, Alexander Forbes in South
Africa, and more recently Barclays subsidiary, FirstPlus, in the UK.
In addition, WBT Systems is the only vendor to develop a suite of solutions
specifically to meet the needs of regulated industries. The result is a
suite of compliance products and services designed to lower costs, reduce
risk and ensure compliance within industries such as Financial Services,
Manufacturing and Life Sciences. Recently, WBT has been recognised as a
leader in both the Gartner Group's e-Learning Suite and LMS Magic Quadrant
Reports for 2004.
"After an extensive evaluation of the solutions available, we were
convinced that WBT's solutions most closely met our requirements in terms
of scalability and flexibility. Also, our complementary strengths in the
financial sectors were a significant factor. Intuition can now offer a complete
learning presence for our customers with rapid delivery of a proven solution",
commented David Harrison, CEO, Intuition.
According to Declan Kelly, CEO WBT Systems, "We are delighted to be
partnering with a world class content provider such as Intuition. Our solutions
will now be leveraged by a high proportion of the leading global financial
services institutions. This agreement consolidates our leadership position
in the financial services market and is a further endorsement of our investments
in extending our products and services to meet the needs of regulated industries".
- Ends -
About Intuition
Intuition was founded in 1985, one of the first large-scale CBT providers,
supplying advanced professional-level computer-based training. It has grown
to become the market leader in a number of key segments including financial
services and healthcare education. All of Intuition's e-learning courses
are provided over the web, via the Internet or corporate Intranets. Today
it has four key activities; courseware, learning services, e-learning software
and custom development.
Intuition has won numerous industry awards and accolades including EMMA,
USDLA and Newsweek awards. It is certified for the ISO 9001:2000 standard.
Intuition, along with the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and Harvard
Medical School's HMI, is also a partner in the IntuMed (www.intumed.com)
joint venture, formed in 2001 to deliver state-of-the-art surgical and medical
training online. Intuition is headquartered in Dublin and London, with offices
in New York, Hong Kong, Frankfurt, Zurich and Singapore.
About WBT Systems
WBT Systems is one of the leading providers of intelligent learning solutions
across the globe. Its solutions help organisations to address the business
issues that are imperative to success in an increasingly competitive world.
Best of breed solutions include mitigating risk and reducing costs by implementing
advanced, robust compliance tracking solutions and driving top-line performance
through enabling sales and customer services channels. WBT's implementation
experience spans a variety of industries, including financial services,
healthcare, government, and pharmaceuticals in blue-chip companies such
as AHIMA, Alexander Forbes, Allergan, Basler Insurance, Belgacom, Credit
Suisse, Danish Confederation of Trade Unions, Diageo, Dow Chemical, Eurocontrol,
Liberty Group, University of Chicago Hospitals, U.S. Department of Defense
and Volvo CE. WBT Systems is recognised as a leader in both the e-Learning
Suite and LMS Magic Quadrant Reports by the Gartner Group.
Established in 1995, WBT Systems is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with
offices in the US, Canada, UK, Germany and the Netherlands. For more information,
see www.wbtsystems.com
Training programme will help deliver
National Decontamination Programme
Dublin - April 8 - NHS Estates is developing a National Training Programme
which will be available for staff involved in the vital work of decontaminating
surgical instruments.
Training forms a key part of the overall National Decontamination Programme
which has to date included, major investment for new equipment, significant
improvements to facilities, the provision of self-assessment tools and new
and revised guidance by which hospitals review compliance to standards.
The contract for the development of the training scheme was awarded to professional
education specialist "Intuition Publishing Ltd", who will develop
and deliver the training across England.
NHS Estates Chief Executive Peter Wearmouth said: "I am delighted at
the progress being made. Effective decontamination of surgical instruments
is fundamental to providing a safe, modern NHS. NHS Estates has responded
to feedback from Trusts, who have identified the lack of formalised training
for staff on the decontamination of surgical instruments as a key issue
in meeting standards. The programme will be available to all staff, irrespective
of discipline, who are involved with decontamination."
Darryn Kerr, Head of Engineering at NHS Estates said: "We have worked
in partnership with key stakeholders, and as a result we have significantly
improved practices in hospitals and raised staff awareness of the importance
of high standards in the decontamination of surgical instruments. The provision
of high quality accessible training is a key step in continuing the momentum
and we are delighted to be working with Intuition on the development of
this exciting new product".
The programme is being developed with the support of the Institute of Sterile
Services Management, the Infection Control Nurses Association and the National
Association of Theatre Nurses (NATN).
Melanie Van Limborgh, Chairman of the NATN said: "The National Association
of Theatre Nurses fully supports the NHS Estates National Decontamination
Programme. I believe that it will be a valuable opportunity for all peri-operative
professionals, and other healthcare staff, to have open access to current,
informative and accurate training material. Furthermore, I consider that
the training provides support to organisations in pursuit of good clinical
governance and supports the risk management agenda".
The programme is being developed for two specific staff groups, those who
work directly on the decontamination of surgical instruments and those who
require an appreciation of the principles of Decontamination but who are
not necessarily 'hands on' technicians. Approximately 13,000 staff will
benefit from this centrally funded initiative.
The training programme will commence in the third quarter of 2004 and will
cover a wide range of topics underpinning the process of decontamination,
including:
• cleaning and disinfection principles
• inspection, assembly & packaging of medical devices
• sterilisation
• flexible endoscope processing
Under the programme, each group of trainees will have access to online training,
all of which can be accessed from their normal place of work. However, it
will be more than an e-Learning project. NHS Estates is taking a comprehensive
approach, with national roadshows, workshops, programme marketing, learner
support and e-coaching.
David Harrison, Intuition Chief Executive, said the deployment of an e-learning-based
solution meant that the programme could be rolled out to a large, national
audience quickly and cost effectively.
"This programme is particularly suited to e-learning which provides
a consistent and accurate method of delivery. It also reduces time spent
away from the place of work and the travel costs associated with traditional
training programmes."
Intuition Publishing Ltd is deploying its proprietary learning methodology
OCCE (Orientate, Communicate, Connect, Evaluate) to the National Decontamination
Training Programme ensuring best practice instructional design. Since its
release, OCCE-based e-learning courses have won the EMMA award for business
e-learning and the US Distance Learning Award. Since its foundation in 1985,Intuition
has won numerous industry awards and accolades including EMMA, USDLA and
Newsweek awards. It is certified for the ISO 9001:2000 standard. The company
is headquartered in Dublin and London and has offices in New York, Hong
Kong, Frankfurt, Zurich and Singapore.
- Ends -
RAF learning takes off with Intuition
London, January 28, 2004 - Professional education specialist Intuition has
embarked on an innovative e-learning programme with the Royal Air Force
Police (RAFP) following a strategic review of the force's roles and responsibilities.
The strategic review redefined the role of the RAFP, enabling them to take
on a wider range of duties and responsibilities. Under this new training
programme, selected RAFP personnel will receive desk-based simulation training
that will result in them learning a broader set of skills leading to increased
productivity.
The contract was awarded to Intuition under the auspices of the Defence
Training Review, announced by Secretary of State for Defence Geoff Hoon
in 2001. With an annual training budget of £4.2 billion, the Ministry of
Defence (MOD) is the largest single training organisation in the UK.
Squadron Leader Keith Watt, who is in charge of the development of the programme,
said that the highest levels of training are required within the MOD in
order to maintain operational efficiencies. He added: “Analysis of the requirements
for a new basic training course showed that it would be ideally suited for
delivery by e-learning, as the rapid development and delivery of the training
is a major business driver and benefit.”
The Defence Training Review recommends a more streamlined, integrated and
flexible approach to training, ensuring value for money and supporting new
priorities such as joint and multinational operations.
The MOD has targeted savings of £1.2 billion over 25 years, much of which
is expected to accrue through the deployment of new technologies. MOD employees
have also been encouraged to deliver core training more effectively through
e-learning.
The RAFP is responsible for dealing with a range of policing and personnel
security issues, both at home stations and on deployed operations. Dublin
and London-based Intuition began work on the project after a comprehensive
tendering process.
Under the programme, trainees have access to over 10 hours of simulation-based
training, all of which is accessed from their normal place of work. Personnel
undertaking the course will initially be examined to check understanding
and will then undertake a final exam to check that they have assimilated
their new core responsibilities.
Paul Healy, Head of Public Sector Clients at Intuition, said the deployment
of e-learning techniques would result in increased efficiencies and cost
savings for the RAF. “Studies have shown that technology-based instruction
significantly reduces costs by 30-60%. It also reduces the time to achieve
instructional objectives by 30%,” he said.
- Ends -
