Legacy IT in the UK public sector

 

Remediating the risks from legacy IT in the public sector to enhance quality, cost effectiveness and cyber-resilience

 

The new Labour government has won office on the back of a manifesto for change. Now the public sector needs to deliver that change. However, there are few clear plans to replace the ageing legacy systems that are crucial for the operation of the public sector, despite some of these systems dating back to the 1970s.

 

Legacy IT in the public sector means that data held in silos can be hard to access. Systems are expensive to run. Maintaining them is difficult, with a need for newly trained technologists to learn obsolete computer languages. Processes that citizens rely on often deliver poor-quality outputs. Cyber-security is a constant worry.

 

And as well as these day-to-day issues, failing to deal with legacy IT comes with an opportunity cost. The ambition to build new and enhanced services using AI, big data analytics and cloud computing will not be met unless the risks from legacy IT are addressed. Change won’t be possible, and the goal of delivering world-class public service for UK citizens will remain a dream.

 

Dealing with legacy IT is complex. It requires leaders to have vision and senior managers to buy into that vision. It needs considerable investment at a time when money is short. People with the right technical skills, often in short supply, must be recruited. And the replacement of one IT system with a new one carries many operational risks. New thinking is needed, and this must be embedded across central government.

 

Join us to network with your peers and gain practical insights into strategies for managing legacy IT in central government and for facilitating real change. This is an exclusive event and seat numbers are very limited, so apply for your place now.

 

The topics we will explore

 

During the meeting we will focus on questions such as:

 

• How is the public sector held back by legacy IT and what is it prevented from doing? What are the opportunities that could be grasped with more advanced IT infrastructure?
• Why is legacy IT not solely an IT problem? How can senior management across central government organisations be empowered to engage with this issue?
• What strategies and tactics can be used to tackle the issue of legacy IT? What technology investments are needed?
  
  
• How can new technology be deployed rapidly, effectively and without unnecessary risk to existing services?
  
  
• What does the future hold for public sector IT? How will emerging social trends, new forms of computing and other technology advancements change what is possible? How can central government engage with this constant change?

 

Who is invited?

 

This dinner is designed for senior decision-makers across UK central government who wish to discuss legacy IT in UK central government departments and associated agencies. Delegates will be employed as senior technology and strategy decision makers (for example, CEOs, COOs, directors of IT, directors of transformation, heads of innovation).

Be one of 12 senior digital technology professionals attending the event at the House of Lords in central London. For any enquiries, please contact Mergim on 020 8349 6458 or email m.begolli@business-reporter.co.uk.

 

The dinner discussion is brought to you by AWS and is only for senior executives as described above. Registrations of junior professionals, consultants, solution providers or other sellers to this market won’t be accepted. To be eligible you must be employed by a corporate legal entity such as a private company. If you are a sole trader or in a partnership other than a legally incorporated one, we will be unable to offer you a place.

 

This event is free of charge to attend.

 

When you register, we will ask you for your corporate email address which we will share only with the event sponsor(s). See our privacy policy.