As of today, I've quit. I started working full time before going to university. I worked part-time during my studies. Graduated into a crappy job. Got a place on a prestigious grad scheme. Worked my way up through the public and private sector. Start-ups and Ministries of State. Constantly working. Not any more! Yesterday was my last day in the office. Laptop and lanyard handed back. Out-Of-Office on permanently. Today is my first full day of being… what? Free? Unemployed? On extended s…
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I mentioned in my previous weeknotes that a change was coming. I've left the Civil Service. I've started my new consultancy. And now... I've got a new job! A previous regeneration saw me catapulted into the world of health tech at NHSX. Then another saw me go to data. Then over to cyber. And now… Just like an unexpected David Tennant coming back for a few episodes, I'm coming back to health again! I've joined Our Future Health as their Principal Privacy Architect. The first four days have …
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Twenty-Twenty-Two is Twenty-Twenty-NEW. Yup - time for me to regenerate into a new job. To recap - five years ago, I started at GDS in the Open Standards Team. Two-and-a-bit years later, I took a 6 months secondment to NHSX to do Open Standards. Eighteen months later, they finally let me go. I joined the Data Standards Authority to do - you guessed it - Open Standards! I've been banging on about Open Standards for what feels like forever. I've worked with a vast array of vastly talented…
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Well, that was a whirlwind! After 18-months at NHSX, my 6-month temporary secondment has reached its end. It's always hard when a job finishes. The secondment was twice extended, and that let me carry on defining open technology standards for the NHS. Now it is over and I'm a bit sad. The pandemic seems to heighten all emotions, doesn't it? I'm luckier than most. I'm still employed. The whole point of a secondment is a short-term loan to share skills and experiences. I'm returning to my home …
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A mysterious woman, with a non-London accent and blonde hair, reached out her hand. She asked me a simple, yet terrifying, question - "Do you want to come on an adventure?" Sadly, Hadley Beeman does not have a TARDIS (Well, as far as any of us can tell...). What she does have is an interesting new job for me. Take a deep breath, because it's a heck of a long title: Senior Technology Advisor to the Chief Technology Advisor to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care Sweet! So, what …
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Welcome to my yearly NaBloPoMo - where I attempt to publish a new blog post every day in November. This year is likely to be challenging as I've just started a new job. As of last month, I am the Open Standards Lead at Government Digital Service - part of Cabinet Office. As ever, this blog is personal - and never reflects the views of my employers, past-, present-, or future! I am also now bound by the Civil Service Code which, hopefully, won't cause any issues considering the nonsense I…
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After four fun-packed years of Digital Disruption, it's time for me to move on from The Lab at O2. I've had an amazing time, building 3D printers, charging phones from lemons, building paper-prototypes with unemployed people, finding all sorts of interesting security bugs, teaching kids to code, redesigning the nation's gas bills, creating holographic iPhone displays, speaking all over the country, and building some amazing software. Best of all, working with a team of talented, funny,…
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In 1974, a post-boxing day Britain tuned in to BBC 1 to watch "Robot" - the first Doctor Who story to star Tom Baker. For the next 6 years, 2 months, and 22 days, Tom Baker was The Doctor. But, as these things are wont to do, it came to an end. Forgive the spoilers, but The Doctor lay broken and bleeding after The Master threw him off the Pharos Project. Death was certain. And then... On the 1st of September, 2003, a young and eager Terence Eden walked into Vodafone to start on the G…
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