This article gives just a few examples of how different organisations within the healthcare sector were able to improve communication through mapping. They show that maps are a useful way to show information in many situations. The audience for the mapping could be the public, customers, partners or for internal use. The aim of the maps could be to help with a key decision, inform a strategy, promote a service, raise awareness of a health issue, or many other goals.

The British Lung Foundation (BLF) is a medical charity that provides advice and support to those affected by lung conditions, and campaigns to raise awareness of conditions such as Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA).  BLF are using maps as a key tool to improve understanding of OSA and to target their campaigning activities. They commissioned a series of maps to estimate the prevalence of OSA in UK health areas and parliamentary constituencies. The maps compare this to the locations of sleep services. This ground-breaking exercise used mostly public data, and was delivered in easy-to-use PDF and spreadsheet formats. A BLF spokesperson commented that the mapping work ‘’will be used to plan many aspects of our campaign, to raise awareness of OSA and to improve the lives of people living with this serious condition”.

The British Lung Foundation (BLF) Improving Communication through Mapping

Another example of how to improve communication through mapping visualisation can be seen in the case of a respected NHS Foundation Trust seeking to highlight a pattern of increasing patient reach.  The Trust’s Senior Communications Manager has access to useful spatial data in the form of patient postcodes by year of attendance. This data was believed to show a trend of increasing patient reach but needed mapping in order to confirm and communicate this trend.  The resultant series of maps showed the changing location of the hospital’s patients over time, confirming the pattern of increasing geographic reach. The maps effectively communicated this to patients and stakeholders across the Trust.

A third example, at a more local level, was Camden Primary Care Trust’s exercise in mapping the dispersal and condition of their sites to aid a strategic review. The Trust’s Estates Department held site address details in the form an Excel spreadsheet, but needed to communicate their distribution across the region.  Sets of PDF maps were produced for inclusion into a high-level report showing sites, their physical condition of the sites and location against deprivation data.

These examples show just a few ways in which health organisations can use improve communication through mapping. Since John Snow first used maps to understand the Broad Street cholera outbreak, the mapping of health outcomes has been an essential public health function. However, there are many other opportunities for health professionals to benefit from using maps.

Detailed MasterMap vector mapping data was acquired through the Ordnance Survey. 500 original paper maps were scanned, and then the mapping information digitised into a GIS system and categorised. The resultant GIS data included properties, grounds maintenance areas and assets. Land registry areas were also acquired and incorporated into the spatial database. Detailed housing and tenant data, already held by the housing association in spread sheets, were linked to property areas.

To improve communication of the data, a web based GIS was developed using MapServer and OpenLayers. MapServer is an Open Source platform for publishing spatial data to the web via interactive mapping tools. OpenLayers is an Open Source JavaScript library allowing custom map functionality to be developed and integrated into web based GIS applications. Open Source software is developed by communities of enthusiasts and is freely available. Both MapServer and OpenLayers are supported by the Open Source Geospatial Foundation (OSGeo). The application developed for Boston Mayflower included customised functionality for address searching, data filtering, measuring, printing and the automatic colouring of properties by their energy efficiency rating.

Funcionality including address searching, data filtering, measuring, printing and the automatic colouring of properties by energy efficiency rating

Although the housing association wanted to improve communication of their data using a web based GIS, it was important that sensitive data could be restricted. To allow this, user profiles were incorporated into the application to allow the filtering of data to specific users.
The application, developed and hosted by Lovell Johns Ltd, is used to communicate data across the organisation. Front desk staff are able to quickly locate, view and query mapping relating to incoming queries. Management staff are able to analyse the data and make business decisions related to the procurement of services and the development of new housing.

Improve communications within your company by planning them first. Understand your audience. Where are they based and what are their skills? If necessary, split your audience into audience groups and communicate to them separately. Consider the channels available for communicating your message such as email, newsletters and meetings. Use templates for regularly used communications, and get feedback on how your messages have been received.

2. Store documents centrally on the cloud

Cloud-based storage is becoming increasingly available and supported by more and more applications; documents are stored on-line, and can be accessed from any location where you have internet access. Companies with employees in different locations, who work from home or who travel on a regular basis, can take advantage of cloud-based hubs to improve communications within your company by sharing documents effectively. Some applications allow documents to be edited by more than one person at once to allow ideas and feedback to be shared quickly and easily.

3. Use Instant Messaging (IM)

There are pros and cons to using Instant Messaging, but used correctly it can be a valuable approach to improve communications within your company, especially within virtual teams. You can see whether a colleague is at their desk and whether or not they want contacting before attempting to communicate with them. You can ask questions and get instant replies from the right people.

4. Create an Intranet

An Intranet can be used to improve communication in a company through message boards, moderated chats, online forms, interactive calendars and the sharing of critical information. Software packages such as Windows SharePoint Services can be used to easily build and design your intranet, without specialist IT knowledge.

5. Share data spatially using a web-based mapping software

Most data within your organisation will be linked to a geographic location such as an address or sales territory. Displaying, querying and analysing your data over online mapping allows you to effectively communicate your data across your organisation, and see patterns that you would not detect using databases and spread sheets alone. Combing data and maps in this way increases the communication of data across your company, allows greater participation in open discussion, and can ultimately lead to better and faster business decisions.

Define boundaries with your data

In a web-based GIS, address databases can be geocoded to find a location for each address that can be displayed over a map using a map pointer or marker. These markers can be colour-coded by a value specific to your data giving you an instant geographic picture of your data. Sales figures or population statistics can be linked to postcode, census or administrative boundaries. The boundaries can be coloured using values in your data to visualise your data geographically. Viewing and analysing your data over maps allows you to detect geographic clusters that maybe of interest, which may not have been possible when viewing only tabular data.

Information specific to your industry such as data related to properties, grounds maintenance, transport or utilities can be specially captured over detailed and accurate mapping or converted from old printed maps. Organising and managing such data spatially using a web-based GIS can improve communication of data within you company by:

• increasing participation in open discussion
• giving a voice to those who would not normally speak up
• aid the procurement process for services and maintenance in allowing geographic areas and distances to be accurately measured
• speed decision making and ultimately lead to better business decisions

Many web-based GIS technologies are now available. Google Maps allows you to easily geocode data and share maps publicly. Using the Goole Maps API, mapping websites can be customised to allow increased functionality and embed your map into your own website. Great Britain’s Ordnance Survey (OS) have their own API titled OS OpenSpace that uses more detailed OS mapping. These technologies however are limited, and are not necessarily suitable to sharing data just within your organisation. Google for instance, demand a significant annual fee if you prefer not to share your data and publically.

Happily there are other technologies available where GIS can improve communication, specifically within your company. Powerful server-based GIS software such as those available from the big GIS vendors are available for organisations to share, query, analyse and even edit data across the web. Such vendor-based software is off-the-shelf, and is easily scalable. As an alternative, Open Source web-based GIS software is available for programmers to exploit. Open Source software is developed by communities of enthusiasts and is freely available, removing the software cost from a web-based GIS implementation. Open Data can also be sourced allowing mapping and geographic data to be used within your internal web-based mapping solution free of charge.

Presentation and functionality of GIS

Concentrating your budget on development rather than software means that more customisation of presentation and functionality can become the focus of your GIS. Search, query and filtering facilities can be developed to enhance the user experience of your application. Security facilities such as log-in screens can be developed to allow your employees to use your web-based GIS from different locations, and allow filtered functionality or data for alternative user profiles.

Using a web-based GIS to improve communication and management of data within a company is a valuable and effective method to make the most of your data.

The Grounds Maintenance management information used by housing associations can still exist in the form of paper map plots that have been heavily annotated over time to reflect changes in types of open space.  Just two examples of where GIS software can increase efficiencies are: the calculation of tenant green space GM charge out rates; and negotiation with contractors for grass cutting services. Holding the GM data in a GIS allows common types of grass cutting area or fence perimeter lengths to be quickly summed. These figures can be easily shared with tenants to illustrate charge rates or with contractors to define and agree on maintenance contracts.

The assets of a housing association will always have a spatial reference such as a full address or postcode. The housing association will also hold other property-specific data such as ownership status, year of build or number of bedrooms.  Bringing such “attribute” data into a GIS system allows staff to visualise the assets in terms of these important characteristics and increase efficiency. An example would be for the map to show properties with different colours depending on their ownership status. It also allows filtering of the data by those attributes. For example, mapping software can allow you to see which Right To Buy properties fall within a Conservation Area or flood zone.  Such GIS use provides quicker, more accurate management information and analysis which is simply not possible by comparing tabular data.

Visualising patterns of energy efficiency with GIS

The front-line services of housing associations are dealing with customer queries more efficiently by using GIS mapping software.  By having access to the latest digital mapping layers of property-specific information such as Land Registry titles and ownership status in a single map-based environment, issues are easily visualised and shared between departments, and the first-line response to customer queries is dealt with more quickly.

Housing associations can also increase efficiency through GIS software in development planning.  Faced with site selection decisions on new housing development and re-development, digital mapping provides a powerful tool for showing different aspects of a development site.  Map layers such as planning applications, Local Plan designations and rights of way can be viewed over architects’ plans of development sites, providing accurate and timely management information.

An average of nearly 100 respondents per country were polled to provide opinions which were rated on a scale of 0-7.

Top Countries to Migrate to in the World (Click to enlarge)

Our infographic on the ‘Top Countries to Migrate to in the World’ illustrates some fascinating opinions on how countries perform in key areas. One of the most interesting findings was foreign visitor attitudes in countries. Iceland came out top as the most welcoming, whereas the UK was ranked 56th.

Key findings:

° Iceland has the most welcoming attitude to foreign visitors.

° Switzerland was ranked overall best.

° Sweden, Switzerland, and Finland are the top three for environmental sustainability. Oil-rich Kuwait came last.

° Finland, Switzerland, and Hong Kong are the top three safety and security. Egypt ranked last for safety and security, behind Yemen (139) and Pakistan (137).

° Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Germany, and the United States are the top five places for cultural resources.

More on the findings can be seen on the World Economic Forum’s official website.

What do you think of these findings? Any surprises or does the infographic and findings support your views?

About Us

Lovell Johns is a small specialist mapping company. Covering a number of markets this position will mainly be involved in the administration and customer services for the online map shop brand mapsinternational.co.uk. This area of direct sales through eCommerce and retail is a growing part of our business. We now require some to help with customer service and administration for this area.

Duties

• Pick up  monitor phones during this time dealing with any order taking as necessary over this time period (training will be given.)
• Manage courier systems, upload of delivery data etc
• Deal with any number of customer queries
• Process customer orders into databases and supply to production team
• Deal with any product returns etc and process admin for them.
• Process any PDQ machine payments that need doing

Requirements

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required
• Must have an energetic and positive attitude
• Must be able to manage a varied workload
• Confident speaking to clients on the phone
• Some computer skills are required
• Basic level of a foreign language would be beneficial – French or German preferred.

This position is based in Long Hanborough, near Witney (on the train line from Oxford).

Salary: £14,000 – £17,000 pa

Hours: We would consider applicants looking for full time or part time positions. If part time we would require the applicant to be able to work Monday – Friday for 4.5 – 6 hours per day approximately.

Pension: 3% after probationary period

Holidays: 20 days

If you are interested in this position please send a covering letter and CV to Liz.murray@lovelljohns.com.

This is an exciting Business Development Executive position with a leading UK mapping specialist company. This role is a great 2^nd career role, as we are looking for someone with around 1-2 years product led selling experience. This may also suit someone currently in a Sales Support position looking to take a step up.

This individual will manage be responsible for managing a selection of already developed accounts and additionally be required to develop new accounts Worldwide. As some of the sales channels are new, an entrepreneurial approach will help as will a can do attitude.

This is a product sales role and as such you will have some involvement in the products that you are selling and developing new ideas.

Responsibilities:

• Day to day management of all current accounts
• Development of new worldwide accounts
• Costing and pitching new products to new and current accounts
• Some sales support processes as follows;

• Processing orders, liaising with production units internally and externally.

• Liaising with the sales support to ensure that client satisfaction levels are reached.
• You will be responsible for reaching sales forecasts / required profit levels and you be required to report weekly on these elements.

We are a small, but growing business, and therefore this is a “get the hands dirty role”, a team approach is required to ensure that we are reaching client satisfaction levels.

The role will be managed closely by the Sales and Marketing Director however we are looking for someone ambitious who prefers freedom to develop, which will be given when results are proven.

Requirements:

• At least 1-2 years experience in a sales role or sales administration
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required
• You must have an energetic and positive attitude
• You must be able to manage an extremely busy workload and thrive working under pressure
• You must be confident speaking to clients / customers on the phone
• Computer skills are required especially Excel.
• A second European language would be beneficial, German or French most preferred.

The position is based in Long Hanborough, near Witney (on the train line from Oxford). This is a full time position with the hours being 8.30 to 5pm. Due to the nature of the position you may be required from time to time to work outside of these hours to complete your duties.

Salary: £17,000 – £20,000 pa + good bonus (OTE £26,000 pa)

Holidays: 20 days per year

Pension: 3% of salary after probationary period

If you are interested in this position please send a covering letter and CV to Liz.murray@lovelljohns.com.

Based in Oxfordshire we are looking for an experienced full time Accounts Manager/Financial Controller with drive, ambition and the ability to motivate others.

This is an exciting opportunity to join this well established but growing map making company with a £2 million turnover.

Reporting to the Managing Director and working with an Accounts Assistant, you will take responsibility for the company accounts and the overall day to day running of the whole finance function. In this role you will join the management team and be expected to contribute to the direction and running of the company.

This role will oversee the input of accounts to trial balance and the whole administrative function, assisting where needed including all purchase and sales ledger.

Responsibility for the production of the monthly management accounts, annual budgets, monthly reports for the board of Directors and shareholders, year end accounts pack for the auditors along with the preparation of VAT returns.

You will also be involved in the maintenance of personal records, along with processing payroll to the outsourcing company, ensuring all stock levels are accurate and liaising with bank managers, auditors and accountants when required.

Key Skills Required: ACCA level or equivalent, excellent Excel skills.

Experience of the Resource 32000 (Corero Systems) could be an advantage.

Summary of Duties to include:

• Sales Ledger – monthly statements and debt chasing.
• Purchase Ledger – Tracking and chasing supplier discounts.
• Cash & Bank accounts.
• Managing Payroll and Expenses. (Payroll is outsourced). Journals for monthly payroll information.
• Monthly Management Accounts. Checking nominal postings and month end adjustments.
• VAT reconciliation, including overseas VAT liabilities.
• HMRC Compliance
• Forecasting and Budgeting
  • Year end audit

Salary: £25,000 to £30,000 pa

Holidays: 20 days per year

Pension: 3% of salary after probationary period.

If you are interested in this position please send a covering letter and CV to Liz.murray@lovelljohns.com.

Planvu for Hastings Borough Council

Lovell Johns mapping software, Planvu, has been provided to 3 further District Councils in the last Quarter meaning members of the public in the counties of Somerset, East Sussex and Hertfordshire are now able to search on interactive mapping showing Local Plan information over familiar Ordnance Survey base mapping.

Planvu software has been fully developed since 2007 by Lovell Johns’ own team of GIS and software developers.  The software provides Local Government with a highly efficient and intuitive website based interactive map experience, allowing developers and general public to search by postcode and street name, then query the Planning Policies and associated Planning restrictions in their area.  The internet mapping solution is proving increasingly popular as it helps to reduce expenditure on maps.

In addition to the 11 existing customers, Mendip District Council, Hastings Borough Council and Uttlesford District Council have now been added to the available example at www.planvu.co.uk.  We are also soon to release a new solution for our first Scottish Council in Midllothian!