Medxnote helping the NHS to improve response to Covid-19

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Dublin company Medxnote has responded to the Covid crisis by creating a clinical bot that is significantly cutting the time it takes to notify medical staff of Covid 19 test results.

The company specialises in Robotic Clinical Assistants, which are helping to improve patient flow, hospital efficiency and quality of care by giving medical staff access to previously siloed clinical data. The bots work within Microsoft Teams, the workplace collaboration platform that is part of the Microsoft Office 365 suite of products.

Niall Rafferty, co-founder and CEO of Medxnote, explains. “We’ve created a suite of clinical bots, which automate human actions by connecting a hospital’s electronic health record systems to the Microsoft Teams messaging app.

“So, for example, a doctor can message the bot via a mobile and ask for a specific report on a patient. The bot searches the hospital’s system and serves reports almost instantly. Medical staff can also receive push notifications relating to test results and other clinical information.

“As we already had a bot specialising in results notification for flu and Norovirus positive patients, we were able to very quickly adapt it to include Covid-19 results.”

At a time when medical staff are struggling to cope with the Coronavirus pandemic, the ability to access test results in real time is hugely beneficial. Rather than having to periodically look up results on a PC, which are limited on the ward, staff in some hospitals in the UK’s NHS can now receive notifications on their mobile phones as soon as the results are released by the lab.

The response from medical staff has been extremely positive as it enables them to prioritise care and make the best use of isolation units.

Dr Ashwin Pinto of University Hospital Southampton, the first hospital to use the Covid-19 bot, says:

“We can now give doctors and nurses real-time data. I can get Covid-19 results on my phone as soon as they are released by the lab. We know where that patient is, so we can make sure they go to the right care environment and that staff are safe as well. That’s been transformational.”

The bot is now also in use in Liverpool University Hospital and is garnering interest from hospitals across the NHS.

 

Timely communication – better care

Medxnote, set up in 2013 by Rafferty and Garfield Connolly, is the only company building clinical chat bots within Microsoft Teams.  As well as the test results notification bot, Medxnote has created an inter-department consultation bot. This provides clinicians with real-time access to referral queues leading to more efficient discharge of patients. In one hospital, use of the bot resulted in speeding up the process by a factor of 15. 

Another bot enables medical staff to upload images to the patient’s medical record, while faster and easier recruitment of patients to clinical trials is being achieved through a bot that sends a notification message to the clinical trial team when a suitable patient presents in the hospital.

Medxnote’s latest development, a pager bot, has been another response to the Covid crisis.

“The demand for medical examiners is higher than normal at the minute. Usually a pager system is used but we created a bot that will send a message out to the examiner via Microsoft Teams and enable them to open a chat or do a video call with the nurses,” says Rafferty.

The pager replacement solution brings the company full circle back to where it began.

“We initially set up the business to create a solution to replace pagers in hospitals. Then we changed to providing secure messaging for medical staff. That has led us to where we are today. About two years ago we began working with Microsoft Teams and now we’re a Microsoft partner,” says Rafferty.

 

A world of opportunity

In response to Covid 19 Microsoft accelerated the roll-out of its Teams across the NHS. As a result, 1.3 million more people now use the software, opening up a huge opportunity for Medxnote to sell in its productivity and process enhancing integrations.

The company is also looking to Europe, initially targeting France, Sweden and Portugal, which are all licensed for Microsoft Teams.

“We’ve multiple opportunities worldwide because we’re on the Microsoft Teams Co-sell Programme, and we’ve also benefitted from great support from Enterprise Ireland’s international offices,” says Rafferty.

“I believe that this pandemic will change patterns of work and that people will be more liable to work digitally than they were before. In the healthcare space, that will drive better communication, informed clinical decision making and more efficient patient throughput and ultimately result in improved quality of care in hospitals.”

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Automotive – European Manufacturers Structures, Operations & Plans

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Sean Long,  Enterprise Ireland, Senior Market Advisor UK for Automotive interviewed Ian Henry of Auto Analysis on the changing landscape of European Vehicle Manufacturers.

The interview explores their

·         current organizational structures

·         plant operations

·         purchasing contacts

·         trade tariff considerations

·         developments around new vehicle platforms.

The video interview took place on 10th March 2020, prior to Covid 19 restrictions.

Supporting great people in difficult times

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Developing employee engagement now will pay dividends long into the future

Up until the pandemic, the biggest challenge facing many firms was attracting and retaining talent. That hasn’t changed, says Ryan Williams, CEO of Conscia, a training provider which specialises in employee engagement.

Conscia is the architect of a series of online modules designed to help companies maintain employee engagement throughout the Covid-19 crisis.

Each provides practical steps to take, plus easy to use templates and frameworks, to help companies maintain their employee value proposition (EVP).

Those that succeed in doing so will not only optimise productivity throughout this current, difficult time, but will be well placed to capture the opportunities of the post-pandemic surge.

Those that neglect employee engagement, however, risk damaging their reputation as an employer of choice long into the future. “It’s about asking yourself, how you want your company to be remembered after this pandemic,” says Williams.

Your EVP is an invaluable retention tool and should be robust enough to support employees in good times and in bad, he points out.

“The market for talent will be equally as competitive when we come out the other side of this as it was when we went in,” says Williams.

“Though some sectors will suffer more than others, the fact remains that if you needed a software developer before this, you will still need one after it, so it is important to get the best talent that is out there.”

The top priority for employers right now is communication.

By this stage new work practices will be established, either from home or, socially distanced, in the workplace.

“The novelty of the early stages has well and truly worn off, the buzz of setting up meetings on MS Teams and Zoom has ebbed, and people are starting to feel this will never end. The risk is that employers stop communicating when in fact it is vital to over-communicate now and throughout this process.”

 

Deliver your communications with confidence

In a period characterised by uncertainty and anxiety, it’s important to display “honest confidence” he says.

“Be honest and transparent and deliver your communications with confidence, even if it is bad news, such as, perhaps, having to take a pay cut to get through this. People can cope if they realise there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

Empathetic leadership is essential.  “You need to communicate your company’s vision and mission with empathy. It’s about understanding that your people are going through challenging times.”

Weekly ‘all hands’ meetings online are an opportunity to show that everybody is part of what is a communal effort.

“Be very honest about what you do and don’t know. The rumour mill can be difficult to manage so share the good, the bad and the ugly with honest confidence.”

Decision making in a time of crisis should be quick and decisive, with resources allocated speedily. Employee polls are a quick and effective tool for effecting change, offering maximum transparency and ‘buy in’.

Regular, scheduled and consistent communications help keep fear and anxiety at bay. Use video as much as possible. “People want to see their leaders.”

Be cognisant of the impact not just of your words, but of your tone and body language too. “Lean forward, be expressive, use your hands,” he says.

As well as large town hall type, and team meetings, make sure to set aside time for one to ones, to check in with people and see how they are doing.

Recognise and reward output. “Celebrate team wins and individual efforts more than in ordinary times. People are doing fantastic things right now so make time for shout outs in meetings and promote them on your social media too.”

Fostering ‘water cooler’ moments online helps to replicate the everyday interaction of the traditional workplace. “Don’t lose your social cohesion.”

 

Building trust and loyalty

At every step, focus on building trust and loyalty. “Very many companies have spent years building up their culture. Don’t lose it. Find new ways of maintaining it instead.”

Social distancing will likely continue for some time, as will working from home. “We are all living with uncertainty at present, so ‘What does this mean for me?’ is the key question people have. While you can’t control this, you can help by removing as much of the uncertainty for employees as possible.”

 

Provide purpose and stay positive

The current situation provides a great opportunity for learning and development. “This doesn’t have to cost you money,” he points out.

“It could be online learning opportunities, or a situation where an experienced member of staff helps train up others on a new software tool, such as cucumber. It could be a buddy system, where someone experienced is matched with someone who may be feeling overwhelmed.”

Spare capacity could be given over to executing planned projects that had previously been put off. “We have one client company, for example, who built an entire logistics platform in eight weeks, a project it had long wanted to do,” says Williams.  

Such initiatives help provide purpose, an important component in employee engagement.

Set short term goals for long term results. “Focus on bite sized projects to help people navigate through.”

Finally, stay positive. “Remember, this is different from the financial crisis because it is the same for everybody. From Ireland to China to the US, the base line has lowered for everyone. So, while there is uncertainty, and a need to paint as honest a picture as possible, it’s also important to look to where the opportunities will be post-pandemic.”

 

To find out more about building employee engagement during the Covid-19 restrictions see here.

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Consumer & Retail

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Download the bulletin here

Enterprise Ireland consumer retail and retail technology companies are experiencing extraordinary market conditions, resulting in massive increase in e-commerce, declining sales in non- essential items as well as fractured supply chains.

While these are certainly unprecedented and challenging times, there remain significant opportunities for clients within the global consumer retail and retail technology market, which we hope to help you identify.

Read more in our Consumer and Retail Industry bulletin.

mADme technologies

Irish software firm mAdme helping mobile giants through Covid-19 crisis

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The seismic fall-out from Covid-19 has created an unprecedented demand for Irish innovation, with our tech sector stepping up to aid the recovery of industries including health, travel and communications.

As mobile operators provide customers with Covid-related updates – typically struggling to get beyond an engagement rate of 1-2% via standard SMS and push notifications – an Irish software firm is making waves with a proprietary messaging channel that is pushing engagement rates closer to 20%.

Dublin-based mAdme provides a customer experience platform for mobile operators to engage with subscribers. The platform overlays rich content including images and video directly on phone screens, without the need for customers to go into an app or notification tray, delivering messages in real-time, triggered by customer usage.

 

Engagement rates up to 20%

“We’re seeing engagement rates up to around 20% for messages sent on our channel versus other channels like SMS and email,” says Dave Manzor, VP (Product) of mAdme Technologies. “Because of the scale and effectiveness of the platform, we can quickly disseminate important messages to huge numbers of people, which is proving hugely beneficial during the Covid-19 crisis.”

In India, mobile giant Reliance Jio used the mAdme platform to issue a message to its subscribers that linked to Covid-19 awareness information including a symptoms-checker. The campaign was viewed a colossal 250 million times.

“We’ve also seen operators use the software for Covid-related business messages including providing free data or removing data caps,” says mAdme’s Dave Manzor.

“It’s also been deployed to help manage the load on under-pressure call centres, for example by encouraging people to use self-care channels for things like topping up credit.”

 

mAdme software on 200 million phones

Founded in 2013 by Triona Mullane, the mAdme platform is currently deployed in 28 countries, running on more than 200 million phones in key markets including Asia, North America and Europe.

Mullane, who won the ‘Emerging’ category in last year’s EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards, has overseen rapid growth and a hatful of industry awards for mAdme including a 7th place ranking in the 2019 Deloitte Technology Fast 50, and 2018 winner of the Disruptive Technology Award in association with Facebook.

The company has also overcome a few challenges along the way, the most notable of which was having to rapidly scale up to match the growth of Jio in India, going from zero to 100 million subscribers in the space of just five months.

Working with some of the biggest mobile brands in the world, mAdme is now focussing on improving operators’ customer care offerings, especially around the calling experience.

“We’ve developed a new experience in the phone dialler that directs callers to the information they’re looking for,” says Dave Manzor. “This is having a massively positive impact for operators because it reduces the number of calls they need to service in their call centres, but also benefits the caller who can get what they need without having to wait on hold.”

The Dublin-based firm is also looking into the broader enterprise space with relevance for any company that wants to improve how it engages with customers.

 

Disruption through innovation

“Innovation and R&D are at the core of everything we do,” says Manzor. “When you’re a small player from Ireland selling to a global market, you need to be innovating in every aspect of the business. We’re disrupting some very well-established industries and we couldn’t do that without continuous innovation.”

“From a R&D perspective, we’re building software to meet the needs of the market,” he goes on. “Every line of code we write, we make sure it’s adding value for all our customers and we have a really exciting technology roadmap that will enable us to continue adding value well into the future.”

“We’re also active in the IP space with a number of patent applications on the go,” Manzor says. “The first of these was successfully granted just last month, which was very pleasing and further proof that what we’re doing is genuinely innovative.”

Firmly established among the fastest-growing tech companies in Ireland, mAdme has its sights set on further international growth.

 

Irish tech credentials

“Irish companies have very strong history, credentials and reputation for delivering great innovation and it’s all the more impressive given that we’re coming from a small island on the edge of Europe,” says Dave Manzor. “I think it makes it all the more exciting to compete and win business in markets all over the world.”

The company has had support and investment from a range of sources including Enterprise Ireland, the national export agency. “Enterprise Ireland has been a huge supporter from day one, they continue to support us to this day and we really appreciate that,” says Manzor:

“On a global scale, Enterprise Ireland is so well-connected, they use the Irish network incredibly well and make it possible for companies like mAdme to make connections in countries where otherwise we’d be largely going it alone.” 

“If you look at the trade shows Enterprise Ireland runs every year, without them it just wouldn’t be possible for small companies like ourselves to showcase our work but Enterprise Ireland makes that possible.”

anam technologies covid

Anam Technologies: Partnering to stay safely connected

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Anam Technologies, an Enterprise Ireland-supported company, is partnering with mobile operators across the world to secure networks against messaging fraud during the Covid-19 crisis.

Working closely with Tier 1 network partners such as Orange, Deutsche Telekom, Digicel and Telenor in more than 85 countries, the aim is to identify and block fraudulent traffic while protecting messages from legitimate businesses and organisations. Such partnerships are essential in a time when fraudsters are primed to take advantage, according to Mary-Therese Fitzpatrick, Anam’s Marketing Director.

Anam is equipping operators with firewalls that detect fraudulent traffic, block it and keep the networks clean. The system is a win-win for all parties involved. The operators benefit from a revenue-sharing model on increased business messaging traffic, and their subscribers are safe from any fraudulent activity.

 

Partnering to stay safely connected during a crisis

Anam has been recognised 3 years running in independent surveys as the world’s leading SMS Firewall and A2P (application-to-person) monetisation service provider. Anam’s technology helps mobile operators to increase revenue per user by reducing the amount of spam & fraudulent messaging on their networks.

As the number of messages being sent increases, so too do the opportunities for fraud within the channel. While the Covid-19 pandemic contributes to a general relaxing of data protection rules, it may also be loosening our own digital defences. When this happens, fraudsters are at the ready.

Fitzpatrick compares Anam’s firewall technology to a tolled road. There will always be those who try to find back ways to the destination:

 “Part of our solution is detecting that ‘grey route’ traffic; traffic that’s freeloading on an operator’s network,” Fitzpatrick says.

Anam blocks this traffic and filters it through the paid route, making sure that all traffic is legitimate and clean. They then share the revenue with the operators.

 

Phishing

In the context of Covid-19, we see more messages from government services, health systems, e-commerce notifications and food delivery services. Some fraudsters are attempting to take advantage of this, sending texts containing key terms like ‘Covid’, ‘Coronavirus’ and even ‘testing’ that might mislead people into giving away sensitive information or clicking on fake links to legitimate-looking websites designed to do the same thing. This is known as phishing.

The texts may look like they are coming from a bank or the government. Some fraudsters even use a tactic known as “spoofing” in which they can make a message appear in a chain of text alongside previous genuine messages. There have also been reports of fraud messages promising free devices or financial relief to cope with the Covid-19 lockdowns.

“If the operator has a firewall installed on their network, they can protect themselves and their subscribers from this malicious messaging,” Fitzpatrick says.

A crucial way to communicate

During emergencies, SMS is an important method of communication due to its immediacy and reach. Most people in the world have a mobile device capable of receiving SMS, and 90% of the messages tend to be read within three minutes.

The success of the channel, unfortunately, means that some vulnerable groups are misled. They may be isolated and not aware of the fraud risk. They may not be tech-savvy, but they most likely know how to read an SMS. Fraudulent texts have the potential to reach everyone, even those without sufficient access to high-speed internet.

Fitzpatrick says that there has been an increase in fraudulent traffic. Although the process of detecting and blocking it is automated to a large extent using artificial intelligence and machine learning, there is still a manual element involved. The process itself benefits from the close partnership that now exists between Anam and international partners. “There are known addresses across international networks that can be identified and blocked once certain patterns of messaging are detected,” explains Fitzpatrick.

 

 

An industry evolution

Anam’s solution is a very clever evolution within the changing messaging landscape,” Fitzpatrick explains. And the fact that today Anam’s systems and services are being used in 85 countries to protect an estimated three-quarters of a billion subscribers is testament to this.

Speaking on the success of the solution and the importance of partnership during the Covid-19 crisis, Fitzpatrick notes that Anam is a preferred partner because they are independent.

 “We work with the operator to secure the channel and make sure that all incoming and outgoing network traffic is clean,” she says. This makes them a trusted party, with no allegiances to middlemen.

After an initial €350,000 investment from Enterprise Ireland in 2018 to aid global expansion and R&D, Anam is currently in a growth phase, expanding its worldwide presence. In November last year, they opened an Africa headquarters in Kenya on the back of significant local contract wins. The new office builds out on the company’s other regional HQ office in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, and a presence in Egypt, Jamaica, Nigeria,  Vietnam, Malta, United Kingdom, Czech Republic and Pakistan.

jenny melia

Support where it’s most needed for HPSUs

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The innovation and dynamism of Enterprise Ireland-supported high potential start-up (HPSU) firms are vital to future economic growth, and it is absolutely essential that HPSUs that were progressing prior to Covid-19 receive the support they require to get through the Covid-19 crisis.

“These firms and their founders are the future leaders of the economy and our focus is on ensuring that they have sufficient fuel in the tank and the right resources in place to get through the next three to six months and be ready to take advantage of the upturn when it comes,” says Enterprise Ireland Divisional Manager for HPSUs Jenny Melia.

HPSUs do face particular challenges in the current environment, mainly due to their early stage of development. “Many of them are not yet revenue generating and are continuing to fundraise to drive business development,” Melia explains. “This can mean that they do not qualify for some of the Covid-19 supports available at the moment. It can also be the case that they haven’t been in business long enough to have built up a relationship with a bank.”

According to Melia, the three main problems faced by these fast-growing firms relate to cash flow, investment, and talent retention.

“In a lot of cases sales have just stopped,” she says. “They have no cash coming in from that source and that can turn into a double whammy if investors back off. There is a softening of sentiment in the investment community at the moment and that is presenting problems. Holding onto key skills is another real pain point for a lot of companies. We were nearly at full employment in the economy just a few weeks ago and they had to work very hard to get the right people. They are in danger of losing them now and these skills will be critical to support future growth.”

Support is available to deal with these issues, however. In the first instance, Melia advises firms to avail of the Enterprise Ireland Covid-19 Business Financial Planning Grant scheme, with supports of up to €5,000 to help companies prepare financial plans with the assistance of an expert.

“We are asking start-ups if they have assessed the impact of Covid-19 on their business and if they need assistance and financial support to do that,” she points out. “We are already seeing a great deal of interest in the scheme. This will help start-ups develop a stabilisation plan, which should look at resetting their business plan e.g. reducing the cost base and lengthening the financial runway to tide them through the next 3-6 months and prepare for the upturn including raising new investment.”

The next step is to work with existing investors and shareholders. “Companies should discuss the possibility of bridging finance with their investors,” says Melia.

“Enterprise Ireland is also willing to co-invest as part of this investment. That is a new departure for us. Typically, when we invest in a company it’s to fund a growth plan for the next two or three years. In this case, we are absolutely willing to play our part alongside existing funders and investors in ensuring HPSUs get through the current financial crunch. Companies should speak to their Development Advisor about this.” advises Melia.

There is also the loan scheme from Microfinance Ireland. “This is open to start-ups with fewer than 10 employees, and the amount on offer has been increased from €25,000 to €50,000. The interest rate has been reduced to 4.5%, with a moratorium on interest and repayments for the first six months. I would encourage start-ups to look at the scheme to see if it is suitable for their needs.”

The Covid-19 Wage Subsidy Scheme is a valuable source of assistance in helping to hold onto talent. “The scheme was initially aimed at firms suffering a reduction in turnover but, recognising the particular circumstances of start-ups, Revenue introduced another criterion, which was a downturn in the level of investment companies had projected. Some companies are not aware of this.”

Enterprise Ireland is also organising a series of webinars to provide advice and support to HPSUs. “We have a number of former HPSU founders that have come through a number of recessions and downturns and have very valuable advice to offer.”

Companies should also leverage the advice available through their own networks, she adds. “They should contact their Enterprise Ireland Development Advisor, their investors, business angels, suppliers and customers out in the market and so on. These are the things that entrepreneurs do anyway, and they are more important than ever now. We firmly believe that there will be opportunities out there for firms when the crisis ends, and our focus is on helping our clients to be ready for these opportunities when they arise.”

 

Evolve UK – Offshore Wind Industry webinar

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This Offshore Wind industry webinar provides an update on:

  • CfD round 3 capacity auction

  • Information on the upcoming CfD round 4 auction

  • UK offshore wind project pipeline

  • Supply chain developments

  • Impact of Covid-19 on the offshore wind industry and its supply chain

Traveltech

Market Watch Industry Bulletin – Traveltech

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Enterprise Ireland travel technology companies are facing unprecedented challenges to continue to build and scale their businesses globally as the travel industry is arguably the most affected by Covid-19.

Many are demonstrating impressive flexibility, innovation capability to adapt to the new situation, and collaboration with partners to overcome enormous challenges. Our Market Watch Industry Bulletin for the travel and tourism industry provides insights on the potential impact of Covid-19 on your business.

Read the full report here.

wearable device

Middle East to join the CREW

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Irish software services innovator 8 West is bringing its Covid-19 early warning system, CREW, to the Middle East.

Building on its existing success in the region, the company plans to increase its activity in the Gulf region, which includes the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman.

 

Innovation to protect frontline workers

8 West is the company behind an innovative new remote monitoring system, CREW, which is designed to protect frontline healthcare workers and their patients from the spread of Covid-19.

CREW, an acronym for Covid19 Remote Early Warning System, remotely identifies healthcare workers who develop a temperature.

A rise in body temperature is the symptom that is most common among all sufferers of virus.  A spike in temperature, particularly when combined with an increased heart rate, at a time when no other physical activity is taking place – such as when a person is asleep – can provide a key early warning sign for the onset of Covid19.

CREW consists of a wearable digital thermometer sensor which measures body temperature, and a sensor platform such as a smart phone, smart watch or other IoT (internet of things) device, which runs the CREW app.

A cloud based server then runs the CREW system, monitoring incoming data from frontline workers wearing the device. If an elevated temperature is recorded over a specified time frame, CREW generates an automatic alarm warning both the wearer and their employer of their need to take remedial action and self-isolate.

 

Collaboration for the greater good

The system has been developed by 8 West in partnership with the Ireland’s College of Medicine and Health at University College Cork (UCC), its ASSERT Centre and the renowned Tyndall Institute. CREW

UCC’s ASSERT Centre enables clinicians to design, develop, deploy and trial innovative healthcare solutions in a simulated healthcare environment.  The Tyndall National Institute is a leading European research centre specialising in integrated ICT hardware and systems. 

Trials are being undertaken at Cork University Hospital.   

“CUH Emergency Department staff are delighted to have helped pioneer an innovative 24 hour monitoring device like this,” says Professor Stephen Cusack, recently retired Professor of Emergency Medicine at University College Cork and emergency medicine consultant at Cork University Hospital.

“We are 24 hours on the front line of care daily, and it’s good to know that efforts like this are being made to support our wellbeing 24 hours a day too.”

 

Product Innovation with SafeTRX

8 West has extensive experience in developing remote monitoring safety and security systems.

The company, which has been in operation since 1998, specialises in providing technology service solutions to the healthcare and retail sectors to international clients such as insurers Anthem, Delta Dental and DentaQuest, and brands such as Estee Lauder and Ralph Lauren.

It is a product innovator too however, developing its own proprietary solutions. One of these is SafeTrx, which is now Europe’s leading tracking and alerting software platform for the marine sector and which was used in 625 rescue missions last year.

It is thanks to SafeTRX that 8 West has an established presence in the Middle East. A bespoke version of what was originally a marine product is now relied on by Dubai’s police force as a way to remotely monitor and leisure sailors in Dubai waters.

CREW is available on iOS and Android smart phones, Apple WatchOS and Google smartwatch operating system WearOS with the mSafety platform from Sony to follow soon.  In developing it 8 West received technical and hardware support from a range of companies including Sony Network Communications Europe, Cambridge Wireless, Vodafone Ireland, Huawei, Davra, BlueBridge Technologies and PMD Solutions.

 

Addressing an immediate need

According to 8 West founder and co-chief executive John Murphy, the solution was developed from start to finish in just three weeks, “a Herculean effort from our employees” and a part of its contribution to the global crisis.

“Fifty per cent of humanity is self-isolating at the moment. We’ve never seen anything like this before and we’ll most likely be living like this for the next 12 months.” said Murphy

As such he believes an early warning system such as CREW, alongside measures such as social distancing and workplace deep cleaning, will be required for a long time to come as part of all employers’ duty of care to staff.

In the meantime, his goal is to make CREW available to as many frontline staff as possible around the world as soon as possible.

It has the potential to help not only individual medics but the wider hospital and nursing home communities and the general public too, says Murphy, who is due to meet with healthcare sector representatives from Oman, Kuwait and the UAE over the coming weeks.

In developing CREW 8 West didn’t just leverage its own SafeTRX technology, it leveraged Ireland’s uniquely collaborative technological eco-system, he points out.

“The Irish response from around the world and particularly the tech sector, was very collegiate. Everybody was ready to give support because, with Covid19, we all share a single purpose now.”  said Murphy

CREW’s market expansion strategy is being supported by the Enterprise Ireland team in Dubai who are working closely with 8 West to identify optimal routes to market with key local partners.

According to Mike Hogan, Regional Manager Enterprise Ireland, “Markets across the Middle East are always keen to acquire cutting edge technologies and we think this is even more prevalent in the current situation fighting the spread of Covid-19. I’m sure 8 West’s CREW solution will play a big part in fighting the spread of the disease and protecting the frontline health workers who are doing an incredible job keeping our communities safe”.

 

Read more about the Irish companies using innovation to make a difference.

managing liquidity covid19

Managing liquidity through the Covid-19 crisis

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managing liquidity covid

Cash really is king for businesses contending with the Covid-19 crisis. Many of those still trading have to meet ongoing payroll, rent, utilities and other costs in the face of rapidly declining demand, while many others have been forced to close either as a result of government directive or adverse trading conditions and are looking at ways to reopen when the crisis abates.

The challenge for all of these companies is how to manage their liquidity through the coming weeks and months to ensure they are in a position to take advantage of the recovery when it does come.

Interestingly, recent events have served to prepare Irish companies for the shock. “We have been talking to a lot of companies in our role as an outsourced CFO,” says Barry Doyle, director of specialist financial advisory firm SGL.

“They have learned to deal with a lot of problems as a result of the Brexit crisis and they are better prepared as a result. With Brexit, the issues were reduced margins, foreign exchange issues and other disruptions, and they have been preparing for them.” says Doyle.

Of course, the scale of the impact of the Covid-19 crisis is greater by an order of magnitude. “This will mean a shutdown for many companies and a full loss of income for a sustained period,” Doyle points out. “They are seeing zero revenues on one hand while they face continued expenditure on staff, suppliers, customers and so on.”

 

Understand the Data with a Cashflow Forecast

Dealing with that situation begins with data. “The starting point is a detailed cashflow forecast,” Doyle advises. “That’s key to understanding where you are.” And what you need to do.

He describes cash and communication as the key elements of the approach to be taken once the forecast is complete.

“If working capital is the lifeblood of the business, cash is the oxygen,” he notes. “Companies have got to have working capital available to them to kickstart them after the shutdown.”

 

Engage with Creditors and Debtors

And that’s where the communication comes in. “You have to talk to your customers to identify what receipts are likely to come in. Are they still open? Are they still in a position to pay bills? Talk to your suppliers to see if they can extend credit to you. Part pay bills if necessary.”

Doyle says the best way for businesses to look at this situation is as akin to hibernation. “They have to squirrel away cash for when spring comes, so they can take advantage of the bounce that will come then. Many companies have seen this coming and have been working with their customers to get as much cash in as possible. Companies who haven’t done this should run an aged debtor analysis to see what might be out there. It might be a case of seeing who they can target for payment when business reopens, or it might be identifying customers to work with to find a way through the crisis.”

 

Wage Subsidy Scheme to Retain Staff

Cash will still be needed for payroll and other costs, of course. “Nothing is as important as your staff,” Doyle points out. “Your employees are a critical resource in business.”

He believes the Government Wage Subsidy Scheme can help companies avoid the damage of layoffs and advises them to avail of it where possible. “We are working with client companies to help them retain key staff and look after them during the crisis,” he adds.

 

Access Government Supports

Doyle’s Co-Director John Power describes the various State initiatives, including the Enterprise Ireland Stabilise and Rebuild Fund, Business Financial Planning Grant as a “huge boost”. Companies should monitor Government support developments and banking facilities offered from main banks and SBCI, to support their Working Capital needs to help them bounce back and restart their businesses quickly when working restrictions are eased

“The decision by Revenue to defer interest and penalties for late payment of VAT has also been very helpful,” he adds. “Revenue is not withholding Tax Clearance Certificates for late payment and that means companies will be able to continue to get paid by public bodies during the crisis.”

Power concludes by noting that businesses now have to become much more disciplined in terms of cost controls as well as in credit control. “In good times it is possible to be a bit more relaxed,” he says. “But companies now have to be a lot more disciplined when it comes to credit control. That means calling in debts as they fall due or even offering discounts to customers for early payment. They have got to build as much working capital as they can. Cash is king. That’s never been truer.”

Covid-19-An-Employer’s-Guide_

Covid-19: Know your responsibilities as an employer

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Employers and people managers around the country, especially those in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have legal obligations relating to the coronavirus crisis.

In conjunction with Enterprise Ireland, The HR Suite has produced ‘Covid-19: An Employer’s Guide’, a detailed document that outlines everything business owners and managers need to know about their responsibilities towards employees during this challenging time.

Caroline McEnery, Managing Director of the HR Suite says,

“Some of the relevant legislation is new and the changes in it are unchartered for both employers and employees. Other legislation was already in place, but most people wouldn’t have had to worry about it before so it wouldn’t have been on their radar.”

 

New legislative changes

The main points employers need to be aware of is emergency legislation introduced by the Government related to employee wages and payments.

Companies who can show their turnover has reduced by more than 25% due to Covid-19 may qualify for the Wage Subsidy Scheme. This provides a temporary wage subsidy of up to 85% of take home pay up to a maximum weekly amount of €410 per week to affected companies to help them continue to pay their employees.

Separately, employees who lose their jobs qualify for the new Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment of €350 a week for up to 12 weeks.

A new Illness Benefit, paid at the same rate, is also available — for two weeks to any employee medically required to self-isolate and for up to 10 weeks for any employee diagnosed with Covid-19.

“The good news is that the process of processing the payments and benefits is very  straightforward,” says McEnery. “It’s really important that you communicate all the above information as empathetically and sympathetically as you can to people who are already in a very emotional place.”

 

Relevant existing legislation

Among the older laws employees may now find relevant is the Redundancy Payments Acts 1967-2014. Under this act, people who are temporarily working fewer hours than they normally would can claim for a payment called Short Time Work Support. It is paid at the same level as Jobseeker’s Benefit (€203 a week), but on a pro rata basis for the days the person is not working.

Layoffs are also covered under the Redundancy Payments Acts. Employers can place employees on a period of temporary unpaid layoff if they believe they will be able to have them back in paid work again when the crisis passes. Employees who have been temporarily laid off qualify for the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment, as outlined above.

“The only difference now is that if an employee were laid off previously, they could apply for redundancy after four weeks. That option is paused until the end of May [2020] and will be reviewed again then,” said McEnery.

 

Stay informed and communicate

With the Covid-19 situation remaining fluid, McEnery says employers should keep up to speed with what is happening and make sure their employees are in the loop too.

“Review your plans every two weeks in line with the latest Government and HSE guidance, while taking into account what is happening in your business,” she says, adding that employers should also make sure they keep communications channels open with their employees and make sure they are informed of any changes they should know about.

Download the ‘Covid-19: An Employer’s Guide’