Welcome to our newsletter, bringing you all the latest from the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government. In this newsletter, we bring you a detailed update on what has been happening throughout the last month and details of upcoming activities.
If you have any queries regarding any of the content within this newsletter, please get in touch.
We're delighted to be offering an introduction to service design course. The content is linked to the Scottish Approach to Service Design (SAtSD) and is delivered by the Scottish Government’s Office of the Chief Designer, in partnership with the Digital Office for Scottish Local Government.
Training dates and format The course will initially be delivered in two cohorts:
Cohort 1: 18–21 May
Cohort 2: 1–4 June
We will prioritise one participant per local authority (16 participants per cohort). Each cohort will be delivered online over four mornings (Monday to Thursday), from 9:30am to 12:30pm.Participants must be able to attend all four sessions.
We plan to offer additional sessions in future. If you are interested in this course or future sessions please register using the link below.
Microsoft Licence Audit & Allocation Working Group Progress.
The cross-council Microsoft Licence Audit & Allocation working group is now underway, with the first two workshops successfully completed.
We are currently in Phase 2, persona development, focusing on defining role-based user profiles that better reflect how employees actually work. This will form the foundation for a more structured and consistent approach to Microsoft licence allocation across councils.
The overall aim is to develop a reusable framework that supports councils to align Microsoft licences to user needs, improve governance, and identify cost savings and avoidance opportunities.
If your council has developed job families, user personas, or role-based profiles, we would really value seeing them. These do not need to be finalised - draft or in-progress examples are absolutely fine. Please send anything you’re happy to share to Monika Franko.
Results from our latest Aggregated Procurement for Microsoft Licences.
Our latest aggregated procurement exercise for Microsoft licences (NFC 196) completed in mid‑February 2026. 7 eligible councils were invited to participate, with 6 councils taking part in the exercise.
Co‑ordinated by the Digital Office, Scotland Excel and the Crown Commercial Service (CCS), this aggregated approach continues to support councils to achieve cost avoidances and reduce the time and effort associated with individual procurements. The most recent exercise delivered an average cost avoidance of 3.21% compared to market pricing.
Aggregated procurement exercises for Microsoft licences have been running quarterly since 2021. Participation in the process imposes no obligation to commit to the successful bidder. If your organisation has Microsoft licences expiring later in 2026 and would like to be included in future aggregated procurement exercises, please contact Monika Franko.
Smart Data Foundry: Update from the 22nd April Co-development Session.
Thank you for your attendance and contributions at our recent co-development session on the 22nd April. During the session we explored the opportunities and challenges of a Scotland wide approach around the use and integration of The Wellbeing Explorer with Smart Data Foundry.
Key highlights
We discussed how data from Smart Data Foundry can support poverty prevention, service planning and early intervention.
Shared current council data sets being used and mapped possible data sets to explore and demonstrate how insights can enable more targeted and preventative action at a National, Regional and Local level.
Strong interest emerged in anational, collaborative approach, helping reduce duplication and maximise value across the sector.
Governance was a key theme, with discussion on DPIAs, lawful data sharing and reinforcing the need for clear national guidance.
Next steps
Share session recordings and council case studies to help councils understand benefits and build confidence.
Progress API development to support integration with local tools such as Power BI and ArcGIS.
Strengthen national governance guidance, engaging data protection officers and information leads early.
Explore appetite for a Scotland‑wide agreement or framework, with early adopters helping shape the model.
Wider input into the Miro Board to identify opportunities to build data sets and align to benefits realisation.
As agreed at the session, can you please add any additional comments or suggestions to the Miro Board by Friday 8th May.
Please do feel free to share and discuss with colleagues for their input also. If you have any questions in the meantime or need access to the Miro, please do not hesitate to contact Verity Hislop.
Cyber Table-Top Exercises for Scottish Local Authorities.
Our Chief Information Security Officer is continuing to deliver Cyber Tabletop Exercises for Scottish Local Authorities, working in close collaboration with Police Scotland and the Scottish Government. Since December, we have delivered 3 exercises across both operational and strategic levels. May is shaping up to be a busy month, with a further 3 strategic exercises scheduled and more planned for later in the year.
Councils who have not yet exercised can contact us to discuss the available options. Exercises can range from lighter‑touch operational sessions delivered via Microsoft Teams to full strategic in-person tabletop exercises for senior management. What matters most is starting the journey of regular exercising.
These exercises benefit from the involvement of emergency planning teams as well as cyber teams. One of the most important outcomes is a shared understanding that a serious cyber incident is a whole‑council event and can be highly disruptive without coordinated preparation. If you would like to arrange a cyber exercise, please get in touch at info@digitaloffice.scot.
Analogue to Digital Countdown:
9 months to go
April - Telecare Service Review: Scotland in Transition
Telecare in Scotland: Scotland in Transition
Scotland’s telecare services are nearing a pivotal moment. With the PSTN switch‑off set for 31 January 2027, the March 2026 National Telecare Service Review provides the clearest picture yet of where we are, how far we’ve come, and what still needs attention.
The review captures the true scale of telecare in Scotland, supporting over 137,000 people, handling around six million calls a year, and now operating predominantly on digital, cloud‑based platforms.
It highlights strong progress in digital migration, growing resilience through shared Alarm Receiving Centres, and the opportunities digital telecare creates for better data, smarter services and more person‑centred support.
At the same time, it sets out the continuing challenges, particularly for housing and grouped schemes, and what the next phase of optimisation will require.
April Housing Blog: What a Journey (and what we learned along the way)
Digital telecare migration rarely follows a straight line, especially when services are there to keep people safe at home. Across housing, providers are navigating complex change, and the most valuable insights are coming from those already on the journey
Castlehill Housing Association recently shared practical lessons from completing their migration, from preparing digital lines early and testing equipment in standalone mode, to investing in staff training and engaging residents from the outset
These insights helped Castlehill, alongside Link Group, become the first housing providers to achieve full recognition across all five milestones of the Housing Implementation Award Scheme.
Their experience shows the value of planning, partnership, and learning from peers. With the right support, digital migration is not just achievable, it’s a positive step forward for residents and services alike.
Deep Dive Session: Cloud-Only Entra Joined Devices.
We're excited to announce the first of several dedicated M365 education deep dive sessions. This upcoming virtual event is aimed at local authority IT teams, system administrators and anyone interested in gaining a comprehensive understanding of Entra management of education devices in the cloud.
Background
With increasing adoption of cloud technologies, local authorities face unique challenges and opportunities in modernising their IT infrastructure. The shift towards cloud-only education device management enables greater flexibility, enhanced security and streamlined administration. However, adapting to these new systems can be complex, requiring a clear understanding of best practices and potential pitfalls.
What to Expect:
Presentations and insights from North Lanarkshire Council and Perth & Kinross Council.
In-depth exploration of the benefits and challenges of cloud-only device management using Entra.
Best practices and tips for successful implementation.
Q&A session for attendees to ask questions and share experiences.
Please register using the link below. We look forward to welcoming you to this insightful session. If you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch at info@digitaloffice.scot.
Job Opportunities: Project Manager and Project Coordinator for Digital Telecare.
We’re looking for a Project Manager and a Project Coordinator to join the Digital Telecare team within the Digital Office to help support Scotland’s transition from analogue to fully digital telecare services, alongside wider health and social care transformation work.
The Project Manager will lead the delivery of projects across the Digital Telecare Portfolio including planning, coordinating and driving work that supports delivery of digital telecare and related health and care programmes.
The Project Coordinator will provide high-quality coordination and administrative support across the Digital Telecare Programme and wider transformation activity, helping colleagues keep projects on track and supporting effective programme governance.
Apply via myjobscotland by 11.59pm on Sunday 10th of May 2026 using the link below.
