Kate McCaul

An insightful bit of work by New Local on how we should seek to rebuild the NHS. While there is general consensus on the need for change and innovation, there is a risk that the pursuit of health outcomes purely in terms of driving economic benefit risks missing the societal ownership of solutions. Fundamentally we should be aspiring for prevention and upstream solutions, rather than seeking to continue to flow finance in to addressing problems when they will cost more to address.

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At the weekend I stayed in a Premier inn (M5, J24) - and I want to share this little bit of 'accessibility done right'. I need an accessible parking space otherwise I can't get my wheelchair out from the side of my car. On arrival, this wasn't a problem - but I was going out for the evening, and there was a real risk the spaces would all be full by the time I returned. Which would create a bit of a nightmare. I asked reception whether I could reserve a space. A quick discussion between colleagues established there wasn't an official solution, and so they came up with a few practical options - and we decided on a member of staff parking their car in a space for me - then moving their car a few minutes before I got back. And sure enough, I got back to find an accessible space ready for me. I don't have the words to properly explain the difference this made. It's quite standard for me to go to the shops, drive round for 5 minutes waiting for a space - then give up and go home, and try again later. If the accessible spaces are full at a hotel with no other suitable parking within my wheeling distance....this is a HUGE deal. But not only was a solution found quickly, it was done with such warmth and friendliness and respect for my needs, without even the slightest hint of frustration at my request. Not only that, but I was encouraged to call ahead if I stay with them again, so they know to save a space for me. I could not have asked for a better response. A huge thank you to the staff on shift Saturday evening. Good #accessibility isn't about formal policies that cover every eventuality (this would be practically impossible) - it's about policies and practices that give staff the freedom, support, and confidence to adapt to the situation in front of them and create the accessibility that is needed.

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WARNING **RADICAL HONESTY POST** 😅 So today marks the second day in my new journey of reducing my screentime. But you work at a computer, I hear you say! Yeah but that's the thing. I have been looking at my job as 'separate' to any screen time consumed in the morning or evening and in the endeavor of radical honesty, this became a pretty big issue for me! Those of you who know me will know I'm raw-dogging life without ADHD meds (a personal choice) and there are pros and cons to this. One of the cons is that even though I am an absolute Pro with a capital P at masking, sometimes my impulses take over and I form really bad and unhealthy habits that are hard to break. For what it's worth, when I'm with my kids, it's rare I look at my phone unless it rings but that means that when I'm not I have a million notifications and end up getting sucked in. I also love ❤️TV and film❤️ so many evenings are spent devouring HBO's latest offering or maybe a Prime Home Premier if I'm feeling spicy. I started feeling really low recently and when I thought about it, the amount of hours that my eyes were focused on a screen were really totting up😅The thing is, when you have ADHD you kind of live your life with racing thoughts every waking moment of the day and I realised that my recreational screen use was me trying to self-medicate my exceptionally busy brain, which for obvious reasons isn't great. I mean, what therapist ever recommended more screentime as a means to treat ADHD symptoms? 🤣 Ironically, I've always been really strict on my kids using devices (they only have the telly or laptop for schoolwork) and my 11 year old only has a burner phone as I don't want his social development to be stunted by a screen and internet use, which surprisingly, he's cool with. So I'm owning my shit and making a decision to reduce my out of work hours screentime down to an hour a day and TV is going to become a treat after the gym or at weekends once my kids are in bed. I want to rediscover my creativity away from a screen and I'm hoping this will only enhance the passion and ideas I already bring to my job, which I love! Is anyone else out there just feeling that we are all spending way too much time looking at screens or is it just me? 😅😂 #partialdigitaldetox

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Some musings on the impact of AI on #DigitalAccessibility. In summary, mostly good but with some interesting challenges to watch out for...

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These reviews focus on the good or bad of websites that I give 59 seconds of my time to. In this case, a supplier of services to digital agencies that has some strange design choices in their own site. Do we really need those scroll bars in 2024? On the upside: they clearly post to multiple social media channels regularly (same content to each in most cases).

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When it comes to sustainability reporting, transforming complex data into compelling narratives is an art. The first article in Speak's three-part series focuses on just this. With insights from sustainability experts, we explore how corporate comms teams can turn dry metrics into powerful insights through human-focused storytelling. Would recommend giving this article from Serena Haththotuwa a read 👏 https://lnkd.in/efP7Rgre Get in touch if you'd like to learn more about how Speak Media UK can help your corporate comms team bring corporate narratives to life.

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Engaging the Hard to Reach: Learn How National Grid Revolutionized Their Intranet! 🌍💻 ... How do you make an intranet that works as hard as your frontline teams? 💡 National Grid did just that—and their efforts earned an Institute of Internal Communication award! 🏆 Join us on Wednesday 11th December at 3pm for an exclusive webinar. I will interview Simon Fitzpatrick, Intranet Manager at National Grid. Together, we will unpack how National Grid turned their intranet into a game-changer for remote and field-based workers across the UK and US. 🔑 What you’ll learn: ✅ Overcoming user experience challenges for field-based employees ✅ Embedding corporate values through effective digital communication ✅ Secrets behind their award-winning intranet—transforming onboarding, delivering tailored newsfeeds, and fostering engagement with Viva Engage ✅ How this transformation achieved millions in cost savings 📉 ✅ A peek into the future: using AI to elevate enterprise intranets 🎥 Where: YouTube Live 💬 Want to join the conversation? Log in to participate in the live Q&A! 🗓️ Mark your calendar! 👉 Register Now: https://lnkd.in/duRtiDaC #InternalComms #EmployeeEngagement

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💡 ACCESSIBILITY 💡 Accessibility is really important to us here at Sorted, as well as to our clients. We always try to keep on top of the latest guidance, ensuring our comms are reaching everyone in our intended audience. We’ve condensed all the guidance into one comprehensive guide, helping you keep your comms output as accessible as possible. Typefaces 🔠 Typefaces should be clean, clear, modern, consistent, and easy to read. Good choices are Arial or Frutiger. These types of fonts can still be used in different weights, colours, and sizes to create unique design styles. • Avoid using large blocks of capital letters, underlined text and italics, or anything too stylised. • Text should be left aligned and set horizontally. • Use a minimum font size of 12-14 (and consider a separate large print format if applicable). • If somebody asks for a document in a larger font size, you should always create a new document to suit their needs and not just attempt to blow up the original on a photocopier. For more tips, check out ‘How to make your comms more accessible’, available for free from our website 👉 https://lnkd.in/ebM3rMGH #accessibility #comms I hope this is helpful, but do shoot me a comment if I’ve missed anything.

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Reflecting on my #BrightonSEO experience from last week there were a couple of talks that really resonated with me. I was impressed with Sarah Chaya Presch who was on the main stage on Friday. Her talk was on confirmation bias, which was incredibly eye-opening. I'll explain why 👇 It's easy for people to get the answer to a question to confirm their own bias. Even if that answer adds to miss-information online. Sarah even showed examples of how the same piece of content gave two contradictory answers on whether sugar causes ADHD. Google will serve content for the question even if that will lead to diss-information, which could have long-term negative effects. It's made me realise how important our roles are as SEOs and content writers to help remove diss-information across the internet. We're just as responsible as Google in my opinion in making sure our content is factual, accurate, and fact checked by real experts. Don't just write the same content and the same answers as your competitors, as you could be unintentionally adding to miss-information and someone else's confirmation bias. You can read up on Sarah's Brighton SEO talk here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dAGQfdTu

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I've had some lovely positive feedback from clients this week. With this job, we took an old, tired pdf lead magnet and brought it back to life with fresh images and copy. A big thanks to my graphic designer Eliver for doing the visual side of things (did you know I have a graphic designer on my team? He edits videos too...) Marketing and creating content doesn't have to be complex or cost the earth. If you have a small job you've been meaning to get to but don't have time for, let me know. #feedback #contentmarketing #leadmagnets #freelancer

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Google’s recent algorithm leak has revealed vital info on reranking and topical authority. Stay ahead by adapting your strategy today. How do you think this will impact your SEO plans? Read more 👉 https://snip.ly/l4wd43 #contactora #seotips #ukseoagency #digitalmarketing #SEO #SEOstrategy #marketingnews

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What’s the European Accessibility Act (EAA) got to do with you? The Act is set to improve standards across the private sector, bringing it more in line with current regulations for government, charities, and universities. Products and services (including passenger travel services) are included. UK businesses (of 10 people or over or an annual turnover above €2m) need to comply if they trade within the EU. The EAA comes into effect on 28th June 2025. Are you concerned about your website, apps, or socials complying with this new legislation? Book an Accessibility Audit & Report that will identify areas of strength and where improvements can be made. Simply send me a message to begin. #EuropeanAccessibilityAct #EAA #InclusiveMarketing #AccessibleCommunications #PurpleRiverMedia

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BREAKING NEWS. BUDGET. LIVE. Reporting live from outside the House of Commons on todays budget! Exclusive interview with Clare Stirling. Watch for possibly more meaningful updates later. #thebudget2024 #thebudget ----------------------------- 😀 If we haven't met before, then "Hello, my name is Ben" 💡 I make websites and digital technology simple to use. If you want to see more of my posts... Then ring the 🔔 at the top of my profile Follow my UX company hashtag #MadeWithMaturity #UXDesign 🔝 Connect with me

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If I were writing the copy for the recent Jaguar advert, I might have taken a different approach—for a UK audience, at least. I might have had an endearingly rambunctious-looking 'cad' sitting on the bonnet/hood, with a confident, telling smirk and an apparently gigantic, throbbing love muscle bulging from within his definitely not skinny trousers. Bursting out, even, if I could get away with it. In the literal sense, for all to see. On the back seat would be a dishevelled but deeply satisfied glamour model reapplying her lipstick, appearing joyfully ruined by the aforementioned love muscle. The title, or narrative, would have been simple: Jags, fags*, slags and blags*. Buyers would perceive a man of confidence, with a sawn-off shotgun stashed behind the passenger seat. Classy. Great company. Gregarious. Capable of flattening you with a right-hander, if need be. Would have sold like hotcakes. People are tired of the current nonsense. It would have been a much-needed reset. *Fags: UK slang for cigarette. Potential American clients - please make other colloquial allowances before soiling yourself with some of this language, none of which is offensive. I am British. It's how many of us speak. Thanks. I can be hired, by the way. I have been unwell for a little while, but I am pleased to report I am back to my fullest creative copywriting glory. You have no idea what you are missing.

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