The G-Cloud or 'Digital Marketplace' is a UK government initiative that allows public sector organizations to procure cloud-based IT services through online frameworks without running full competitive tender processes. It aims to reduce costs and improve efficiency of government services by facilitating the use of cloud technologies. The Digital Marketplace serves as an online store where government agencies can search for and procure approved cloud services covered by G-Cloud agreements. An example is the CareflowConnect platform, which replaces paper-heavy processes with a collaborative digital system that enables real-time communication between multi-disciplinary healthcare teams.

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G-Cloud or ‘Digital
Marketplace’
A brief introduction

2. What is G-Cloud or ‘Digital Marketplace’
● ‘Digital marketplace’ AKKA G-Cloud is a cloud technology used exclusively by the government.
The UK Government G-Cloud is an initiative targeted at easing procurement by public-sector bodies in
departments of the United Kingdom Government of commodity information technology services that use
cloud computing. The G-Cloud consists of:
● A series of framework agreements with suppliers, from which public sector organisations
can call off services without needing to run a full tender or competition procurement
process
● An online store – the "Digital Marketplace" (previously "CloudStore") that allows public
sector bodies to search for services that are covered by the G-Cloud frameworks.

3. Cloud computing
What is cloud
computing?

4. Cloud computing - the basics
● The simplest way to visualise the ‘cloud’ & ‘cloud computing’ is to think of services like
Google, Netflix and iTunes.
o These are the clearest ‘every day’ examples of cloud technology
● These services represent a shared online space, accessed through the internet,
where multiple users - separated by vast distances are able interact and use the
resources offered by the respective clouds.
o At its most basic level, cloud technologies such as these represent a shift away
from traditional hardware - where users were tied to a single server within a
specific location - to a digital and online platform that can be accessed,
regardless of location.

5. Cloud computing - professional application
● Professionally, the cloud opens up an array of opportunity, diversification, cost-cutting and most of all
efficiency.
● The benefits are:
o Agility improves with users' ability to re-provision technological infrastructure resources.
o Cost reductions claimed by cloud providers. A public-cloud delivery model converts capital
expenditure to operational expenditure.This purportedly lowers barriers to entry, as infrastructure is
typically provided by a third party and does not need to be purchased for one-time or infrequent
intensive computing tasks.
o Device and location independence enable users to access systems using a web browser
regardless of their location or what device they use (e.g., PC, mobile phone). As infrastructure is off-
site (typically provided by a third-party) and accessed via the Internet, users can connect from
anywhere.

6. Benefits of cloud tec to professions
o Maintenance of cloud computing applications is easier, because they do not need to be installed on
each user's computer and can be accessed from different places.
o Multitenancy enables sharing of resources and costs across a large pool of users thus allowing for:
 centralization of infrastructure in locations with lower costs (such as real estate, electricity,
etc.)
o Performance is monitored, and consistent and loosely coupled architectures are constructed using
web services as the system interface.
o Productivity may be increased when multiple users can work on the same data simultaneously,
rather than waiting for it to be saved and emailed. Time may be saved as information does not need
to be re-entered when fields are matched, nor do users need to install application software upgrades
to their computer
● Furthermore, users can access cloud computing using networked client devices, such as desktop computers,
laptops, tablets and smartphones and any Ethernet enabled device such as Home Automation Gadgets -
rather than being tied to a server

7. What purpose does the ‘Digital marketplace’ serve?
● ‘Digital marketplace’/ G-Cloud - like any cloud technology - serves to enhance the
capabilities, functionality and delivery of government services by:
o Reducing cost to local and regional governments by no longer having to invest
vast sums of capital in ‘in-house’ hardware i.e servers which need periodical
replacement
o Enabling a more effective service and delivery of government deliverables by
incorporating cloud technologies into governmental infrastructure and working
o Oftentimes, this such cloud systems promote a collaborative working space for
government professionals - from doctors to civil servants - to make decisions
● Rather than being time and resource being wasted on paper
redrafting after revision, G-Cloud enables real-time interaction and
input from all those involved - regardless of location

8. Example
Case study
CareflowConnect
● CareflowConnect is an integrated communication platform for more efficient care
coordination and faster clinical decision making.
● By mapping care teams and linking them up in real-time with electronic patient
records and patient alerts, it enables constantly changing, multi-disciplinary teams to
focus and optimise clinical workflow around patients.
o This G-Cloud technological platform replaces the former paper heavy
predecessor.
o Where previously numerous reports would have to be written and redrafted,
CareflowConnect not only provides a digital space for clinicians, but also
promotes real-time collaborative patient care to take place.