Funding of £48 million has been announced for 2024/25 as part of a framework to support integrated care boards with capabilities relating to digital pathways and demand and capacity tools.
The framework aims to “enable ICBs to take advantage of the available funding to support uplifted digital tools” in line with the Modern General Practice model, and is part of the approach for 2024/25 which will see “expanded scope” to include demand and capacity management tools.
Whilst the announcement states that this funding is equivalent to “an average of 76p per patient”; it affirms that requests will be considered for a maximum annual equivalent of up to 93p per patient, on a “first-come first-served” basis for ICBs.
Capabilities in the scope include: online consultations and administrative request reporting, online patient or service user consultation, care navigation, online administrative requests, prescription ordering (for patients), communication management, video consultation, record viewing (for patients), and cross organisational appointment booking.
In order to access funding, the announcement sets out requirements to support the buying process in accordance with GPIT operating model arrangements, and that allocations “will be reimbursed” by NHSE “upon provision of details of payment made to suppliers” by an ICB.
The Digital Pathways Framework is intended as the first framework to launch under the new Digital Services for Integrated Care model, which focuses on improving digital products across care settings to support ICSs in working with tech suppliers to “deliver a choice of commonly assured, intuitive and innovative products and services”.
To learn more about the funding, please click here.
In March, we covered the arrangements for the GP contract in 2024/25, highlighting changes around data from digital telephony systems and vaccinations services.
Our recent ICS regional series has explored the use of digital and data across integrated care system regions, considering the latest developments in terms of news, strategies, and other recent developments impacting on digital and data at a local level.
