Surrey Heartlands integrated care board has opened an early engagement for potential providers to gauge the level of interest and explore the market for patient portal engagement and inbound communication workflows.
According to the notice, the exercise will include the “development of testbeds and/or pilots for some products and functionalities”, with the aim of bolstering understanding around the potential efficiencies “deliverable through at-scale working models supported by appropriate solutions”, with this specific call to focus on patient portal engagement and inbound communication workflows.
The ICB’s test bed programme is supported by a £1.3 million non-recurrent funding pool, to support transformation and new ways of working, enabled by relevant technology. As part of the scheme, three test bed areas are defined to cover inbound, outbound and business processes, noting technologies such as patient navigation, document management at scale, ambient voice technology, to rostering and scheduling tools.
As part of the early engagement the ICB shares its primary care test beds supplier briefing, which outlines the technology requirements for solutions to help support transformation in primary care services, and sets out evaluation criteria prioritising projects which involve multiple stakeholders or demonstrate the potential for wide impact. The ICB added that innovations must demonstrate “replicability” and align with objectives of improving access, capacity, and patient outcomes.
Providers are asked to register their interest by 12:00pm on 17 February 2025. The notice adds that the full scope of the contract is yet to be determined, but that practice staff are “exploring needs and options” in preparation for a full procurement expected in late 2025. To read the notice in full, please click here.
Digital in supporting access to primary care services
For a recent HTN Now panel discussion, we were joined by a panel of experts from across the health sector to discuss how general practice, PCNs, and ICBs can utilise data and leverage technology to support operational efficiencies and improvements across primary care. Panellists included Kathryn Salt, assistant director of primary & community care, data and analytics for the Transformation Directorate, NHS England; Dr Shanker Vijayadeva, GP lead, digital transformation for the London region at NHS England; Dr Sheikh Mateen Ellahi, GP and practice partner at ELM Tree Surgery and South Stockton Primary Care Network; and Max Gattlin, digital consultant at X-on Health.
Kent and Medway’s five-year primary care strategy has been published, with a focus on improving access through digital front doors, increased use of the NHS app, and digital appointment systems. It highlights same day access hubs, online consultations, cloud telephony, care navigation and triage, and access to self-care, with key enablers including workforce, estates, digital technology, and communications.
NHS Devon ICB also shared an update on its Primary Care Access Recovery Plan, highlighting “good progress” on delivery, a focus on tackling variation, and a potential saving of £19 million through digital advancements. According to this latest update from Devon ICB, patients in 82.9 percent of practices are now able to view their records and practice messages using the NHS app, whilst 95.8 percent of practices have enabled online appointment booking, and 100 percent have activated functionality for ordering repeat prescriptions.
