Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire (BSW) ICB’s latest digital strategy to 2029 has been published, based on five strategic themes. These cover digitally empowering the population, supporting the workforce through digital innovation, using data to focus decision making, delivering strong digital and data foundations, and protecting patients and staff with “robust” cybersecurity.
According to the strategy roadmap, in 2026 BSW’s focus will be on launching its community digital front door, aiming to achieve a ten percent increase in use of the integrated care record, deliver clinical and administrative AI pilots, embed population health tools across the system, and launch the Healthier Together App.
In 2027, ambitions include twice as many patients being supported by Hospital at Home, all neighbourhoods using BSW population health tools for proactive care, and implementation of a single acute EPR. 2028-29 will then look to reach >60 percent of patients reporting ease in contacting their GP practice through the NHS App, to achieve a unified ICS cyber score of >90 percent, and to secure a single order comms solution.
Consistency in digital delivery is to be achieved through a series of agreed digital design principles including cyber security being at the centre of all digital solutions, use of cloud by default in new solution design, information governance, data privacy, and clinical safety considered from the outset, and the avoidance of data siloes by ensuring new systems can share data via open APIs and feed data into the BSW integrated care record. Being clear on the need, making use of what is already in place, collaboration on procurements, the use of case studies from elsewhere, and service-led transformation and design, are other key areas identified.
BSW shares how it will “get the basics right” by delivering reliable and secure digital and data infrastructure, ensuring systems are securely defended from external threats, addressing digital backlog, procuring tech “at scale”, maximising use of existing assts, and prioritising investment in solutions that enable the safe sharing of information across patient pathways. Networked pathology and imaging systems will support the flow of information across organisations, WiFi will be improved across the estate, and ageing equipment will be removed.
On its “first in type tri-trust integrated EPR”, the ICB focuses on creating a single, shared digital platform across three acute trusts, replacing fragmented systems with an integrated solution. According to BSW, the programme also aims to standardise workflows and clinical templates to streamline processes and improve efficiencies. Other plans include the embedding of a cloud-first strategy across ICB and GP sites, a focus on sustainable IT procurement, and work on device rationalisation.
“A unified data environment will enable better analytics and reporting, supporting proactive management of elective recovery, cancer pathways, and urgent care,” BSW states. “It will also strengthen digital inclusion through patient-facing tools, giving individuals greater control over their health information and care interactions. By harmonising systems and processes across the BSW Hospitals Group, the programme creates a foundation for integrated working, ensuring that digital transformation drives both immediate service improvements and long-term health outcomes.”
On cyber, the ICB outlines key deliverables covering the the deployment of privileged access management by April 2026, standardised security baselines for all devices, standardised use of antivirus and endpoint protection, and continued development of a Cyber Cell for incident coordination. Cyber tooling and policies will be aligned across the system, and BSW will engage with the NHS Cyber Security Apprenticeship Scheme.
Around digitally empowering the population, BSW commits to offering more ways to access services, including through virtual appointments, sharing more information with service users and patients, designing services with digital inclusion in mind, and improving population digital literacy. Population health tools will ensure proactive care, barriers to data sharing will be removed, and advanced data science techniques will be used to assess impact of services on the population.
Workforce digital capability will be prioritised, and an “innovation culture” around digital will be promoted. Remote working tools and flexible connectivity will be introduced as part of Net Zero progress. AI solutions such as ambient voice, referral triage and decision support, clinical coding, and Microsoft CoPilot will be explored for their potential efficiencies.
Wider trend: ICB digital transformation
North West London and North Central London ICBs have issued a preliminary market engagement notice outlining an intent to procure an end-to-end digital solution for complex care clinical commissioning across the merged West and North London (WNL) ICB. With a budget up to £3.8 million, the solution will aim to replace outdated systems across both organisations, promoting resilience within the complex care service, reducing unwarranted variation, improving data accuracy and visibility, and introducing workflows and automation. According to the ICB, the solution will also support the transition to a new operating model and “transformational” ways of working, empowering users with dedicated portals to support user experience.
Cheshire and Merseyside ICB has outlined a range of digital plans and priorities to 2031 in its five-year clinical and strategic commissioning plan, also incorporating system ambitions for population health improvement, and advising of a £29.6 million transformation fund for 2026-27. The ICB commits to a single multi-year digital investment model incorporating provider organisations, primary care, and wider system stakeholders as a single enterprise. Other plans include the delivery of digital tools to support clinical workflows, improve operational productivity and empower patients; the use of data-driven intelligence to inform clinical decisions and improve outcomes; embracing AI to “radically transform” how the system operates; and establishing a digital centre of excellence to coordinate innovation and horizon scanning.
South Yorkshire ICB has launched three digital strategies designed to modernise services, strengthen cyber resilience, and empower its workforce with digital skills to continue to deliver safe and effective care. The digital strategy to 2027 notes AI as one of the major areas highlighted by the ICB. The board outlines its plans to set up a system-wide AI and automation forum to oversee development of agreed frameworks and principles for adoption, and to collaborate with academic partners to ensure these are kept up-to-date. Steps will be taken to help partners understand their AI maturity, and a system pilot will be undertaken for ambient voice, taking advantage of opportunities to procure at scale through the NHS Test Framework.
