University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust has issued a tender notice for an integrated digital patient pathway platform, worth up to £2 million.
The platform is sought to help to deliver evidence-based care consistently across specialties, improve efficiency, reduce the risk of error or unwarranted variation, and ensure patients receive care in the “most appropriate setting”, first time. It is also expected to facilitate patient choice and engagement, improve care quality, reduce health inequalities, and “give patients visibility and involvement throughout their journey”.
Currently, patient pathways across primary, secondary and community care are fragmented, the trust notes, with different manual processes for referrals and patient communication. The effect of this is seen in inefficiencies, clinical variation, and lack of patient visibility, which result in poorer patient outcomes and health inequalities.
The contract will run from 23 January 2026, to 22 January 2030, with an option to extend to 22 January 2036 for a total contract length of ten years.
Earlier this year, the trust also shared its intent to procure up to four digital solutions for the implementation of voice recognition software, covering digital diction, speech recognition with generative AI and outsourced transcription.
Wider trend: The role of tech in patient flow and communication
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust has issued a preliminary market engagement notice indicating its intent to explore options for transforming paper-based patient communications through introducing a digital-first approach. The trust is seeking early engagement with suppliers who can offer modern and integrated solutions to help deliver this approach, looking to gain a better understanding of market capability and best practices to inform the development of a full specification.
Innovate UK and the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, in partnership with Lilly, are offering NHS organisations the chance to apply for a share of up to £85 million for projects offering innovative community and primary care based weight management pathways. The funding is split into three “strands”. The first is for access and management services, covering a patient-centred access service based on clinical need and addressing health inequalities, including multiple referral inputs across triage, onward referrals, escalation, care pathway management, and reporting. Supporting optimal use of national and local weight management services, innovations may be digital, physical, or hybrid.
Barts Health has shared how a real-time data dashboard, linked to its EPR, has made an impact on patient safety, patient flow, and delivery of care. The M-BRACE project presents key information in a single place, including data relating to risk of falls, low blood sugar, and delays in assessment or transport, to support structured check-ins through the day. At 8-9am ward teams meet with support of the data, 10-12pm best practice reviews of every patient’s care take place, with check-ins 3-4pm, to review and track progress on discharges and identify any patients becoming unwell.
