South West London ICB has highlighted progress made on its 2025/26 infrastructure strategy, along with next steps for 2026 – 2029.
The ICB notes short, medium and long term plans against the National Cyber Assurance Framework to improve cyber security maturity and resilience, as well as the launch of four digital infrastructure working groups on service management, end user device and software licensing, cloud adoption, and network harmonisation.
Where SWL set out to explore the convergence of EPRs and procurement strategy, it notes the completion of an EPR roadmap and a “clear need justification for an ICS-wide approach to EPR”, linked to national policy and the ICS strategy. Here, the ICB highlights discussions between local partners on aligning contract end dates and exploring potential collaborative opportunities.
Similarly, there was an ambition to undertake a discovery exercise to explore the feasibility of rationalising multiple order comms systems, however this reportedly resulted in a strategic outline case being presented to the board identifying a “significant affordability gap”.
Looking ahead, the ICB shares its approach to planning investments on a long-term basis, delivering data-driven decisions to prioritise investments and programmes, and undertaking continued horizon scanning for funding to support ambitions across estates, digital, and net zero. It similarly outlines its intent to respond to changing clinical models, and a commitment to using digital technologies “where relevant”. Support will be delivered for staff to develop leadership, capacity, and capability to deliver, SWL states, with success to be measured through KPI, dashboard reporting, and programme reporting.
Elsewhere, the board updates on progress around green plan objectives, pointing to the use of remote patient-initiated follow-up pathways and expanded use of virtual outpatient follow-ups, as well as an Employee Purchase Scheme allowing staff to purchase devices to extend the asset lifecycle and with proceeds donated to charities to tackle the digital divide. With the aim to increase the number of suppliers achieving Evergreen status “level 1” by 30 percent, a dataset has been produced of the top 10 suppliers for acute trusts, the ICB adds.
Wider trend: Future digital transformation plans
We were joined for a practical HTN Now webinar taking a deep dive into AI in health and care by expert panellists Peter Thomas, chief clinical information officer and director of digital development at Moorfields Eye Hospital; Sally Mole, senior digital programme manager – digital portfolio delivery team at The Dudley Group; and Ananya Datta, associate director of primary care digital delivery, South East London ICS. The session shared approaches, best practices, challenges, successes and learnings for the practical implementation of AI technologies across health and care, with our panel offering insight into current work, future plans, and ongoing collaborations in areas such as Ambient AI.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust has shared its upcoming digital and data strategy, along with key targets to determine its success, including the procurement and implementation of an EPR and a new patient engagement portal. Core focuses of the new strategy include developing a digitally literate and skilled workforce to help maximise adoption of digital technologies, ensuring available data is leveraged for population health management and predictive analytics, and establishing a digitally integrated care model facilitating seamless coordination across services within and beyond the trust’s borders.
NHS North East and North Cumbria ICB has shared an end of programme report from its Primary Care Access Recovery Plan during 2023-2025, focusing on the NHS App and modern general practice access implementation. The programme will transition to the Modern General Practice Access programme, with the ICB pointing to plans to mitigate key risks around funding with continued digital support via NECS and transition funding for practices.
South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust and George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust boards have discussed their shared EPR programme, noting a go live of October 2026, the need to progress at pace, and highlighting the potential costs if the programme delays. EPR localisation sessions are underway to review the current EPR system and workflows with a view to assessing impact on trust processes, as well as potential clinical and operational risks. A mitigation plan has also been agreed, with Oracle Health and Innovate leads reviewing workflows, and a localisation tracker being shared with UHCW to identify areas requiring their input.
