North East and North Cumbria (NENC) ICB has awarded a contract with a total value of up to £2.4 million to Accurx for the provision of digital tools to support digital pathways in line with modernising general practice requirements.
The contract, covering an initial period of six months and a value of £809,622 excluding VAT, is for an online consultation, video consultation, appointment booking, and text messaging tool.
It offers the option for an extension of up to 12 months, at an additional value of £1,619, 245, covering the overall period from 1 October, 2025, to 31 March, 2027.
Accurx was selected following a call-off process from the CCS G-Cloud 14 Framework (RM1557.14) Lot 2: Cloud software, during which the ICB sought to identify the most suitable provider to deliver on its requirements.
NENC recently shared an end of programme report from its Primary Care Access Recovery Plan, along with plans for modernising general practice including implementing transition funding for practices and tackling workforce capacity risks through the ICB Workforce Strategy for 2025 – 2030.
Sharing assurances on the future of the programme, NENC reports that its primary care and digital teams are working closely with NHS England to maximise any resources available to support delivery of MGPA, whilst GPIT plans to identify future requirements are underway.
“NENC ICB will continue to support general practices with the delivery of the Modern General Practice Model to deliver improvements in access, continuity and overall experience for people and their carers,” the board states.
Wider trend: Primary care digital transformation
A recent HTN Now webinar looked at the role of digital in supporting the primary and secondary care interface, with our experts sharing details about their own approaches and experiences in this area, including best practices and key learnings. We also explored interoperability, collaboration between care settings and how digital can ensure patients are directed to the right place at the right time. Panellists included, Kath Potts, chief digital officer at University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust and Dr Sheikh Mateen Ellahi, GP and practice partner at Elm Tree Surgery and South Stockton Primary Care Network.
For a separate HTN Now discussion, we spoke to experts from across the healthcare sector on the future of general practice core systems. This included exploring potential opportunities and areas of future growth, considering challenges such as integration and interoperability, and outlining what “good” looks like in this space. Our panellists were Bex Cottey, business manager for Conisbrough GPs, Emma Stratful, chief operating officer at OX.DH, Dr Sheikh Mateen Ellahi, GP and practice partner at ELM Tree Surgery and South Stockton Primary Care Network and Dr Shanker Vijayadeva, GP lead, digital transformation for the London region at NHS England.
Over 1,000 GP surgeries are set to receive a share of £102 million as part of the government’s Primary Care Utilisation and Modernisation Fund, the first national capital fund for primary care estates since 2020, and part of a series of measures announced to increase support for primary care. According to the announcement, the funding will support primary care to either enhance the use of existing infrastructure or to create additional capacity. It notes, “from creating new consultation and treatment rooms to making better use of existing space,” it states, “these quick fixes will help patients across the country be seen faster.”
