Greater Manchester Mental Health (GMMH) NHS Foundation Trust and Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust have published a joint Digital and Data Strategy for 2026 – 2031, aiming to transform the model for mental health, learning disabilities and autism, and to introduce a new operating model underpinned by digital and data.
An introduction from both trusts’ CDIOs states: “This strategy represents a significant shift in how we see the role of digital and data. We are moving from treating them as background functions to recognising them as essential organisational capabilities that enable improvement, support clinical decision-making and enhance the experience of staff and service users.”
An interoperable EPR, a digital front door, the use of AI and automation, modern data platforms, remote monitoring, NHS App use, regional data interoperability, and the decommissioning of legacy systems, are all key objectives aligning with the wider Greater Manchester ICB Digital Transformation Strategy, the trusts state.
The procurement and implementation of a new EPR is “essential” in achieving digital maturity and underpinning strategic priorities, according to the trusts, with both current EPR contracts due to expire in 2028 with the potential to extend to 2030. A joint EPR transformational programme has been established across both organisations, with recruitment having commenced into a central transformation team, and an EPR strategic outline case due to be published in early 2026 in preparation for outlined and full business cases in 2026/27. Design and build is set to take place from February 2027, and deployment is estimated to begin in February 2029.
On its aim to deliver outstanding care, both trusts commit to digitally enabled and data informed care, with interoperable clinical systems and digital tools to empower service users and clinicians, and data as a core enabler across clinical care, operational efficiency, research, and population health management.
A digital front door centred around the NHS App will be co-developed with service users, electronic reported outcome measures will be built into the patient portal, and service users will help develop an electronic version of their story, which can be shared with whomever they choose. Accessibility will be an essential criterion in user-facing procurements moving forward, and service satisfaction will be measured and reported in all digital and data services.
On data, GMMH and Pennine Care share ambitions to move to a cloud-based platform to unlock opportunities for analytics and AI, develop a clinical outcomes data service to support the research agenda, and establish population health analytics for mental health that can be used to inform clinical services at neighbourhood level. Data will be structured using open standards such as FHIR to support interoperability with other providers, a suite of dashboards will allow users to self-serve, and data will be shared safely with other agencies.
To measure success across these digital and data ambitions, the trusts plan to monitor uptake of digital services and demographics to assess and act on exclusion blind spots, create a service user digital champions group, govern the capture and storage of data, and review collected CSAT data with a target of +4.7.
When looking to introduce emerging technologies, the trusts note: “To do this safely and at scale, we will establish an environment that supports controlled experimentation, rapid prototyping and structured evaluation, ensuring innovations are clinically safe, cyber-secure and compliant with regulatory expectations.”
An emerging technologies governance framework will be developed alongside defined processes for risk assessment, clinical safety, cyber, and ethics prior to trialling new tech, according to GMMH and Pennine Care. An AI assurance function will be launched to ensure things like model explainability, bias testing, monitoring, and retirement planning are built into adoption pathways; and a clinically led prioritisation process will be defined to promote high-value use cases, reduce variation, and support complex decision-making. The trusts also plan to establish a Centre of Excellence combining expertise, tooling, governance, and vendor assessments from both organisations.
To establish solid and secure foundations for emerging tech and wider use of digital and data, the trusts’ plans include upgrades for networks and connectivity, standardisation of device management, retiring of legacy systems, and reducing of technical debt. A unified cyber security framework will be implemented across both trusts to cover MFA, endpoint protection, vulnerability scanning, and SIEM monitoring, and regular cyber resilience exercises for penetration testing and tabletop scenarios will be carried out. Also recognised is the need for IG processes and staff training to be enhanced to build understanding of the safe handling of data and secure digital adoption.
The trusts also make a series of commitments around people and partnerships, including supporting colleagues to develop digital and data skills, developing a digital and data partnership between the two organisations, and focusing on co-production and co-development in the design of digital and data services.
Six blueprints will be developed in support of the strategy: a cyber security strategy and blueprint, a digital skills and capabilities blueprint, a data quality and clinical coding blueprint, an information governance blueprint, an AI, RPA, and AVT blueprint, and a data architecture and interoperability blueprint.
For 2026/27, the focuses will be on piloting patient engagement portals, converging to a common build of PARIS EPRs, go-live of EPMA and EPS, creating a single schema for data, completing a joint business case for EPR procurement, and working on infrastructure refresh programmes.
Wider trend: Digital strategies
The Irish government has published a national digital mental health strategy, focusing on access, communications, digital tools, co-production, research, innovation, and technology. Key digital initiatives include the HSE Health App, national shared care record, community care record, and EHR. The overarching vision is to take advantage of the potential of digital technologies to improve the quality and accessibility of mental health information, tools, and services. Principles include co-design with service users and the wider public, standards and governance for digital mental health, digitally secure foundations, digital inclusion, and a digitally enabled workforce.
Bristol NHS Group, a partnership between North Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston, has published a Group Clinical Strategy update, focusing on delivering joined-up clinical services, reframing how services are delivered, and reimagining the future of care. Plans include shifting care toward prevention and early intervention, making services more accessible, and expanding remote and digitally-enabled care. Routine face-to-face outpatient appointments will be reduced, and follow-up appointments will be delivered remotely.
The board of Croydon Health Services NHS Trust has shared its quality strategy for 2026-29, linking to elements of the 10-Year Plan and outlining the role of digital and data in taking “a more integrated and transformative approach” to care delivery and quality. In response to the challenges outlined in the 10-Year Plan, the trust sets out key factors in its approach to quality moving forward, including a focus on quality across the entire patient pathway and beyond organisational boundaries, establishing a co-production model with patients, carers, and staff at the centre, and embracing advancing technologies.
