Tech Innovation Framework

The new Tech Innovation Framework has been designed to encourage innovation and new ways of working and to support future modularisation of clinical IT systems.  It will support the next generation of primary care and ensure that the digital care services catalogue meets the needs of health care professionals.

This framework aims to empower GPs and commissioning groups by giving them access to the best possible technology, enabling them to deliver better care and work effectively in Primary Care Networks and Integrated Care Systems.

It is the third framework to launch under the Digital Care Services Catalogue and will run in parallel to the GPIT Futures and Digital First Online Consultation and Video Consultation frameworks. 

Suppliers on this framework will need to provide a solution which delivers at least the 6 core functions of an electronic health record: 

• patient information maintenance 
• appointments management 
• recording consultations 
• prescribing 
• referral management 
• resource management 

Suppliers will also have to meet all the standards on the Digital Care Services Catalogue including the new GP IT Futures Tech Innovation Standard.  They will all need to target delivery by May 2024, with some aiming for sooner.  These solutions will be available via the Digital Care Service Catalogue. 

An Early Adopter programme has been developed to support primary care organisations interested in changing GP core clinical systems via the Tech Innovation Framework.   

Breakthroughs in new technologies have the potential to improve standards by offering general practices greater choice, commissioners additional options and patients better care. It is therefore vitally important that NHS Digital support new and current suppliers alike, as they work with us to offer GPs innovative solutions to new challenges.

To achieve this, we have designed an integrated commercial approach which will bring new and innovative systems to market whilst at the same time helping to maximise opportunities for customer access.

This framework will help meet the requirements set out in the

• NHS Long Term Plan
• Five-year framework for GP contract reform
• Digital, Data and Technology Vision

We ran a market engagement exercise between January 2022 and March 2022 to scope out how best we can support suppliers to deliver technological innovation into the market.  This exercise

• ensured there is capacity in the market to meet NHS Digital's requirements
• informed the design and content of any subsequent tendering exercise
• provided potential suppliers with enough information to prepare a strong bid should that opportunity arise 

With new and updated technological standards put in place to drive innovation in primary care, current system suppliers, new entrants into the market, practitioners, patients and taxpayers will all benefit from a more competitive, solution-orientated marketplace.

Following extensive research with GP practice staff, and across the NHS it was found that a number of general practice users feel that some of the technology has not evolved to meet their needs.

The proposed Tech Innovation Framework will offer GPs the opportunity to enjoy a greater choice from assured modern secure and well designed products and services. Commissioners will be able to use the systems available from this framework to buy GP systems and associated products and services.

The new framework will not impact on the current services provided by our current GP system suppliers.

We will extend the current portfolio of IT solutions, by introducing a set of new technical standards that encourage web browser-based solutions that are cloud-based and offer different user and accessibility experiences.

It is important that all suppliers recognise that we are not replacing what is already there today. This work is about offering greater choice into the market by publishing standards for a new vision that allows current and new suppliers to make use of new technologies available today.

This new framework will help to expand the core clinical systems available in the GP IT market by encouraging innovation and moving further towards GPIT future's vision of open, modern, cloud, native architectures with consistent technical and data standards. It aims to create a more competitive market to improve quality and safety for both staff and patients. 

Public Cloud based solutions support the NHS strategic architecture direction for systems supply. They allow us to

• offer significant usability and accessibility improvements  making systems easy to use, intuitive and compliant with latest standards
• support our sustainability agenda through operational efficiencies, and the continual promotion of more efficiency supply of computing
• offer on demand scalability, both up and down to respond to changing demand quickly and efficiently
• support variable pricing models that drive better value for money

GPs

The new framework will enable NHS Digital to publish new standards, pursue new technologies within the foundation EPR solutions environment; and increase solution diversity and innovation. Ultimately giving GPs more choice

Suppliers

The new framework will offer suppliers an opportunity to demonstrate their investment in primary care IT, add value to NHS Digital's technology roadmap and to deliver quality healthcare solutions.

Buyers

Buyers will have a wider choice of solutions, including those built to new standards that are focused on user centred design, interoperate more easily and improve access to patient data.  We will support the business change and implementation needs of potential early adopters of new to market solutions.

Find out how to become an early adopter of a Tech Innovation Framework solution and the support we can offer.

For further information about the framework email [email protected].