NHS England has recently signed two significant contracts worth a total of £86 million to support the digital transformation of urgent and emergency care (UEC).
The first contract, valued between £28.1 million and £37.4 million, has been awarded to Kainos Software for a three-year period starting on August 15, 2024. This contract will focus on transforming the digital UEC team’s activities, specifically targeting NHS Pathways triage software, the directory of services, and UEC data.
The second contract, with a value between £36.9 million and £49.3 million, has been awarded to Accenture to support continuous improvement activities within the digital UEC portfolio. This contract will cover various workstreams, including NHS Pathways, real-time information on service availability, digital referrals, data insights, and interoperability standards.
These contracts come in light of new UEC guidance set forth by NHSE in May 2024, aimed at reducing patient wait times in emergency departments. The letter from national UEC directors highlighted the importance of utilizing virtual ward beds efficiently to improve UEC performance.
Additionally, a recent collaboration between Kainos and Our Future Health aims to advance the UK’s largest health research programme, highlighting the ongoing efforts in the digital healthcare sector.
