The current scope is for appointment booking solutions, but this will develop over time.
Advice on appointment management solutions
Software solutions can increase automation of the process of booking patients into coronavirus vaccination appointments. This can include enabling patients to directly book appointments online and automating reminders to those who have not yet booked.
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National funding will cover the cost of the booking solutions themselves, and there will also be £2 million of funding for Clinical Commission Groups (CCGs) and Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to support the network costs of additional SMS messages.
Assurance of solutions
We've developed national requirements for automated appointment management solutions and have invited suppliers on the Digital Care Services Buying Catalogue to apply to provide these via a call-off arrangement.
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PCNs and CCGs should consider this when comparing solutions that have been assured and deciding which system to use.
Appointment booking solutions
The national contract has now been established. Below are the solutions we currently expect to participate in the contract once they have been through assurance.
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Updates will be made to the list as soon as solutions are assured and/or as other solutions come forward to participate, with the expectation that other solutions will be added over the coming weeks. Other digital system suppliers currently outside of the Digital Care Services Buying Catalogue will be able to apply in due course. A process for this is currently being developed.
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PCNs may continue to use existing booking solutions where preferred. If PCNs choose to procure and pay for booking solutions locally, NHS England and NHS Improvement advise that there is a process to ensure the system meets the published requirements, as well as relevant standards on IG, clinical safety and cyber security.
Procurement through the
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GP IT Futures framework
These solutions services will be funded centrally, so are available free of charge to PCNs, excluding costs of additional SMS messages. Separate funding of £2 million is available to support SMS messaging costs. There is no tie in to the solution selected now and commissioners can change to another solution if they wish to, giving one month’s notice.
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Once completed, we will place the order on contract and advise the PCN or CCG of their need to participate in confirmation of ‘Service Live’, functioning appropriately as per contract requirements for their Service Instance (M1, m2).
Further information
We're supporting the NHS with safe and efficient use of data and technology, as the UK begins to deliver the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination programme.