Appointment management solutions assured and in assurance on the Digital Care Services Framework
Advice on appointment management solutions
Software solutions can increase automation of the process of booking patients into vaccination appointments, for example by enabling patients to directly book appointments online and automating reminders to those who have not yet booked.
To support Primary Care Networks (PCNs) to manage appointment booking in the most efficient way possible, National funding is available to pay for these solutions under a national contract.
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 PCNs to support the network costs of additional SMS messages.
Assurance of solutions
We have 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.
Solutions will be progressed through the assurance approach very quickly, it is anticipated that several solutions will complete assurance over the next week. While all solutions will provide the required capabilities to a minimum standard, some will provide even greater functionality to practices. PCNs & CCGs should bear this in mind when comparing solutions that have been assured and deciding which system to use.
Appointment booking solutions
Subject to suppliers accepting the commercial proposal, below are the solutions we expect to participate in the contract.
PCNs should consider which system meets their needs.
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 beyond the initial list will be added over the coming weeks. Other digital system suppliers will be able to apply in due course. A process for this is currently being developed
Supplier | Solution | Assurance status |
accuRX | accuRX | Passed assurance |
EMIS | EMIS Web | Undergoing assurance |
Q Doctor | MyMed | Assurance booked 15/12/20 |
Allday Dr | Allday Dr | Assurance booked 16/12/120 |
Medloop | TBC | Assurance booked 17/12/20 |
Airelogic | Formsforhealth | Assurance booked 18/12/20 |
Vision | Vision | Assurance booked 18/12/20 |
CareIS | Malinko
| Expressed an interest |
PCNs can decide to use a system in advance of assurance and the national contract being in place, on the assumption that use of the system will then fall under national arrangements, but PCNs would do this at their own risk.
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 of the GP IT Future framework, as well as relevant standards on IG, clinical safety and cyber security.
Procurement through the Digital Care Services (DCS) framework
These solutions will be funded centrally and as such are made available free of charge to PCNs, excluding costs of additional SMS messages which are funded separately. In addition, there is no tie into the solution selected now and commissioners can then change if appropriate.
We expect the process to attain the system for a PCN will be:
The PCN or CCG coordinating on behalf of a PCN/s should request access to the contracted solution via email to
The PCN or CCG on their behalf should provide the following information within their email:
a. All PCNs codes (ODS codes) that are to be included in the order.
b. Confirm that they understand that they will need to pay for SMS messages directly. There is a separate £2 million national fund to support network costs of additional SMS messages which might be incurred.
c. Provide an address and contact for SMS invoices to be sent to. This does not have to be within the PCN, it could be a CCG address. Invoices for SMS costs will be sent direct from the supplier to the PCN/CCG, if there are any. This will not affect those who already have local arrangement in place for managing SMS under an existing bulk contracts.
Once completed NHSD 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)