To submit feedback about any of the content - click here

Shaping the technical landscape

Owned by Chloe Gibson
24-05-2024
8 min read

Background

As part of the move to modernise GP Practice Solutions for Primary Care and alignment with the Technology Code of Practice, the Authority are working to update the requirements in existing Standards and introduce new Standards following a review of the Primary Care Technology Innovation Standard.

This page details the current thinking and high level view of the requirements.

Outline Plan

  • Requirements will be refined and elaborated over the course of the Foundation-class Framework.

  • Initial view is to mandate the requirements for the end of the initial term for the future combined Framework.

Summary of Change

Hosting & Infrastructure: requirement updates

Hosting & Infrastructure: requirement updates

Item

Description

Related Overarching Standard Requirements

Provide benefits associated with Public Cloud hosting

Suppliers to provide evidence that their hosting approach offers the defined benefits of Public Cloud as per the following sections of the Technology Code of Practice (TCoP):

  • Use Cloud first

    • Spend more time building the services that are important to your users and less time running data centres

    • Avoid upfront investments on your infrastructure

    • Reduce your overall costs by making use of the scalable pricing model

    • Have greater flexibility to trial new services or make changes, with lower cost and effort

    • Meet the Greening Government strategy, and reduce your environmental impact by using Cloud facilities with more efficient use of power and server space

    • Have greater security as the provider will make regular technology upgrades and apply security patches

    • Have better service availability for all users

    • Increase access to skilled resources to support your staff

    • Allow for better continuous improvement planning

  • Make your technology sustainable

    • Address how comparable reduction in emissions is achieved

    • Work towards meeting the Greening Government ICT and Digital Services Strategy

    • Measure, manage, and improve project sustainability during the project

    • Improve management of resources and waste

    • Procuring sustainable technology and digital services

Where Suppliers do not use Public Cloud they will also need to provide evidence that they have considered Cloud hosting and the related benefits before other options.

See How to assess a hosting business case for guidance on what to consider.

New Cloud hosting requirements

Requirements will be introduced to ensure Public Cloud hosted Solutions:

  • Are hosted by a UK industry recognised Public Cloud Provider in line with the Cloud First Policy

  • Adhere to requirements based on the Risk Classification as per Health and Social Care Data Risk Model

  • Meet the minimum security standards as specified in Appendix A of the Cloud Centre of Excellence Cloud Security Good Practice Guide

  • Meet the objectives of Well Architected Framework Reviews

  • Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) offered services are accredited on the HSCN compliance model

Provide Benefits associated with Internet First

Suppliers to provide evidence that their Solution provides the benefits associated with Internet First as follows:

  • Be accessible, providing access to digital services, to all that need them, wherever they need them

  • Reduction in implementation lead-times to market and networking overheads / operating costs (avoiding complicated/lengthy deployments)

  • Reduction in private networks can reduce costs and the carbon footprint

  • Promoting off the shelf technologies

Solutions will not require either of the following for the user to operate:

  • Direct HSCN connectivity (connectivity within the data centre/from Cloud infrastructure is acceptable)

  • A secondary VPN

See NHS architecture principles for further information.

Provide Benefits associated with Browser Based First

Suppliers to provide evidence that their Solution provides the benefits associated with being browser based as per the NHS architecture principles:

  • Using modern browser based tools provides flexibility for users (and their trusts, ICBs or any other administrative group) to choose any modern computers and operating systems that meet their needs.

  • It opens our systems and services to some of the world's best user experience designers, who can help us meet our needs and reduce friction in our jobs.

  • It supports the move to a mobile-first approach and makes the same digital services easily accessible from mobile phones, tablets, laptops and assistive technologies like screen readers. 

  • Achieves the benefit of the continual security and functionality improvements that come with the use of modern browsers and web technologies.

Suppliers can still provide Rich Client Applications, be Browser Based or a combination of both, providing the benefits are provided.

See NHS architecture principles for further information.

Browser based requirements

Requirements will be introduced to ensure browser based Solutions are:

Open API based requirements

Requirements will be introduced to mandate the implementation of open APIs in adherence to the Technology Code of Practice.

Solution Suppliers must not create new APIs or interfaces outside the existing framework, connection agreement and supporting Standards. Any new APIs or interfaces to be created via API-M unless an exception is granted in advance by the Authority.

New Accessibility Standard

A new Standard will be introduced to ensure Solutions adhere to the Technology Code of Practice, in particular:

  • Define user needs

  • Make things accessible and inclusive

  • Meet the service standard

Requirements that detail functionality required to ensure accessibility for web-based products will be introduced, which includes:

  • Solutions meet Conformance Level AA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) or higher on the following services:

    • Websites and all their content

    • Any software which uses the web browser as the interface

    • Extranets

    • Applications for mobile devices, such as phones or tablets

  • Suppliers provide and publish a Web Content Accessibility Guidelines audit every 12 months for the Solution

  • Suppliers publish and maintain an accessibility statement for the Solution

  • People with access needs are involved in every round of user research to assess if the Solution is accessible in the context of use as well as technically accessible (as per Accessibility guidance for User research in the NHS Digital Service Manual)

  • The Supplier to provide on demand to Citizens and/or Health or Care Professionals all non-web based material in accessible formats, for example physical manuals, Word documents and PDFs are made available in accessible formats

  • The Supplier to provide an accessible method of requesting non-web based material in accessible formats

New Usability Standard

A new Standard will be introduced to ensure Solutions adhere to the Technology Code of Practice, in particular:

  • Define user needs

  • Make things accessible and inclusive

  • Meet the service standard

Requirements that detail functionality required to ensure products or services can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use will be introduced, which includes:

  • Complete the Usability Assessment to demonstrate to the Authority you comply with the NHS Service Standard and the NHS Digital Service Manual Design Principles

  • Provide a demo environment to complete Usability Assessment

  • Use NHS Design Components

  • Use NHS Content Style Guide

  • Citizen facing written content created by the Supplier to adhere to the How we write principles in the NHS Content Style Guide