Achieving Digital Excellence in Integrated Care Systems

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the NHS in England has undergone a significant digital transformation that would typically take years to achieve. This digital acceleration has paved the way for a more resilient and patient-centric healthcare system and it has been guided by NHS England’s What Good Looks Like (WGLL) framework - a roadmap designed to shape the future of healthcare delivery

Understanding the WGLL Framework

The WGLL framework is a strategic initiative aimed at advancing digital transformation and elevating healthcare services across ICSs. This initiative draws on local experiences and good practices to provide clear guidance for health and care leaders. By digitising, connecting, and transforming services safely and securely, the WGLL framework aims to improve the outcomes, experiences, and safety of citizens.

Seven Key Success Measures

1. Well Led:
The foundation of any successful transformation lies in strong leadership. ICSs and organizations are expected to have clear strategies for digital transformation. Leaders across the spectrum must collectively own and drive the digital transformation journey, ensuring that citizens and frontline perspectives remain central. This entails building digital and data expertise into leadership and governance structures, aligning with ICS strategies, and fostering a culture of innovation.

2. Ensure Smart Foundations:
The reliability and sustainability of digital infrastructure are paramount. ICSs are encouraged to invest in multidisciplinary teams with expertise spanning clinical, operational, informatics, design, and technical domains. Compliance with sustainability objectives like net zero carbon and technology standards, coupled with robust cyber security measures and secure data management practices, are key to laying a strong foundation.

3. Safe Practice:
Maintaining high standards of safe care in the digital realm is a non-negotiable. Organisations within ICSs should establish robust cyber security plans inline with DSPT, DTAC, and Cyber Essentials, including risk management and mitigation strategies. Adequate resourcing of cyber security and clinical safety functions, along with adherence to relevant frameworks, is vital to ensure patient safety and data integrity.

4. Support People:
Empowering the workforce with digital literacy is integral to realising the full potential of digital health technology. ICSs must promote a digital-first approach and provide continuous professional development opportunities. Intuitive, user-friendly systems, flexible working arrangements, and 24/7 digital support services contribute to a motivated and efficient workforce.

5. Empower Citizens:
Citizen-centricity is the cornerstone of modern healthcare. ICSs should co-design strategies for citizen engagement and digital services, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility. The use of national digital tools (like the NHS.uk, NHS App, NHS Login), coupled with effective communication channels, enables citizens to actively participate in their healthcare journey.

6. Improve Care:
Digital technology has the power to reshape care pathways, reduce variation, and enhance patient outcomes. ICSs should leverage data and digital solutions to redesign care, promote safety, and facilitate remote consultations and monitoring. Collaborative care planning and integration of digital tools drive multidisciplinary and patient-centered care.

7. Healthy Populations:
Leveraging data insights can lead to better population health management. ICSs are encouraged to harness data to inform care planning and decision-making, develop innovative care models, and drive digital and data-driven population health initiatives. Collaborations with academia, industry, and partners foster continuous innovation.

What does this mean for digital health innovators?

Digital health innovators need to fully align with the principles of the WGLL framework. From developing secure and reliable digital infrastructure to creating intuitive user interfaces and facilitating data-driven insights, digital health innovators need to be equipped to support every aspect of the WGLL journey.

The “What Good Looks Like” framework sets a clear direction for the future of healthcare in Integrated Care Systems, and provides NHS organisations with a clear path to procuring and managing digital health innovation across healthcare organisations through prioritising interoperable, patient-centred, and safe health and care.