ITT: Cost of digitising the NHS and social care

Digitisation has been a long-standing goal for the NHS, with a particular focus on electronic health records and Wi-Fi connectivity, as well as IT hardware and software.

However, while significant financial and human resources have been invested in digitisation activities over the last decade, progress has been slow. Levels of digitisation vary across the country and across parts of the health and care system (such as general practice, community, mental health, acute, residential and domiciliary care), with some provider trusts yet to implement an electronic health record system.

Invitation to apply

The Health Foundation is seeking a supplier (or consortium) to develop an estimate of the capital and revenue costs required to achieve digitisation within health and social care.

The objective of this work is to help inform future policy and funding decisions made by the government and NHS England, as well as help inform public debate to improve health and health care. We would like suppliers to scope and deliver estimates by April 2024.

We will work with the supplier to agree what can feasibly be included when estimating digitisation costs, but are keen to ensure alignment with how digitisation is currently defined and measured (such as digitisation targets in the Plan for Digital Health and Social Care). As a starting point we would like suppliers to:

• provide an estimate that includes health, and social care if feasible
• include capital costs for the core components of digitisation, as well as revenue costs associated with implementation and ongoing use and maintenance of digital technologies.

The project will start in December 2023 with a final technical report and estimate produced by April 2024 and advice for a potential follow-on project delivered by June 2024.

The chosen supplier will be expected to cover England and, if possible, the rest of the UK.

Full details of the objectives and research questions can be found in the invitation to tender.

How to apply

If you are interested in submitting a proposal, please follow these steps:

1. Read the Invitation to tender, which details tender response requirements and selection criteria.
2. If you have any queries after reading these and the frequently asked questions (please note these were updated on 23 October 2023), please email research.mailbox@health.org.uk before Monday 16 October 2023. We will aim to reply to queries within five working days.
3. Apply via our online portal by 12.00 (midday) on Monday 30 October 2023.
4. Interviews will take place on Thursday 30 November and Friday 1 December 2023. Please ensure you are available to be interviewed.
5. The final decision will be communicated in early December 2023.

The exact start date will be agreed following the final decision, but we intend to have an inception meeting with the chosen supplier w/c 11 December 2023.