Authors

The challenge​

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (UHSussex) is one of the largest hospital trusts in the south of England, running seven hospitals with almost 22,000 staff, a patient population of 1.8 million and an annual operating budget of over £1.3 billion.

Since Autumn 2022, we have been supporting UHSussex to undertake a comprehensive, person-centred and engagement-led review of all options to support the Trust’s strategic priorities. These improving patient experience; enhancing quality and safety; ensuring  financial and environmental sustainability; an effective and efficient Sussex health and care system; becoming an employer of choice; and driving wider research and innovation.

Although this process has been driven by local priorities, it is taking place against the background of a national commitment (shared by all main UK political parties) to accelerate roll-out of digital health and care services, joined up around the needs of patients, carers and families.

We have supported UHSussex to embark on a period of intensive development work including the development and approval of the business case  for a new Electronic Patient Record (EPR) covering the Trust as a whole.  This work is to ensure that the Trust secures the optimal solution to meet current needs and support longer-term ambitions, including balancing capability, flexibility, value-for-money, and deliverability in the run up to 2025 and beyond.​

Our approach ​

Our support has involved working with the Trust Board, senior managers, clinicians and corporate teams to develop and deliver an options appraisal process, a strategic outline case for an EPR investment and now the full business case covering capital and revenue costs and benefits over the next ten years.  This has included:  Governance and Project Management – Project and programme management and governance support to provide continuous assurance and  to meet the requirements of the Trust, the local Integrated Care System, and NHS England nationally. 

  • Business Case Development – Developing and drafting the Strategic and Outline Business Case and, following approval of these, preparing the Full Business Case stage. 
  • Finance – Working alongside the UHSussex finance team to ensure the solution is deliverable and affordable. 
  • Technical Requirements – Ensuring UHSussex has a clear, shared and evidence-led view of the key requirements from any technological solution, and that these needs can be communicated effectively to the market. 
  • Benefits & Change – Identifying and  quantifying the patient, staff, financial and wider benefits of the programme. 
  • Procurement – Working alongside the UHSussex procurement team and external specialists to ensure an effective and compliant process and a fit-for-purpose, value-for-money outcome. 
  • Engagement and Comms – Hosting online and in-person engagement sessions to gather user requirements and socialise progress and objectives with the wider organisation. 
  • UHSussex Deployment Readiness – Ensuring UHSussex can fully utilise available national funding to support preparedness for this digital transformation. 
Our impact ​
  • The agreement of a Strategic Outline Case and Outline Business Case by the UHSussex Trust Board and all relevant groups that report to the Trust Board.
  • A programme structure that can assure and deliver this important investment.
  • Delivery of an engagement package which has engaged over 300 individual stakeholders to-date through in-person and online channels.
  • A set of detailed design requirements informed by this engagement that reflect the needs of the Trust, its patients, staff and partners.
  • A clear understanding of the benefits aligned to the Trust’s overall “True North” strategic priorities. 
  • A roadmap and plan to deliver the required capabilities in line with local, system and national requirements.