Why ICBs should be driving innovation through collaboration

Healthcare demand continues to grow, and the full impact of the pandemic is still being felt. Backlogs of delayed care remain, and new health needs are emerging, creating a mismatch between demand and available capacity in many areas. Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) face the challenge of understanding these needs and finding ways to meet them while also working through long waiting lists.

This is all happening in a difficult financial climate, where government investment helps but isn’t enough to cover the rising costs associated with an increasing demand for health and care services. As a result, tough decisions are needed to balance resources with patient care.

To navigate this, ICBs need to find smarter, more efficient ways to deliver care using data, technology, and partnerships to ensure services are both effective and sustainable for the future.

Technology is not just an enabler but a necessity. At NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire ICB we’re very focused on finding new ways of offering care with new ways of innovating around service delivery.

I spent the first half of my career in the private sector and local government, and the second half in the NHS. It’s obvious that the NHS hasn’t always been successful in adopting new technology, and the maze of legacy systems can be to blame.

With fragmented sets of data from non-interoperable electronic patient record management systems, we’re a long way away from that panacea of integrated data or systems that would make looking after patients and service users easier.

But we no longer have room for that inefficiency. We’ve got to keep striving to be more efficient and more effective.

This has led to an increasing demand for AI and streamlined data-driven decision-making. But for this to work you have to get the trust of the public. We’re a public service and if we’re going to use data in a new or different way, we’ve got to evidence the benefits and communicate that it will be used appropriately and effectively to improve their care.

Public suspicion around NHS data collection has grown over the years, but the real issue is how effectively that data is used. Too often, data has been gathered without a clear purpose, making it difficult to harness its full potential.

Moving forward, the focus must be on collecting data with clear objectives and using it to improve services and patient outcomes. Without a smarter approach, valuable insights risk being lost in the sheer volume of information available.

Witnessing the real-world impact of AI and data-driven decision-making, I’m genuinely optimistic about the future of healthcare innovation. In practice, these technologies can free up clinical staff to spend more time with patients, carers, and families—an essential shift in areas like Continuing Healthcare (CHC), where we recently launched an automated digital platform. The time saved from manual data entry and note-taking significantly increases our capacity, as more of the work becomes automated.

With the introduction of a dedicated portal, patients can now track their cases, applications, and assessments in real-time, gaining immediate access to important information and updates. This automation not only streamlines processes but also empowers patients and their families by providing them with greater ownership and transparency. I truly believe this approach will have a lasting, positive impact on care delivery.

As I look ahead, I’m excited by the vast potential for applying this innovation across the ICB. The transferable benefits are clear: by automating processes and providing real-time data, we can make more informed decisions, ultimately improving patient outcomes. The possibilities for expanding these efficiencies are limitless, and the path forward is paved with promise.

In our journey to digitise the CHC process, we’ve made significant strides in improving efficiency and patient care. By introducing automation, we estimate that clinical staff could save up to 30% of their administrative time, allowing them to focus more on clinical tasks. This improvement in workflow is just the beginning, once we’ve perfected this system, it has the potential to be scaled and applied across various public services.

The real success of this initiative lies in the strong partnership that drove it forward. We worked closely with IEG4 (part of the IEG Group) and the Warwick Business School of Innovation, identifying a shared problem – how to make existing processes more efficient while taking full advantage of technological advancements. Each partner brought unique expertise to the table, with IEG4 contributing the automation and transcription technology, and other partners developing algorithms to integrate data into the decision-making process. This collaborative approach allowed us to design a solution tailored to our specific needs, ensuring that the system would work effectively for both staff and patients.

What makes this project even more exciting is the fact that it was built from the ground up with input from those who would ultimately use it. This platform was developed in close partnership with key stakeholders. The result is a flexible, adaptable system that works for us and can be scaled for broader use – we’ve built a system that not only solves current challenges but also sets the stage for future innovation in healthcare service delivery.

There is widespread excitement across public services about the potential of AI. However, we have a collective responsibility to lead its development, as harnessing these innovations is essential to overcoming the challenges ahead.

But ICBs are still facing a tough financial landscape, with many struggling to meet their budget projections for 2024/25. As part of the planning process for 2025/26, NHS England provided detailed benchmarking data to help identify opportunities to release value, particularly in areas like CHC. Following the government’s announcement in March for all ICBs and NHS providers to implement significant reductions in their running and corporate costs, the urgency for action has never been greater. Achieving these targets will be impossible without the adoption of digital transformation solutions and strong change management strategies.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire, like many ICBs, see potential in targeted developments to drive savings and improve care. The key question for all ICBs is how best to leverage these opportunities, ensuring long-term financial sustainability while meeting growing patient needs.

ICBs don’t need awards or national recognition for innovation to be seen as successful. They need solutions that truly make a difference for their communities. The focus should be on delivering real impact locally, but when innovation proves transformative, there is a responsibility to share it. If something works, it shouldn’t stay siloed. Now is the time for ICBs to embrace bold ideas, test new approaches, and, when they succeed, ensure that learning is spread across the system.