Somerset ICB’s transformation journey with the IEG4 Digital CHC Platform

NHS Somerset Integrated Care Board (ICB) oversees the provision and management of Continuing Healthcare (CHC) services for a population with unique logistical and staffing challenges – operating within a rural region in the South West of England.

For years, the ICB relied on a legacy digital system to manage its CHC caseload. However, this system had become outdated and increasingly inefficient, particularly as the demands of data reporting, staff coordination, and patient communication intensified. Recognising the pressing need for modernisation, Somerset ICB embarked on a digital transformation journey by adopting IEG4’s (part of IEG Group) end-to-end Digital CHC platform.

Somerset ICB faced multiple challenges that necessitated a new solution. Firstly, its previous legacy system was not fit for purpose for NHS England guidelines or reporting requirements, leading to a heavy administrative burden. Staff were frequently required to manually extract and manipulate data to generate reports for internal and national use. This inefficiency strained resources and created bottlenecks in service delivery.

Additionally, the system was a standalone platform accessible only to CHC staff, creating silos that hindered visibility for other professionals involved in patient care. This limited collaboration and delayed decisions in the CHC journey. Furthermore, due to Somerset’s rural geography and absence of nearby university feeders, recruitment and retention of skilled professionals, especially nurses, remained a persistent issue. The ICB needed a platform that could relieve staff of repetitive, non-clinical work and allow better utilisation of limited human resources.

After a rigorous NHS-compliant procurement process, Somerset ICB selected the IEG4 CHC platform, which was chosen not only for its compliance with procurement standards but also due to its robust feature set and alignment with Somerset’s operational needs.

IEG4’s solution offered a unified system that could streamline case management, improve visibility across the CHC process, and facilitate timely and transparent communications between professionals, patients, and providers. A key feature was its integrated care provider module, which significantly enhanced the process of validating and managing payments to care providers.

IEG4 worked in close partnership with Somerset ICB, aligning on goals and adapting their implementation approach to fit local needs. Regular meetings at project and board levels ensured prompt issue resolution and progress tracking. Enhancement requests were monitored weekly, with priorities agreed collaboratively to keep the project on track. Open, honest communication and a flexible, responsive approach helped overcome challenges quickly and efficiently, ultimately ensuring a smooth, timely implementation and a strong foundation for ongoing success.

Somerset ICB adopted a phased rollout strategy to minimise disruption and allow for iterative learning. The county was divided into four localities (Mendip, Bridgwater, Yeovil and Taunton), each gradually onboarded to the new system between October 2024 and April 2025.

• Phase 1 (Oct 2024): Focused on patients in nursing homes under standard CHC or Funded Nursing Care (FNC).
• Phase 2 (Dec 2024): Expanded to include localities two and three.
• Phase 3 (Feb 2025): Rolled out in the fourth locality.
• Phase 4 (Apr 2025): Covered children and young people, domiciliary care, and fast track cases.

This careful phasing was designed to ensure a continuity of service and allow frontline staff to gradually adapt to the new system. Somerset provided training, drop-in sessions, regular team briefings, and MS Teams support channels to guide users through the change. Engagement was maintained throughout via feedback loops and real-time problem-solving, which reduced initial queries significantly and supported a smooth transition.

Although full implementation was only recently completed and full decommissioning of the legacy system is planned for June 2025, early results show promising benefits:

• Staffing efficiency: The system has enabled the transformation of traditional administrative roles into hybrid “CHC support worker” positions. These new roles now assist clinical staff by handling non-clinical tasks, maximising the limited pool of healthcare professionals in the county.
• Faster payments: The care provider module now allows payment processing to be completed in just 20 minutes per week, eliminating the need for labour-intensive monthly processes. Providers have reported quicker and more transparent payment validations.
• Improved patient experience: Patients and professionals will be able to track progress in the CHC process in real time. This improved visibility enhances transparency and allows for more timely assessments and reviews.
• A focus on sustainability: With reduced reliance on printing and postal communications, the ICB is moving toward a more sustainable and digitally native operation.
• Better data access: Managers can now access essential reports and patient information more intuitively, removing the bottleneck previously caused by needing specialist support for data extraction.

Lynette Emsley, Associate Director of CHC and Care Sector Services at NHS Somerset ICB said, “The new digital CHC platform has helped our team to create efficiency benefits, carrying out assessments and reviews more promptly. Patients and professionals will be able to log in and track progress in real time, improving transparency throughout the patient journey. Additionally, by reducing our reliance on printing and posting, we’re creating a more environmentally sustainable service.”

Somerset ICB’s implementation of the IEG4 CHC platform marks a significant step in modernising how continuing healthcare is managed. By focusing on staff empowerment, process efficiency, and patient-centred care, the ICB has laid a strong foundation for long-term digital success.

The platform’s flexibility allowed Somerset to address its unique workforce constraints while also improving core administrative and operational functions. The case has drawn attention from other ICBs in the South West, with several monitoring Somerset’s progress to potentially replicate the model.

Stephen Ferry, chief executive of IEG Group, said, “Working in partnership with an organisation as flexible as NHS Somerset ICB was key to a successful and fast deployment. The project has offered an exciting opportunity to demonstrate just how intuitive the digital CHC platform can truly be. We are excited to realise further benefits as we continue working with them.”

As the system becomes fully embedded and the legacy platform is retired, Somerset will see further enhancements in performance, resource utilisation, and patient outcomes. The thoughtful, phased approach has not only minimised risk but also fostered a culture of digital confidence among staff.

This initiative also aligns with broader NHS goals around digitisation and integrated care. Beyond CHC, Somerset ICB is exploring opportunities to extend the platform’s capabilities to mental health services, safeguarding, and children’s care, promoting a more cohesive and efficient model for individual commissioning across the board.