Invitation for Partner Organisations to Help Develop an Integrated Care System (ICS) Framework for Digital Health Services ***This opportunity has now closed*** Organisations in Birmingham and Solihull are invited to help develop an Integrated Care System (ICS) Framework to Co-produce Health Services with a Focus on Digital Inclusion. What is the Opportunity and what is the Timescale? Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System (BSol ICS) wish to develop a framework to support the development of citizen-facing digital health services across Birmingham and Solihull. The Framework will form part of the BSol ICS Digital Strategy. To deliver this Framework, BVSC are looking to partner with five other organisations which have experience of co-design/co-production and engage with Birmingham and Solihull citizens with lived experience - particularly those who are seldom heard, seldom seen and are at risk of digital exclusion. The organisations together will identify and apply best practice methods and approaches in health-related community engagement using co-design and co-production methods. The end product will be an ICS framework to co-produce health services with a focus on digital inclusion. Completion of the project for partner organisations is expected by the end of February 2023. What is Digital Inclusion? For patients, digital health can mean better access to information and care, increased convenience, and more opportunities for greater control of their own health and shared care. For the health and care system digital health can mean more effective delivery of care, better outcomes and reduced costs. However many of the people who could most benefit from digital services are the least likely to be online. (NHS Digital Strategy 2021). What are Co-design and Co-production? In its simplest essence, to co-design and co-produce are to design and make something together. Co-design and co-production are not just words, not just a concept, they are a meeting of minds coming together to find shared solutions. They are about developing more equal partnerships between people who use services, and people who provide services. There are key principles for co-design and co-production around equality, diversity, access and reciprocity. Co-design and co-production can help make the best use of resources, deliver better outcomes for people who use services, build stronger communities and develop citizenship. It is important to have an agreed definition between everyone taking part in any co-design or co-production activity. (Social Care Institute for Excellence 2022) What will be required of a Partner Organisation? Partner Organisations will need to have a proven track record of working with citizens with lived experience. Ideally, partners will have some experience of using co-design and co-production methods. Each Partner Organisation will be required to take part in advanced co-production training prior to recruiting a group of at least 8 citizens to participate in a 3 to 4 month long engagement process. Diversity of participants should reflect the Birmingham and Solihull population. The organisation should be prepared to offer individual and group interaction, and both face-to-face, online and hybrid forms of engagement, as required by the participants. The engagement will explore personal experience and opinions of the participants, and how these could be enhanced or improved in the future. Opportunities should be given to submit information which participants do not wish to share publicly. Partner reports, approved by the participants, summarising the findings from the engagement will be required to be submitted to BVSC in February 2023. Reporting will inform the final outputs and framework that will be submitted to BSol ICS. Evidence of robust GDPR and safe-guarding policies and procedures will be required. What budget / training is available for the Partner Organisations and Participants? Each partner organisation will receive a grant of £10,000 to cover their delivery costs Additional funds will be available to pay participants according to the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) payment guidelines Advanced co-design/co-production training will be provided for a representative from each partner organisation in August and September 2022 – dates for group training will be provided. A copy of the grant agreement is available on request. What national and local plans exist for Digital Inclusion? Click the links below. Government Digital Health and Care Plan 2022 NHS national guide to digital inclusion 2021 Birmingham City Council 2022 - What the Council is doing to address digital inclusion? Birmingham City Council Digital Inclusion Strategy Solihull Metropolitan Council digital inclusion 2022 How do we apply to become a Partner Organisation? Please send the completed Expression of Interest form by email or post to [email protected] or Helen Juffs BVSC, First Floor, 35 Livery Place, Livery Street, Birmingham B3 2PB by 12 noon on Monday 8th August 2022 if you wish to be considered. Download the Expression of Interest Form If you have any questions please email Helen Juffs on [email protected] or call on 07391 681 797. We will notify you by email within 7 days if you are successful.