We streamlined the transition to an integrated single financial environment for 11 clinical commissioning groups to integrated care boards (ICBs) ledger builds, delivering all implementations on time with minimal issues while mitigating project risks and meeting all milestones. Positive client feedback highlighted our invaluable support and stress-reducing approach. We are now supporting seven ICBs across the Midlands and North West to implement ISFE2 which goes live on 1 April 2024. Find out more about how we can help you transition.

Background

The Health and Social Care Act in 2012 established CCGs to manage healthcare services. However, with the enactment of the Health and Care Act 2022 on 1 July 2022, Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) became legally established, and the CCGs were closed. This transition necessitated the creation of new ISFE (integrated single financial environment) ledgers for the ICBs (integrated care boards).

Action

NHS ML provided project management and subject matter expertise for each workstream to assist in transitioning 11 CCGs to ICB ledgers, as well as offering consultation for eight other CCG transitions. Our team collaborated closely with the SBS Team and ICB clients to ensure a smooth transition. 

Our tasks included cleansing all data prior to SBS loading, populating “set up” data templates for P2P, O2C, and A2R, project management, and migration activities. We also ensured that all ICB-specific requirements were integrated into the build, such as procurement rules and establishment hierarchy. We provided ICB-specific communications and training documents and provided weekly updates to the ICB’s senior management team and SBS team. We co-chaired and updated the monthly Project Board, provided monthly risk management updates, led cutover activities, ensured invoices were returned to the same position as when they left the old ledgers, provided PIMS support and assisted where necessary with ESR, banking forms, username, and password distribution.

Impact

With NHS Midlands and Lancashire’s (NHS ML) significant experience in ledger builds with SBS, we have successfully completed various mergers including CSU and CCG mergers, and more recently, the 11 CCG’s to ICB’s transition (including supporting an eight CCG to one ICB merger). Our excellent project management and subject matter expertise has led to all ledger reconfigurations and implementation programmes being delivered on time with minimal issues. 

By leveraging our experience, effective management of pre-ledger migration activities and excellent communication with all parties, we were able to effectively mitigate project risks and meet all project milestones. 

Customer feedback

The team at NHS ML provided a great service and proved invaluable during the transition phase.  The NHS ML project lead liaised with all the parties involved and helped to make the whole process a lot less stressful. I would definitely recommend their service to anyone about to go through a similar process.

Maria Tongue | Associate Director of Finance | NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin ICB