National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) IT system - Discovery Phase

Tender description

Pre-market engagement Early Market Engagement was conducted back in January to July 2024, this included a request for information (RFI) via .GOV contracts finder. Work done so far A previous IT Discovery was carried out between April 2021-May 2022, it concluded that the existing system could not be upgraded and developing a ‘collection solution’ is the preferred solution to meet user needs, support the digital transformation of the NCMP and maintain the governments annual public health surveillance programme to monitor children’s weight and growth. The discovery consisted of two phases. Phase 1 included generating user journey maps for data collection in four local authorities, exploring data usage and opportunities, developing user needs statements, assessing digital solution viability, and proposing future system requirements. The study used qualitative methods (interviews and observations) and quantitative surveys across user groups: local authorities, school nurses and local NCMP delivery teams, schools, GPs, paediatricians and parents. Phase 2 involved the development of an Output Based Specification (OBS) and included user engagement of clinical and informatics colleagues and key stakeholders in local authorities to scope the key requirements of a new NCMP IT system, a survey aligned with the OBS to gather quantitative data from key user groups of the NCMP system, aiming to evaluate functionality feasibility, prioritize system requirements, explore UI/UX improvements, assess stakeholder motivation, identify risks, and define system concepts for planning a Minimum Viable Product. Survey responses by user groups to inform the design and development of a new NCMP system prototype based on user needs and technical feasibility. Systems mapping of the AS-IS state and TO-BE future states was completed. Which phase the project is in Discovery Existing team The existing team consists of a product owner and policy lead (NCMP programme manager). As policy lead and product owner, they will contribute subject matter expertise concerning the policy context, identify relevant DHSC, NHSE and local authority service provider stakeholders to consult for advice and guidance, and act as the named DHSC owner of the final product. A project planning and governance role, they will provide project planning and management support to enable delivery of the overall project. A project support and policy role (NCMP programme support) will provide subject matter expertise, provide stakeholder engagement intel and work across the project as and when needed to provide support and lead on specific defined tasks. Support from DHSC-NHSE Digital Transformation Unit is also expected. Address where the work will be done Work can be undertaken remotely. The DHSC team is based at 39 Victoria Street, Westminster, London, SW1H 0EU Working arrangements The contract will be managed in line with DOS 6 call-off contract requirements and using DHSC’s contract management guidance. By integrating the Digital Outcomes and Specialists framework guidelines with DHSC's specific contract management guidance, the call-off contract can be tailored to meet the department’s unique needs while ensuring compliance with procurement regulations and best practice. Following agile principles, we will use sprint cycles to progress and agree each stage of the project to agree on each stage of work and how the budget is spent. Throughout the contract period, we'll use established methodologies known for their success in monitoring timelines, expenditures, and work outputs with examples of these below. Documentation • A risk, issues, and lessons learned log will be maintained to document and track any identified risks, issues, and insights gained throughout the duration of the project. • A Contract Classification Assessment will be performed to accurately categorize and evaluate the contract. This assessment will aid in determining management strategies and aligning resources. Reporting • Regular weekly check-ins with the DHSC contract manager and the delivery partner's Senior Responsible Officer (SRO). To ensure alignment, address any immediate concerns, and facilitate smooth communication between all involved parties. • Regular fortnightly show-and-tell sessions to engage and update a broader group of stakeholders. These sessions will showcase project progress, achievements, and insights gained, fostering transparency and gathering input from various perspectives. Commercial support • Continuous support from the procurement and commercial teams will be provided to effectively manage the contract. This ongoing assistance will address contractual complexities, streamline processes, and optimise performance throughout the contract. Provide more information about your security requirements: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) Provide more information about your security requirements: All must have BPSS as a minimum. Latest start date 2026-03-24 Enter the expected contract length: 3 months Extension period: 1 month and 15 days Special terms and conditions The solution will adhere to the governments Service Standard - Service Manual to meet users needs and progress through Alpha and Beta Service Assessments. The solution will adhere to the governments Technology Code of Practice (TCoP). Write the term or acronym: NCMP - National Child Measurement Programme DHSC - Department of Health and Social Care NHSE - NHS England OBS - Output Based Specification RCPCH - Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health UI - User Interface UX - User experience API- Application Programming Interface AS-IS TO-BE PQP - Price per quality point Are you prepared to show your budget details?: No Provide further information: Up to £500,000. Please note that the figure provided is indicative. Confirm if you require a contracted out service or supply of resource Contracted out service: the off-payroll rules do not apply Summary of work DHSC require a team with good digital skills team to build on previous discovery findings from 2021-22 to develop a replacement National Child Measurement Programme IT system. The expected scope of work and activties includes: 1) reviewing previous IT Discovery findings and consider the user needs and service design identified through the lens of the current landscape, considering any changes since 2022 2) revisit the ‘TO-BE’ future systems mapping, non-functional requirements need reviewing 3) explore how to develop and integrate a new system that is interoperable with NHS England platforms, the national spine, education data and how to integrate with API’s such as RCPCH Digital Growth Charts. Consideration will also need to be given to planned technical infrastructure changes in NHSE as part of Digital Transformation and connected digital systems 4) engage with IT stakeholders who are providing digital health communications to ‘Front-End users’ (that is, parents, school nurses and/or schools) through, for example School Screener, Thomson Screener or local NHS parent portals. And engage with local authorities and NCMP delivery teams who have commissioned and are using healthcare screener systems 5) engage with Digital Child Health Tech policy leads in DHSC/NHSE digital transformation team to ensure alignment with future digital child health products for example flowing a child's NCMP measurements to a child's digital health record, linking to other measurements to provide a visualisation of child growth and BMI monitoring to parents and health professionals 6) identify any further risks, options and solutions for the development of a new system and recommend changes to the existing Output Based Specification based on the findings of the discovery update Where the supplied staff will work No specific location (for example they can work remotely) Why the work is being done The current National Child Measurement Programme (NCMP) IT system provides all Local Authorities with a data collection system to meet the statutory Public Health Function of collecting height and weight measurements for all primary school children aged 4-5 and 10-11 years. The IT system is 12 years old and needs to be updated because it inefficient for users and cannot share data between Local Authorities and NHS clinical systems used by health and medical professionals. The data is used to inform and monitor progress on the governments obesity and child health policies in the 10 Year Health Plan, it provides robust school age health and inequalities data to assess and monitor the impact of polices. It is also used at an individual child level to support early intervention to promote a child’s health and growth by providing feedback to parents about there child's measurements and what it means. It provides an opportunity for health care professionals to act early and offer support where indicated. A new IT system will support service transformation, improve clinical use, cost efficiency and data collection. The business problem you need to solve The current NCMP IT system which was developed in 2013 is outdated and no longer meets the needs of users or the statutory requirements efficiently. Local authorities face significant challenges in administering NCMP, including manual processes for opt-outs, duplicate data entry, and difficulty sourcing accurate child information from multiple systems. The existing system does not integrate with health or education records, nor does it allow parents or healthcare professionals to access a child’s data. These limitations create inefficiencies, increase workload, and hinder timely data sharing to support children’s health and growth. This discovery phase is intended to build on the findings from the previous discovery (2021–22) rather than replicate them. It will review earlier user research and service design insights, update them in light of changes since 2022, and address interoperability with NHS England platforms, education data, and core APIs. The supplier should consider planned technical infrastructure changes within NHS England and ensure alignment with DHSC and NHS England’s ongoing digital transformation. Expected outcomes include: A clear understanding of user needs validated against previous research. Recommendations for a future system that simplifies data capture, automates processes where appropriate, and supports secure data sharing across stakeholders. Identification of non-functional requirements and integration points for connected digital systems. Risks and challenges: Complexity of integrating with multiple national systems and APIs. Managing dependencies on NHS England’s infrastructure changes. Ensuring compliance with data protection and safeguarding standards. Avoiding duplication of previous work while addressing gaps and new requirements. First user type: As a Local Authority NCMP Lead and Commissioner First user type: As a school nurse or public health practitioner (part of an NCMP Delivery team) First user type: As a parent First user type: As a school/headteacher First user type: As a Healthcare Professional (GPs, Paediatricians) First user type: As a DHSC / Public Health Analyst