Global Digital Exemplars

A Global Digital Exemplar is an internationally recognised NHS provider delivering improvements in the quality of care, through the world-class use of digital technologies and information. Exemplars will share their learning and experiences through the creation of blueprints to enable other trusts to follow in their footsteps as quickly and effectively as possible.

NHS England is currently supporting selected digitally advanced mental health, ambulance and acute trusts, to become Exemplars. These trusts are partnered with international healthcare organisations to help ensure they learn from those that have already achieved significant benefits from employing digital technology.

All Acute Global Digital Exemplars are now partnered with fast followers – trusts who will support the spread of best practice and innovation. Mental health Global Digital Exemplars will also partner with fast followers.

GDEs and “fast followers” are supported by NHS England and Department of Health and Social Care funding, matched locally and enabling GDEs to establish proven models that can be rolled out across the NHS more broadly. In some cases this could include sharing software or a common IT team. For others it could mean adopting standard care pathways, methodologies and processes.

Why are we creating Global Digital Exemplars

The Five Year Forward View and Personalised Health and Care 2020 describe the transformation needed across the health and care system to ensure it remains sustainable and high quality. The NHS Long Term Plan states that the NHS cannot fully embrace the opportunity offered by new technologies if many hospitals and services remain largely paper-based. These national publications and local Sustainability and Transformation Plans emphasise that excellent use of information and technology is fundamental to this transformation.

By joining up and digitalising health systems we can provide clinicians with more timely access to accurate information, support service change to help improve health for all and provide patients with better access to their records and support service change which will improve health for all. Through Global Digital Exemplars, we have an opportunity to develop leaders of this digital transformation

Exemplars are a key part of the Driving Digital Maturity and Provider Digitisation programmes.