The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has signed Accenture for the development of a new digital solution to support business operations in NHS dentistry.
They have agreed on a contract to run for six and a half years, with options for two 12-month extension, and valued at £18 million.
It has set a schedule for the delivery of a new system by mid-2025.
While the existing solution is maintained under a contract due to expire at the end of this year, NHSBSA has indicated this will be extended to ensure there is no break in service delivery.
The new contract is aimed at meeting the requirements of the NHS Transforming Dental Services project – which is changing the way dentists are paid for NHS work – and involves the design, implementation and maintenance of a new platform and components.
Payments, processing and pensions
Its functions will include payment calculation, service management, reporting and data feeds, processing treatment claims, processing refunds and calculating NHS pension contributions.
The contract award notice states: “The new solution will modernise current NHS dental services operations with the introduction of a rationalised, flexible technical solution underpinning business operations, to give the business more agility to react to an ever changing landscape across NHS Dentistry and the wider NHS, as well as providing an element of future proofing to accommodate any unknown changes on the horizon.”
