June 2025
The recent announcement of 50% cuts to Integrated Care Board (ICB) operating costs represents one of the most significant structural changes in the NHS in recent years. As healthcare leaders grapple with reduced budgets, staff reductions, and fundamental shifts in commissioning responsibilities, one thing remains clear: the need for efficient, effective healthcare delivery has never been more critical.
We understand the challenges facing our healthcare partners during this period of unprecedented change. While ICBs navigate their transition to become primarily strategic commissioners with significantly reduced resources, we want to reassure our customers that our commitment to supporting you remains unwavering.
The current restructuring emphasises the urgent need for healthcare efficiency. With ICBs retaining their core commissioning functions while losing capacity for wider performance management and engagement activities, every referral must count. Our independently proven SMART Referral Forms become even more valuable in this environment of constrained resources.
The numbers speak for themselves. Our recent collaboration with Health Innovation East and Health Tech Enterprise produced compelling evidence of SMART Referral Forms' impact. In one department alone, inappropriate referrals fell from 36% to 0%, while waiting times were halved from 44 weeks to just 22 weeks. When extrapolated across NHS England, this represents potential savings of £9.2 million in the first year alone, rising to £43.5 million over five years. See case study here.
As ICBs refocus on strategic commissioning and long-term transformation agendas, our Clinical Decision Support solutions align perfectly with these objectives. SMART Referral Forms don't just reduce rejected referrals – they actively support the three key shifts the government wants to see: prevention, community-focused care, and reduced health inequalities.
Our forms ensure the right patient reaches the right service at the right time, reducing unnecessary patient journeys and supporting carbon reduction goals. With mandatory and recommended fields that capture essential provider data, patient validation criteria, and automated clinical calculations, we're helping clinicians make better decisions while reducing administrative burden.
We recognise that digital coordination and interoperability – highlighted as crucial during this transition – require sustained investment and expertise. Our service delivers up-to-date, tailored treatment pathways and comprehensive clinical resources directly at the point of decision, supporting both strategic commissioning goals and day-to-day clinical efficiency.
Whether ICBs merge, consolidate, or restructure their functions, the fundamental challenge remains the same: delivering optimal patient care with limited resources. Our SMART Referral Forms address this directly by eliminating referral rejection, reducing waiting lists, and ensuring accurate, fully coded patient records that support informed decision-making.
During times of significant organisational change, partnerships matter more than ever. DXS remains committed to supporting healthcare providers, commissioners, and clinicians across all specialties – from cardiology and MSK to cancer and gastroenterology services.
As the healthcare landscape evolves, we'll continue to provide the tools and support necessary to maintain service quality while achieving the efficiency gains those current circumstances demand. Together, we can ensure that structural changes translate into better patient outcomes and a more sustainable healthcare system.
For more information about how SMART Referral Forms can support your organisation during this period of change, contact the DXS team today at hello@dxs-systems.co.uk.
