When NHS South East London ICB needed a flexible, secure and scalable way to improve collaboration across its six boroughs, it turned to NHS Arden & GEM’s digital consultancy team.
Working in partnership, the two organisations co-developed SELnet, a Microsoft 365-based extranet platform. Not only does SELnet now underpin communication, resource sharing and transformation programmes across the ICB footprint but it is also being used to automate workflows which increase organisational efficiency.
The challenge
NHS South East London (SEL) ICB required a platform that could bring together borough-level content, shared resources and programme-specific information under one modern, secure and easily navigable digital solution.
Existing digital tools were fragmented with inconsistent user experiences, variable access controls and no centralised place for ICB-wide collaboration or messaging.
The ICB also needed a futureproofed platform that could support low-code automation of forms, requests and approvals, freeing up staff time and empowering people to focus on their core role.
Our approach
Arden & GEM has a longstanding record of delivering M365 solutions tailored to NHS needs. For SELnet, the CSU brought this expertise into a structured co-development partnership. This began with a discovery phase and culminated in the phased delivery of a modern extranet solution built on a standalone Microsoft 365 tenant.
Key aspects of the approach included:
- Collaborative design: engaging diverse stakeholders and programme leads to shape the features, function and structure of the extranet
- Agile delivery: focusing on a minimum viable product using sprints, including rapid prototyping and testing, all grounded in and sense checked with real-world end user feedback
- Secure architecture: built within a segregated tenant, with cross tenant group syncing and centrally managed, clearly articulated permissions
- Flexible support: offering banked development days to allow rapid deployment of new features, break-fix resolution and responsive iteration based on emerging needs
- Strategic enablement: establishing a secure and extensible foundation to support Power Platform-based form automation, ensuring SELnet becomes more than just a communications platform: it becomes a digital front door for streamlined, auditable workflows across the ICB footprint.
The development team ensured the platform was fully aligned with NHS England design guidance and supported seamless integration of NHSmail distribution groups across the region, all while providing a coherent user-centric experience.
The outcomes
As a result of this agile, user-centric development ethos, SELnet now provides a robust and visually engaging extranet that connects six boroughs and multiple programme areas. It acts as a digital home for system working, offering:
- A scalable structure for growth and additional content areas
- Improved consistency and security across regional communications
- Enhanced visibility and access for key resources, guidance and contacts
- A springboard for digitising paper-based processes and reducing administrative burden across the system
- A framework that supports ongoing development in response to the ICB’s evolving roadmap.
With initial workflows already scoped, Arden & GEM is now supporting the ICB to design, build and integrate form-based automations that simplify requests, approvals and data collection – cutting down email traffic and improving traceability.
"This partnership is about more than technology. Arden & GEM listened, adapted and delivered a platform that truly reflects how we want to work across South East London. The flexible development model means we can continue evolving SELnet in a way that matches our ambitions."
Sally-Ann Shepherd, Workforce Transformation Project Manager at NHS South East London ICB
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