Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has achieved national recognition for its digital transformation work, becoming the first mental health provider in the Midlands to receive the Excellence in Digital Accreditation Award. Behind the accolade lies a fundamental rethinking of how estate and digital infrastructure support care delivery.
In recent years, the Trust has overhauled its digital, data, and technology estate -modernising networks, integrating legacy systems from multiple organisations, and improving resilience across clinical sites in Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall, and Wolverhampton. This has involved upgrading connectivity, replacing outdated hardware, and redesigning server and data systems to create a unified, future-proof digital estate capable of supporting both clinical operations and remote service delivery.
The facilities impact is significant. Integrated building systems now enable more effective asset management and maintenance scheduling, while digital dashboards such as the Management and Supervision Tool (MAST) give real-time oversight of staffing, caseloads, and training needs. These tools improve resource planning and help frontline teams deliver care more efficiently, reducing operational pressures and reactive maintenance demands.
Patient-facing systems are also being rolled out. The new Patient Engagement Portal (PEP), developed with Wellola, will allow service users to manage appointments, access correspondence electronically, and communicate securely with care teams – cutting down on paper, post, and administrative duplication across facilities.
Chief Information Officer Nick Dunaway said the work demonstrates how digital inclusion and facilities planning are increasingly interlinked: “We’ve built a digital infrastructure that supports both clinical teams and the estate itself – reducing waste, improving responsiveness, and giving patients better access to care.”
The Trust now plans to extend its digital estate strategy to community mental health hubs and home-based services, ensuring technology underpins safe, sustainable, and patient-centred environments across the Black Country.