South West Healthcare CoDE Centre of Digital Excellence

Background

Digital technology is beginning to transform primary care by improving access, efficiency and quality of care. Tools, such as telemedicine, AI-assisted administration and remote monitoring, can streamline workflow, reduce waiting times and support more personalised care.

Primary care systems are under increasing pressure due to rising patient demand, workforce shortages, and the growing burden of chronic diseases. These pressures are compounded by aging populations and higher expectations for timely, personalised care. As a result, health professionals often face overwhelming workloads, limited appointment availability and burnout.

In such a high-pressure environment, primary care providers struggle to find the time, resources or headspace to explore and evaluate new digital technologies. There is also a fear that poorly integrated or unproven tools might compromise patient safety or disrupt care processes. Consequently, while digital technologies may be able to ease some of the pressures on primary care, the very challenges they are meant to overcome can hinder their development and uptake.

The South West Healthcare Centre of Digital Excellence (CoDE) simulation facility supports the adoption of digital technology into primary care by offering a safe, controlled environment to evaluate, benchmark, and demonstrate new tools, before they are deployed in real-world settings.

About the project

The CoDE is led by NHS England South West and is a collaboration between UWE Bristol and NHS organisations. At the heart of CoDE is an adaptable physical simulation space, based at UWE Bristol, which is operated by clinical and technical staff. We address pressing NHS challenges in primary care, responding to problem statements which have been identified as most critical by clinicians, patients, and system leaders.

The CoDE facilities include physical simulations of a range of primary care and home environments, including a General Practice consultation room (plus back office) and a one-bedroom flat. The facilities incorporate the key software and infrastructure used in these environments, from a physical connection to the NHS system in the consultation room to degradable wifi in the one-bedroom flat. By realistically simulating a wide range of set-ups and configurations in the CoDE, we can demonstrate how digital technologies can be scaled effectively across different primary care environments. This controlled setting allows us to identify the specific requirements for successful deployment, ensuring that each implementation is tailored to the unique needs of a given healthcare setting.

CoDE provides a controlled environment to rigorously test and improve solutions before they are deployed at scale. This includes evaluation of solutions provided by multiple suppliers and the development of digital technology where the market fails to provide effective solutions. Because the facility is entirely simulated, it also provides a safe space to test ambitious, cutting-edge technologies that might otherwise be too disruptive to trial in real-world clinical environments.

A key advantage of the CoDE is the ability to explore how new tools integrate with existing workflows. Understanding this integration in detail is crucial to avoid disruption and ensure smooth adoption. The combination of a physical simulation space and realistic clinical scenarios allows us to study not only how the technology performs, but also how it influences staff behaviour and patient interactions. These human factors are systematically measured, providing a more comprehensive understanding of both the benefits and potential challenges of digital adoption.

The facilities also allow healthcare professionals to engage with digital systems without the risks associated with live patient care. By simulating common clinical scenarios, primary care teams can gain hands-on experience, build confidence, and better understand how new technologies integrate with existing workflows, ultimately reducing resistance to change and improving implementation success.

Meet the project team