Skip to main content Skip to footer

Next steps in NHSBSA’s project to deliver the new NHS Dental Services contract management system

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) has been working closely with Accenture during the last few months to progress the project to create a brand-new contract management system for NHS Dental Services.

The new system will eventually replace the current platform Compass, which was created in 2016.

Since the project started, the NHSBSA has already completed the initial discovery phase, carrying out vital early user research to establish user needs, including:

  • conducting user research interviews with Compass users including dental performers, providers, commissioners and practice managers across England and Wales
  • analysing NHSBSA research into Compass, including customer satisfaction reports, annual reports and intelligence from our customer contact centre
  • creating a user journey map which groups users into categories represented by a fictional ‘persona’ and sets out each persona’s experiences of the current processes in Compass and their requirements, to inform the future contract management system
  • examining our findings to date to identify opportunities, user experience, and potential high-level ideas to shape the new system

NHS Dental Services will be at the London Dentistry Show on Friday 6 and Saturday 7 October, where user researchers will be talking to delegates about the new system and what it means to them. You can also join the NHSBSA’s research panel to take part in user research, interviews and workshops, which will continue throughout the project.

In the meantime, the Transforming Dental Systems (TDS) project team are continuing to develop and apply learnings throughout the project, to shape the design and delivery of the new system.

The project team will continue to update stakeholders as the project progresses over the coming years through to delivery, implementation, and the live role out stage. All users will continue to use Compass as normal until the new system launches.