NHS Scotland partners with CGI on Digital Front Door platform

CGI, a global IT and business consulting firm, has announced a partnership with NHS Scotland to deliver the new Digital Front Door (DFD) platform.

BJSS, now part of CGI, secured the £27.8million contract as the DFD Delivery Partner for NHS Education for Scotland (NES), the national health board responsible for digital health development and education, in May 2025. This user-centred digital platform is designed to serve as a primary entry point for patients to access health and care services.

CGI will support the initial phase of the DFD rollout in NHS Lanarkshire, providing an online service accessible on all devices for selected specialties. Following the launch in Lanarkshire, dermatology outpatients will be able to track their care and treatment progress online.

The DFD platform is a key commitment outlined in the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government, the First Minister’s January statement on Renewal and the subsequent Operational Improvement Plan. It aims to provide people in Scotland with online access to personalised health and care information across primary, secondary and social care, as well as community mental health, screening and vaccinations.

Following the successful completion of the first phase in Lanarkshire, CGI will work with NES to evaluate feedback and insights. These findings will inform a wider national launch across other health and care organisations in Scotland. A national rollout plan is expected to be published later this year.

Lindsay McGranaghan, senior vice president and business unit lead for Scotland and Northern Ireland at CGI, said: “This is a bold example of digital innovation supporting better access, empowering people, and easing pressure on services – and we’re excited to help bring it to more communities across Scotland.”

Scotland’s cabinet secretary for health and social care, Neil Gray, added: “The Digital Front Door will be a significant digital development in health and social care in Scotland and represents a major investment in reshaping how people interact with data and services.

“We have reiterated our commitment to delivering digital service options in our Programme for Government, recognising the potential for empowering people, improving access, and delivering capacity for our staff and our services.”

The Digital Front Door platform has been a work in progress for the Scottish government since 2022, with First Minister for Scotland, John Swinney, pledging that the platform would be live by the end of this year, back in January 2025.