The COVID-19 pandemic exposed both the strengths and limitations of existing health response systems. While extraordinary efforts were made across government, health services and industry, it became clear that future preparedness would require more than temporary measures or pathogen-specific solutions. It highlighted the need for enduring, flexible digital capabilities that could be activated quickly, scaled nationally and adapted as threats evolve.

In response to these lessons, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) continues to invest in strengthening the UK’s ability to prevent, prepare for and respond to infectious disease and environmental health threats. Central to this ambition is the development of national infrastructure that is resilient, adaptable and ready to be deployed at pace when required.

One such investment is the Surge Response Service (SRS) Programme, designed to address the challenge of moving beyond people-intensive, bespoke responses towards a more scalable and configurable approach. Informed Solutions is proud to have worked in partnership with UKHSA colleagues and delivery partners, including Accenture, to support the successful delivery of the programme’s first production ready SRS release.

This milestone reflects not only the progress of the programme itself, but the importance of effective collaboration in delivering complex, national-critical initiatives.

Delivering in a Complex and High-Stakes Environment

National health protection programmes operate in a uniquely demanding context. They must balance urgency with assurance, evolve in response to emerging understanding, and align policy intent with operational and technical delivery. Requirements are often interdependent and span multiple organisations, suppliers and disciplines.

The SRS Programme was no exception. Its delivery required close collaboration between UKHSA stakeholders, subject matter experts and delivery partners, working together to shape requirements and make informed decisions as the programme progressed.

Accenture fulfilled the role of Delivery Partner, with Informed Solutions supporting as a trusted technical and client-side partner embedded within blended teams. Success depended on partners working as a single unit – sharing accountability, challenging constructively and maintaining a clear focus on outcomes rather than organisational boundaries.

This approach allowed teams to move forward at pace while managing risk appropriately, ensuring that progress was made without compromising the standards expected of national infrastructure.

“On programmes of this scale and importance, delivery is as much about capability and collaboration as it is about technology. We relied on partners who could operate confidently in complexity, work collaboratively with each other and UKHSA core teams and stakeholders and adapt as our understanding evolved.”

Anne-Marie Mulcahy, SRS Programme Director, UKHSA

Partnership as a Core Capability

Informed Solutions’ role in the SRS Programme reflects a broader strength we bring to complex public sector delivery: the ability to work effectively as part of multi-supplier, multi-disciplinary environments, particularly where requirements are emerging and certainty is limited.

Our teams are experienced in supporting programmes where:

Outcomes matter more than predefined solutions
Delivery must remain flexible as context changes
Governance needs to enable pace as well as control
Collaboration across organisational boundaries is essential

We achieve this by working alongside our clients and partners to help navigate complexity, support decision-making and maintain momentum. This includes bridging the gap between strategic intent and practical delivery, ensuring that technology choices remain aligned with operational realities and long-term sustainability.

“Informed Solutions consistently demonstrated the technical depth, pragmatism and collaborative mindset required to support a programme operating under significant complexity and scrutiny.”

Raj Mehta, Deputy Director Digital Development and Operations, UKHSA

Learning from COVID, Designing for the Future

The SRS Programme is rooted in many lessons learned during COVID, particularly the need for pathogen agnostic response capabilities that can be deployed and configured rapidly in the midst of a crisis. It represents a shift towards having more flexible digital and operational foundations in place, with components ready to be activated and adapted as circumstances demand.

Reaching MVP is an important step in that journey. It demonstrates progress towards a more flexible, scalable approach to surge response, while providing a platform for continued development and operational readiness.

As the programme moves forward, the focus will be on ensuring the service can be relied upon when needed and on shaping its future evolution in line with UKHSA’s broader mission.

Supporting the Nation’s Most Critical Services

For Informed Solutions, this work reinforces our commitment to supporting organisations responsible for the UK’s most critical services. We believe that delivering national preparedness is not solely a technical challenge, but one that depends on strong partnerships, shared values and a willingness to work differently in the face of uncertainty.

By combining technical expertise with collaborative ways of working, we help clients and partners deliver outcomes that matter, especially where the stakes are high and the impact is on a national-scale.

We are proud to support UKHSA in its mission to protect the nation’s health and to continue working alongside partners across government and industry to build resilient, future-ready public services.