SUMIT Project - Provision of Digital Products

The SUMIT (Substance Use and Mental Health Interventions using Digital Technology) Project

is supported by PEACEPLUS, a programme managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).

The SUMIT Project will jointly develop, implement and evaluate a digitally enabled approach to enhance and inform the transformation of services within a test bed environment for 1,500 beneficiaries, adding value through three interrelated activities. 1. Collaborate with 4 local demonstrator sites in Northern Ireland (NI), the border counties of the Republic of Ireland (ROI) and Scotland (SCO) to deliver a comprehensive skills development programme for 500 staff and facilitate good practice and knowledge exchange through a Community of Practice to enable implementation of digital products. 2. Codesign, develop and implement 3 digital products for people to confidently use digital devices and products to access support and improve health and wellbeing. 3. Undertake crossborder research and project evaluation to robustly evidence ‘what works,’ and apply learning throughout the project to inform service delivery, organisational change and policy development to reduce inequalities and foster resilient health and social care systems. The procurement is structured into three distinct but interrelated lots:

- Lot 1 – Self-directed Help: Digital tools enabling individuals to access information, guidance and support independently, including anonymous access

where appropriate.

- Lot 2 – Personalised Journey: Solutions supporting ongoing recovery and wellbeing through personalised tracking, goalsetting, service navigation and peer interaction.

- Lot 3 – Data Sharing: Capabilities to support person held records and controlled data sharing across services, reducing duplication and enabling continuity of care. A key objective of the contract is to deliver outcome based digital solutions, rather than prescriptive technical systems. Bidders are therefore required to demonstrate how their solutions achieve defined user and service outcomes, including improved access to support services, sustained user engagement, increased digital inclusion, and enhanced service insight through data and analytics.

This approach reflects the programme’s emphasis on codesign and participatory development, ensuring that solutions are aligned with real user needs and are capable of achieving meaningful adoption. Queens University Belfast (QUB) is the overall lead for the project with the Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI hosted by University of Strathclyde) leading on activity 2 above.

In delivery with the wider SUMIT partners, DHI is seeking to develop and implement innovative routes to market for the crossborder procurement of 3 digitally enabled products. All solutions and services delivered under this contract must comply with all applicable data protection legislation in force within the jurisdictions of delivery, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (EU GDPR) as implemented in the Republic of Ireland, and the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) together with the Data Protection Act 2018. The Contractor shall ensure that its solution remains fully compliant with these statutory requirements at all times throughout the term of the contract. This contract will also be available for use by SUMIT Core Partners; Queen’s University Belfast, Trinity College Dublin, University of St Andrews, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations and Associate Partners; Alcohol Forum Ireland, Developing Healthy Communities NI, Dundalk Institute of Technology, North Eastern Regional Drug & Alcohol Task Force.