Implementing PCMIS in Black Country Healthcare WorkWell Service

Implementation & Onboarding

The implementation of PCMIS within Black Country Healthcare WorkWell service was described as “smooth and easy to navigate”, with the system continuing to evolve as the service developed. Staff were able to use the pathway confidently and relatively quickly, supported by staggered onboarding that allowed new staff to benefit from the growing expertise of the wider team.

One‑to‑one training sessions with PCMIS support staff, particularly sessions with the Client Engagement Manager, were highlighted as especially valuable during setup.

“A major influence on the decision to adopt PCMIS was its existing successful use within the Trust’s Talking Therapies service, as well as its flexibility. The WorkWell team were able to adapt the system to meet the specific needs of their employment‑focused model.”

Day‑to‑Day Use

WorkWell staff make frequent use of several PCMIS features, including:

• Integrated online eReferral
• Client Portal
• Client Questionnaires
• Email templates and attachments
• Reporting tools

These features support efficient case management and ensure that client information is easy to record, access, and monitor. Staff report that the system “enables straightforward compliance checks and individualised reporting.”

How PCMIS Supports Decision‑Making

PCMIS supports decision‑making by providing a clear, structured overview of each client’s journey. Health Coaches can track referrals, appointments, assessments, and outcomes in one place, enabling timely decisions about support needs, progress, and next steps. The ability to generate reports also helps services identify trends, monitor performance, and allocate resources effectively.

Outcomes & Impact

Improved Service Efficiency

PCMIS has had a positive impact on service efficiency, particularly in reducing administrative workload. Automated processes, such as appointment scheduling, email and SMS templates with standardised documentation, have improved accuracy and consistency. As a result, this has enabled Work and Health Coaches to dedicate more time to direct client support, while streamlined performance monitoring allows for quicker decision‑making and improved overall service productivity.

Tracking Outcomes and Demonstrating Effectiveness

PCMIS enables the service to record client activity, progress, and outcomes in a centralised system. Providing reports to support:

• Monthly audits
• Data returns
• Performance monitoring across the Black Country Healthcare NHS FT
• Identification of positive outcomes and success stories

The ability to produce clear, reliable data has strengthened the service’s ability to demonstrate impact and value.

Reporting & Commissioning

Black Country Healthcare has worked closely with PCMIS to streamline data submissions, which are now easy and efficient for staff to complete. PCMIS aligns with the requirements of the DWP dataset, and the few remaining challenges largely relate to occasional user‑side errors, such as inconsistent processes or accidental overwriting of corrections.

Both PCMIS and Black Country Healthcare continue to explore improvements and opportunities to enhance the system further, strengthening data quality and supporting staff to enter information accurately and confidently.

PCMIS helps us demonstrate the impact of the service by capturing outcome data that can be used to highlight successes and share good news stories about the positive difference the project is making.
Richard Mettrick, WorkWell Manager, Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

 Staff Experience

Staff have responded positively to PCMIS, particularly as their familiarity with the system has grown. While there was an initial learning curve, most staff now find that PCMIS:

• Simplifies documentation
• Improves access to client information
• Reduces duplication
• Supports day‑to‑day case management

The Client Portal and other digital tools have also helped reduce administrative burden.

Service Development & Scalability

PCMIS has supported Black Country Healthcare’s growth by providing a structured, reliable platform for managing referrals, client records, and outcomes as demand increases. Having a centralised platform makes it easier to manage increasing numbers of referrals and track client progress consistently. It also supports reporting and data analysis, which helps the service monitor performance, identify trends, and adapt delivery where needed to better meet the needs of the people we support.

This flexibility has enabled the service to respond to evolving needs, maintain consistency across multiple delivery partners, and ensure that client progress is tracked effectively.

Overall Value

Key Benefits

The biggest benefits of PCMIS as a WorkWell pathway include:

• A centralised system for managing referrals, appointments, and client progress
• Strong data collection and reporting capabilities
• Improved ability to demonstrate impact through outcome data
• Enhanced integrated communication, with all correspondence linked to client records
• Support for multi‑partner delivery, ensuring consistent recording across organisations

“PCMIS is a useful system for managing referrals, client records, and outcome data in one central place. It supports day-to-day case management while also making it easier to produce reports, complete audits, and demonstrate the impact of the service through clear data. Having this information recorded consistently can help services monitor performance and highlight positive outcomes.”

“It is also particularly helpful where WorkWell delivery involves multiple partners across different sectors, as it provides a shared system that helps bring information together and maintain a consistent approach to recording activity and outcomes. This can make collaboration between delivery partners more streamlined and ensure that progress and support provided to individuals are clearly documented.”

Richard Mettrick, WorkWell Manager, Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Take a look at our WorkWell pathway here