NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB
Delivering a Secure, Searchable WordPress Platform for Integrated Care System Knowledge Sharing
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Background
NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board (ICB) is responsible for planning and commissioning health services for over one million people. As part of a wider digital transformation, the ICB sought to replace its ageing Knowledge Anglia platform with a new, modern solution — Knowledge NoW — to serve as a central knowledge hub for health and care professionals across the region.
The platform needed to offer fast, intuitive access to clinical guidance, referral forms, and service information, while meeting strict requirements around accessibility, compliance, and editorial governance. 6B was appointed to design, develop, and support a fully bespoke WordPress platform tailored to the needs of a large, multi-organisation user base.
The Need
The legacy Knowledge Anglia platform was no longer fit for purpose. It lacked mobile responsiveness, relied on HSCN-based access controls, and struggled to meet compliance standards for accessibility, privacy, and security. Content governance was fragmented, and users had difficulty locating relevant guidance due to outdated search functionality and inconsistent page structures.
NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB required:
- A fully accessible, publicly available WordPress platform
- Advanced, section-specific search and filtering
- Modular CMS with approval workflows for section admins
- Bulk uploading, version control, and document review automation
- Full compliance with WCAG 2.2 AA, GDPR, and OWASP-aligned security standards
- Long-term hosting, training, and ongoing support
The Solution
6B delivered a secure, scalable WordPress platform for Knowledge NoW, architected for usability, search performance, and content control. We developed custom post types and ACF-powered templates for documents, service information, referral pathways, and guidance — enabling content teams to manage over 2,000 items and 1,000 external links.
Granular role-based permissions were implemented, supporting full site admins and section/page managers with approval workflows. We introduced automated review notifications, batched approvals, and tagging automation based on document naming conventions to streamline content maintenance.
Search functionality was rebuilt from the ground up, with predictive global search and scoped section filtering. Accessibility tools including ReachDeck were integrated, and the site underwent full WCAG 2.2 AA testing using industry-standard accessibility software.
Security was a core focus. The platform includes multi-factor authentication, strict transport security, and full GDPR-compliant data handling. Hosting is UK-based, and a disaster recovery process with weekly backups and 24-hour RTO/RPO is in place.
6B provided live CMS training, written documentation, and built-in analytics and reporting to track site usage and engagement by organisation type.
The Impact
Knowledge NoW has transformed how Norfolk and Waveney ICB shares clinical and service knowledge across the Integrated Care System. Professionals can now quickly access up-to-date, locally relevant guidance without HSCN restrictions, while the public benefits from improved transparency and access to trusted information.
The CMS now supports over 20 section managers with structured workflows, reducing publishing bottlenecks and improving content governance. With powerful search, robust accessibility, and full compliance in place, the platform is now a cornerstone of the ICB’s digital knowledge strategy.