Using Microsoft Power Platform for NHS automation

Microsoft Power Platform is the core technology foundation for Berkshire Healthcare’s Intelligent Automation programme.

The programme uses tools such as Power Automate, Power Automate Desktop, Power Apps, Dataverse, Power Pages and Power BI to support workflow automation, digital forms, structured data and reporting.

Why Power Platform is used

Power Platform helps the programme build automations that are:

• repeatable
• supportable
• integrated with Microsoft services
• easier to monitor
• suitable for reusable patterns
• aligned to existing Microsoft cloud capabilities

How we control Power Platform use

Power Platform automation must be governed. Controls may include:

• environment separation
• access control
• connector and data policy review
• solution lifecycle management
• testing before production release
• monitoring and alerting
• change control
• documentation

The programme makes use of strict environment separation, together with secure development and governance controls.

Moving towards stronger integration

Some automations use user-interface steps where better integration is not available. The programme continues moving towards more reliable integration patterns where possible, including APIs and reusable components.

Power Platform and agentic development

Agentic development may support Power Platform delivery by helping draft workflows, documentation, test cases and improvement ideas.

However, AI-generated outputs must be reviewed before use. Production workflows must remain controlled and deterministic unless a future change is separately approved through governance. Production automations will initially remain controlled deterministic workflows that cannot independently change themselves.

Power Platform enables faster and more consistent automation, but safe use depends on governance, standards, monitoring and clear operational ownership.