BEST Web
A hybrid cloud service for NHS and public sector equipment services. Cloud-hosted front end provides secure desktop and mobile access. Supports patient care pathways, referrals, assessments, equipment allocation, tracking, and multi-discipline services, enabling field teams, remote working, warehouse scanning, and integrated management of wheelchairs, prosthetics, orthotics, and communication aids.
Features
- Secure remote access to your BEST data
- Web-based access on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices
- Stock and catalogue enquiry functionality
- Field service scheduling and route visibility
- Remote order creation with configurable approval controls
- Support for remote patient assessment workflows
- Capture and upload images to support assessments and records
- Mobile barcode scanning for equipment identification
- Up-to-date equipment status and lifecycle visibility
- Role-based access control with audit logging
Benefits
- Single, consistent dataset shared across teams and services
- Up-to-date visibility supporting timely operational decision-making
- Secure web access from mobile, tablet, or desktop devices
- Supports safe lone-worker and field-based service delivery
- Scales to support large user bases and multi-service deployments
- Compatible with existing BEST V14 implementations
- Configurable controls for ordering limits and approvals
- Improves equipment utilisation and reduces unnecessary duplication
- No requirement for local or mobile software installation
- Intuitive interface supporting rapid user adoption
Pricing
Service documents
Request an accessible format
Framework
G-Cloud 15
Service ID
1 1 3 8 0 4 1 0 0 1 8 6 5 9 9
Contact
SOFT OPTIONS (SYSTEMS) LTD
Dave Rolph
Telephone: 01422 204500
Email: support@softoptions.co.uk
About your service
- Service categories
-
Application Development and Deployment
Data management
Database management systems
- Relational Database Management Systems
- Object-Oriented Database Management Systems
- Multivalue Database Management Systems
Database administration and development
- Database Administration
- Data Modelling
- Database Development and Optimization
Data integration and intelligence
- Data Ingestion and Transformation Software
- Data Access Infrastructure Software
- Master Data Intelligence Software
- Metadata Management Software
- Multi cloud support
- No
Service scope
- Software add-on or extension
- Yes
- What software services is the service an extension to
- BEST Web is a browser-based extension to the BEST Client software (V14+), providing seamless integration with your existing system. It adds secure, mobile-friendly access and enhanced functionality for field teams, remote working, and equipment service management, without replacing your current setup.
- Cloud deployment model
- Hybrid cloud
- Service constraints
- Standard Microsoft compatible platform required to host BEST Web API (IIS Server with connection to BEST SQL Server database and data share), specified .NET framework. Documentation is provided. Short periods of downtime, by arrangement with the customer, may be required for maintenance tasks such as security updates.
- System requirements
-
- BEST V14
- .NET 8 runtime
- Windows Server 2022
- IIS
- Internet connectivity
- HTTPS (TLS 1.2 or higher)
- Browser installed on device (e.g. Chrome, Edge, Safari, Firefox)
User support
- Email or online ticketing support
- Yes
- Support response times
- The support team are available Monday to Friday 8:30 - 17:00. Our mission is to provide accurate answers for all support requests as soon as possible; while ensuring that if an answer is not possible within 4 hours a response is provided, detailing any work that has been carried out.
- User can manage status and priority of support tickets
- Yes
- Online ticketing support accessibility
- WCAG 2.2 AA
- Phone support
- Yes
- Phone support availability
- 9 to 5 (UK time), Monday to Friday
- Web chat support
- No
- Onsite support
- Yes, at extra cost
- Support levels
-
Local IT teams will respond to problems with the infrastructure needed for BEST under their support for clinical applications.
The response and fix times are based on business hours which are Monday-Friday, 09:00-16:30.
Problems are categorised by severity, and the support levels and response times are:
1. Critical (1) Entire System Down: 30-minute response, 24-hour fix.
2. High (2) Entire Site Down: 2-hour response, 24-hour fix.
3. Medium (3) Entire Group (5+ affected): 4-hour response, 48-hour fix.
4. Low (4) – Individual User or Workaround: 4-hour response, 48-hour fix.
5. Minor Issue (5): Next-day response, 72-hour fix.
We are open to offer additional service levels and times as an additional price, but this would be on a request basis.
Standard support is included within the software maintenance costs and provided free of charge where the system is not working as originally designed.
New developments, major re-writes and changes incur costs which are quoted and agreed beforehand.
For government-led changes Soft Options will cover development costs; sites pay for installation, data changes and training.
Each project will have a technical account manager who has access to the entire development and technical support teams - Support available to third parties
- Yes
Onboarding and offboarding
- Getting started
- Project Document Pack provided on receipt of purchase order. Implementation and planning meetings held with key personnel from Supplier and Customer, including Customer IT Dept. BEST Web is designed to be intuitive to use with no training. However, user guide documentation is provided and online/on site training can be provided at extra cost.
- Service documentation
- Yes
- Documentation formats
- End-of-contract data extraction
- Existing ACT (Annual Consultancy Time) may be used to allow Soft Options to provide a complete and safe extract of all data in an SQL format.
- End-of-contract process
-
At the end of the contract, Soft Options will support the exit process, ensuring a smooth transition. This includes support for the BEST application and linked applications until contact exit or non-renewal of Annual License fee. The core data held in BEST remains the customer's property, and Soft Options will provide a professional exit strategy to extract the data in SQL format using existing Annual Consultancy Time (ACT). Any existing Data Sharing Agreements will be closed, and data held by Soft Options will be removed, with written confirmation provided and signed by a Director.
If the ACT has already been used, Soft Options will provide a quotation for the data extract, which will not exceed £4000+VAT. Note that Soft Options holds business sensitive code and links to logic within the BEST application, and unauthorised access or sharing of this intellectual property may incur legal action and costs. - Documentation accessibility standard
- None or don’t know
- How the documentation is accessible
- ?
Using the service
- Web browser interface
- Yes
- Supported browsers
-
- Microsoft Edge
- Firefox
- Chrome
- Safari
- Opera
- Other
- Application to install
- No
- Designed for use on mobile devices
- Yes
- Differences between the mobile and desktop service
- BEST Web uses Cascading Style Sheet (CSS) configured so that the appropriate view, desktop or mobile, is provided to the user depending on the size of the screen.
- Service interface
- No
- User support accessibility
- None or don’t know
- API
- Yes
- What users can and can't do using the API
- API lets users read/search data (patients, stock, equipment, assets, work orders), create/update orders, drivers, scans and batches, upload/read files, and run processes. Stock is read-only; invalid inputs return errors. Access to the API is restricted to the BEST Web web site only.
- API documentation
- Yes
- API documentation formats
- Open API (also known as Swagger)
- API sandbox or test environment
- Yes
- Customisation available
- Yes
- Description of customisation
-
Multiple configuration settings available for e.g. Role Based Access, Access Level, Team Working, Order Limits. Custom processes can be developed with no change to front-end web site software.
System Administrators have access to configuration settings.
Minimal Supplier involvement required to develop custom processes.
Scaling
- Independence of resources
- BEST Web web site hosted by Supplier in Microsoft Azure with automatic scaling. Customer provides on prem hosting for API and BEST SQL data base and are advised on resources required base on estimated number of users.
Analytics
- Service usage metrics
- Yes
- Metrics types
- Complete availability, up time, data use and support activity requests are recorded and available as standard.
- Reporting types
-
- Real-time dashboards
- Regular reports
- Reports on request
- Resource tagging
- Yes
- FOCUS resource tagging
- No
Resellers
- Supplier type
- Not a reseller
Staff security
- Staff security clearance
- Conforms to BS7858:2019
- Government security clearance
- None
Asset protection
- Knowledge of data storage and processing locations
- Yes
- Data storage and processing locations
- United Kingdom
- User control over data storage and processing locations
- Yes
- Datacentre security standards
- Supplier-defined controls
- Penetration testing frequency
- At least every 6 months
- Penetration testing approach
- In-house
- Protecting data at rest
-
- Physical access control, complying with another standard
- Encryption of all physical media
- Other
- Other data at rest protection approach
- All our backups are encrypted
- Data sanitisation process
- Yes
- Equipment disposal approach
- In-house destruction process
- Data sanitisation type
- Data Erasure
Data importing and exporting
- Data export approach
- Data can be exported from the BEST Microsoft SQL database using standard Microsoft tools and techniques (e.g. Excel, Power BI, SQL data extracts, and Crystal Reports).
- Data export formats
-
- CSV
- ODF
- Other
- Data import formats
-
- CSV
- Other
- Other data import formats
-
- Excel
- PDF data-enabled forms
- Files (e.g. Word, Images) can be attached
Data-in-transit protection
- Data protection between buyer and supplier networks
-
- Private network or public sector network
- TLS (version 1.2 or above)
- IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
- Other
- Other protection between networks
- AES256 Encryption of data in transit.
- Data protection within supplier network
-
- TLS (version 1.2 or above)
- IPsec or TLS VPN gateway
- Other
- Other protection within supplier network
- Network authentication, MFA to our infrastructure using DUO Mobile.
Availability and resilience
- Guaranteed availability
- Access to the BEST system (Monday to Friday 08:30 – 17:00) Service Level guaranteed @ 99%. Soft Options have never breached this figure although some customers host their own systems and this figure is unknown. Refunds would be in the way of consultancy or account credit or reduction on support renewal fees.
- Approach to resilience
- As part of our ISO 27001 Business Systems, a Business Continuity and resilience management policy is maintained. Every system is held in at least 2 places (most in 3), Soft Options Physical Hardware (Head Office), Azure Platforms and a 3rd Level Business Systems in a physical separate location with physical DR Server.
- Outage reporting
- There have been no reported outages since records began, however this would be handled with emails and even phone calls if needed.
Identity and authentication
- User authentication needed
- Yes
- User authentication
-
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
- Username or password
- Access restrictions in management interfaces and support channels
-
Access to management interfaces is restricted to authorised personnel only, following role-based access control and least privilege principles. Infrastructure and hosting interfaces are secured with individual accounts, strong passwords, and MFA where supported.
The BEST Web app uses defined user roles to restrict access, and public registration is not available. Auth0 handles user authentication, providing secure identity management. Customers control access to their own infrastructure and API components.
Communication between the hosted front-end and customer-hosted API uses HTTPS with TLS. Admin access is limited, reviewed regularly and removed when no longer needed. Access controls ensure secure management and data protection. - Access restriction testing frequency
- At least once a year
- Management access authentication
-
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Public key authentication (including by TLS client certificate)
- Username or password
Audit information for users
- Access to user activity audit information
- Users have access to real-time audit information
- How long user audit data is stored for
- User-defined
- Access to supplier activity audit information
- Users contact the support team to get audit information
- How long supplier audit data is stored for
- User-defined
- How long system logs are stored for
- User-defined
Security governance
- Named board-level person responsible for service security
- Yes
- Security governance certified
- Yes
- Security governance standards
- ISO/IEC 27001
- Information security policies and processes
- Managed under ISO27001 accredited system - Physical and Network Security Policy - available on request.
- Software Security Code of Practice
- Yes
Operational security
- Configuration and change management standard
- Supplier-defined controls
- Configuration and change management approach
- Managed under ISO27001 accredited system - ISMS BMS Manual - available on request.
- Vulnerability management type
- Supplier-defined controls
- Vulnerability management approach
- Managed under ISO27001 accredited system - Physical and Network Security Policy - available on request. Controls to support above include membership of various industry recognised security forums, monthly Threat Audit Review and immediate patch deployment.
- Protective monitoring type
- Supplier-defined controls
- Protective monitoring approach
- Managed under ISO27001 accredited system - Physical and Network Security Policy - available on request. This includes server updates and security check list, security Threat Review, Administration Practices Review within the internal business administration system. Incidents are classified and actioned appropriately.
- Incident management type
- Supplier-defined controls
- Incident management approach
- Incident Management Process complies with DCB0129 and managed under ISO27001 accredited system - internal "Action" system.
- Post-quantum cryptography secure
- No
Secure development
- Approach to secure software development best practice
- Supplier-defined process
Public sector networks
- Connection to public sector networks
- Yes
- Connected networks
- Health and Social Care Network (HSCN)
Pricing
- Discount for educational organisations
- No
- Free trial available
- No
Discount percentage by annual call-off contract value (excluding VAT)
- Less than £250,000
- 0%
- Between £250,000 and £500,000
- 0%
- Between £500,001 and £1,000,000
- 0%
- Between £1,000,001 and £2,500,000
- 0%
- Between £2,500,001 and £5,000,000
- 0%
- Over £5,000,001
- 0%
Non-mandatory Standards and certifications
- ISO/IEC 27001 certification
- Yes
- Who accredited the ISO/IEC 27001
- British Assessment Bereau
- ISO/IEC 27001 accreditation date
- Friday 4 July 2025
- What the ISO/IEC 27001 doesn’t cover
- Everything is covered
- ISO 28000:2022 certification
- No
- ISO 9001 certification
- No
- Quality management systems (QMS)
- Yes
- CSA STAR certification
- No
- PCI certification
- No
- Cyber essentials
- Yes
- Please provide your Cyber Essentials Certificate Number
- 8dc2dd00-af86-4a60-8f32-275bf6f094b8
- Cyber essentials plus
- No
- Cyber Essentials Alternative
- In relation to the services you do not have a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate which has been awarded by one of the government approved Cyber Essentials accreditation bodies but you are working towards gaining it, and will be in a position to confirm that you have been awarded a current and valid Cyber Essentials Plus certificate by one of the government approved accreditation bodies within 12 months of the date of award.
- Other security certifications
- No
Social value
- Section B - Commitment for Future: Delivery
-
-
Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.
Policy Outcome 1: Fair work: That offers fair wages and good working conditions. Help people get a job, stay in work, and progress in their careers, with good employment opportunities across the country. Notes: Where there is a large proportion of labour costs in the contract, commercial teams should consider MAC in Outcome 1 as a priority
- New or retained jobs on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b, 1c and 1d
- New apprenticeships on the contract workforce in the relevant area that meet the criteria set out in MAC 1b
- Providing opportunities for, and measuring and monitoring of, staff workforce conditions over time, including employee engagement, involvement in decision-making and satisfaction and adapting to any changes in the results, with clear processes for acting on issues identified
- Plans to engage the contract workforce in deciding the most important workplace issues to address
- Ensuring new workers are informed of their right to join a trade union
- Monitoring of employee engagement rates (by protected characteristic) and, where necessary, the development of actions to ensure all voices are heard across the diversity of the workforce
- Employment contracts that reflect actual hours worked; steps taken to ensure employees understand their contracts and have the ability to review and adjust them if actual hours regularly exceed contracted hours
- Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about, and feel empowered to, address their physical wellbeing
- Activities that support an environment where staff are educated about and feel empowered to report and address bullying and harassment
- Activities to cascade good practice on fair working conditions throughout the supply chain
- Offer a pay and leave entitlement to all eligible staff who become kinship carers, ideally equivalent to statutory adoption pay and leave
- Payment of more than the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage (as appropriate) to the contract workforce
- Monitoring and reporting of gender and ethnicity pay gaps and plans to address them where necessary
- Entitlement to sick pay for the contract workforce, with provision in place for any staff who do not meet the earnings threshold for statutory sick pay, payment of sick pay from day one of absence and payment of staff on the contract workforce who are off sick a replacement income of 100% of their usual earnings for as long as possible
- Plans for an appropriate income replacement policy for staff who are required to spend time away from work to care for a sick dependent or close relative
- Understanding of in-work progression issues affecting the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
- Measures to support in-work progression to help people in the contract workforce, to move into higher paid work by developing new skills relevant to the contract
- Support for the contract workforce by providing career advice, and providing opportunities for staff working on the contract with in-work progression career development into known skills shortages or high growth areas
- Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
- Volunteering opportunities for staff
- Understanding of the modern slavery risks and issues affecting the market, industry, sector or country (of origin or of source) relevant to the contract, and the workforce in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key subcontractors
- Measures to identify, mitigate and manage modern slavery risks relating to the contract and how these will be implemented
- Outline policies and practices to be applied to or put in place for the contract to mitigate and manage modern slavery risks, including: Pre-employment checks, recruitment practices. Workplace conditions, safeguarding plans and processes in place and regular monitoring with relevant groups considered, which may include sampling
- How these flow down the supply chain and are monitored Illustrative examples include reporting, site visits, audits, etc.
- How to ensure business decisions re: price/cost, short lead times, payment timescales do not create modern slavery risks in the supply chain
- How the supplier will work with NGOs, trade unions or other businesses to address modern slavery risk
- Means of influencing staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders with respect to modern slavery risks relating to the contract
-
Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.
Policy Outcome 2: Skills for growth: Supporting growth sectors and addressing skills gaps.
- Understanding of employment and relevant skills issues, and of the education and training issues relating to the contract. Illustrative examples: demographics, skills shortages, new opportunities in high growth sectors, geographic/local community and skills/employment challenges
- Support for educational attainment relevant to the contract, including training schemes that address skills gaps and result in recognised qualifications
- Activities to support relevant sector related skills growth and sustainability in the contract workforce. Illustrative examples: careers talks, curriculum support, literacy support, safety talks and volunteering
- Delivery of apprenticeships, supported internships and T Level industry placement opportunities (Level 2, 3 and 4+) in relation to the contract
-
Mission: Kick start economic growth. To secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 - with good jobs and productivity growth in every part of the country making everyone, not just a few, better off.
Policy Outcome 3: Resilient, innovative and flexible supply chains: Support economic growth through enabling resilient businesses, opportunities for small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises
- Understanding of the types of businesses in the market and the level of participation by new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
- Activities to identify opportunities to open up sub-contracts under the prime contract to a diverse range of businesses, including new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutuals
- Plans for engaging a diverse range of businesses in engagement activities prior to appointing subcontractors (including activities prior to award of the main contract and during the contract term)
- Activities that demonstrate a collaborative way to work with a diverse range of businesses as part of the supply chain
- Advertising of supply chain opportunities openly and to ensure they are accessible to a diverse range of businesses, including advertising all subcontracting opportunities on Contracts Finder
- Ensuring accessibility to contracting and subcontracting opportunities for disabled business owners and employees
- Structuring of the supply chain selection process to ensure fairness (e.g. anti-corruption) and encourages participation by a diverse range of businesses, including with regard to new businesses, entrepreneurs, start-ups, SMEs, VCSEs and mutual
- Understanding of local demographics, needs and opportunities for the co-design of the goods, services and works to be delivered under the contract
- Methods for engaging with different parts of the community (including the education system and charities representing the community) and how communities come together to inform decisions, strategy and projects to leave a positive legacy for future generations
- Measures to involve local stakeholders and/or users in design (e.g. in the design of services, systems, products or buildings)
- Plans for positive actions with community groups.
- Measures for making facilities used in the delivery of the contract available for community groups, education or training
- Measures to engage users and communities and build relationships to increase community integration build trust and influence how the contract is delivered
- Plans to respond flexibly and adapt approaches to community engagement and initiatives
- Support for community-led initiatives relevant to the contract. Illustrative examples: improving transport links; reducing loneliness; helping with English language proficiency; and facilitating social mixing among people with different backgrounds
- Collaborating with anchor institutions and community groups to make facilities available for education, training or community events
-
Mission: Make Britain a clean energy superpower: To cut bills, create jobs and deliver security with cheaper, zero-carbon electricity by 2030, accelerating to net zero
Policy Outcome 4: Sustainable procurement practices: Reducing carbon footprints, minimising waste, and promoting the use of clean energy and green technologies.
- Understanding of opportunities for additional environmental benefits delivery in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
- Collaborative ways of working with the supply chain to deliver additional environmental benefits in the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
- Delivery of additional environmental benefits through the performance of the contract, including working towards net zero carbon emissions and use of clean energy and green technologies
- Understanding of how to influence staff, suppliers, customers, communities and/or any other appropriate stakeholders through the delivery of the contract to support climate and nature protection and improvement
- Activities to reconnect people with the environment and increase awareness of ways to protect and enhance it
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Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain
Policy Outcome 6: Employment and training: For those who face barriers to employment
- Understanding of employment and skills issues, and of the skills and employment shortages of high growth sectors relating to the contract
- Creation of employment opportunities particularly for those who face barriers to employment, such as prison leavers, care leavers and/or who are located in deprived areas, and for people in industries with known skills shortages or in high growth sectors
- Delivery of training schemes and programmes to address any identified skills gaps and under-representation in the workforce for the contract (e.g. prison leavers, care leavers, kinship carers, disabled people)
- Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
- Understanding of the issues affecting the representation of disabled people in the workforce in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors
- Collection of the views and expertise of disabled people and their representative organisations on successfully supporting disabled employees or applicants
- Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, and retention-focused activities, including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
- Introducing transparency to pay and reward processes
- Offering a range of quality opportunities with routes of progression if appropriate, e.g. T Level industry placements, students supported into higher level apprenticeships.
- Working conditions which promote an inclusive working environment and promote retention and progression
- Other measures to provide equality of opportunity for disabled people and those with health conditions into employment, including becoming a Disability Confident employer and inclusion of supported businesses in the contract supply chain
- Understanding of the issues affecting inequality in employment, skills and pay in the market, industry or sector relevant to the contract, and in the supplier’s own organisation and those of its key sub-contractors. Measures to tackle inequality in employment, skills and pay in the contract workforce
- Inclusive and accessible development practices, including guidance for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing people with a disability or health condition
-
Mission: Break down barriers to opportunity: By reforming our childcare and education systems, to make sure there is no class ceiling on the ambitions of young people in Britain
Policy Outcome 7: Creating a pipeline of opportunities: For the contract workforce, reducing barriers to entry for under-represented groups.
- Understanding of the issues affecting the development of new skills by target cohort
- Understanding of the underlying factors affecting improvements to reduce barriers to entry and training schemes for the target cohort(s) related to the contract workforce
- Other measures to offer development opportunities for the target cohort(s) in the contract workforce
- Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
- Understanding of issues relating to entering the contract workforce
- Creation of outreach activities to create a pipeline of employees for the future contract delivery
- Content of the outreach activity is designed to suit the target cohort
- Advertising, promotional and outreach activities designed to raise awareness of the offer to reach the target cohort
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Mission: Build an NHS fit for the future: That is there when people need it; with fewer lives lost to the biggest killers; in a fairer Britain, where everyone lives well for longer.
Policy Outcome 8: Increasing productivity through physical and mental wellbeing: In the supply chain and communities in the relevant area.
- Understanding of issues relating to health and wellbeing, including physical and mental health, in the contract workforce
- Understanding barriers to access to health and social care services or employment opportunities e.g. digital inclusion
- Inclusive and accessible recruitment practices, development practices and retention policies that support-focused activities including those provided in the Guide for line managers on recruiting, managing and developing which support people with a disability or health condition
- Actions to invest in the physical and mental health and wellbeing of the contract workforce
-