Online sharing of books and resources between NHS libraries
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Whilst working as part of the NHS, the team (now working as Infotex Systems) were commissioned to design and build a bespoke self-referral platform. Within this, patients for over 10+ years have been able to answer a series of questions that would go on to form the basis of a tailored self-administered care package provided by AHPS.
The Infotex Systems team have continued to support this system and further develop its functionality to ensure it remains optimised for use.
Dealing with sensitive information and complex medical needs can present a challenge, so the team tackled the project with patience and sensitivity, working closely with the AHPS team.
As part of the brief, a new website was built to host the patient questions in an easy-to-use, but secure, interface. That information is then accessed by the AHPS clinical team, who triage each case individually before offering interim advice and exercises while patients await their face-to-face appointments.
The AHPS online portal now manages more than 80,000 self-referrals per year. For an overstretched NHS, systems like this one are vital in ensuring a smooth flow of patient referrals, and in alleviating the strain on GPs and NHS staff.
This site brings much-needed efficiency and a level of automation to a historically slow and labour-intensive process and is proving invaluable.
Initially only operating in Suffolk, the service was so successful it is now used by healthcare providers across East Anglia, and Enfield in North London.
As AHPS have been looking to make the platform available to more organisations, they chose to formally name it for the first time. Following the selection of “URefer”, the internal AHP communications team created a logo and brand guidelines, fitting in with an update to the AHPS corporate branding.
The Infotex design team then set about the task of producing a design for the self referral platform to both apply the new branding and also make some improvements to the user interface. New screen designs for the core pages within the self referral platform where created, incorporating the new branding and a raft of UX improvements.
Following consultation with AHPS the designs were further refined, before the systems team began incorporating the new look into the self-referral platform.
The newly branded URefer platform was released in November 2024.
“We’re very pleased with the way the Infotex team were able to produce a design for the self referral platform that reflected the new URefer branding whilst maintaining the core simplicity that makes it easy to use for patients. The changes have been well received by our customer organisations and their patients.“
Jo Vertigan | Commercial Director at AHPS
