NHS app integration

6B work alongside NHS Digital to deliver seamless NHS app integration for suppliers of online consultation and health record services, gradually rolling out integration to GP practices. 

NHS app integration enables organisations to give the population they serve a single digital platform to access the medical care and treatment they require, combining localised services with functionality and data via the NHS app. 

Through harnessing the power of integration, healthcare providers can help seamlessly connect patients with the services and information they need in real-time, in a secure way, adhering to strict compliance standards. 

NHS app integration company

The work 6B undertakes with the NHS app team facilitates two options for integration – API integration and web integration. Both options have their individual benefits and points to consider, which will inform the direction of design your organisation chooses.

API integration

  • Benefits include: seamless integration with the NHS app, seamless communication with external FHIR complaint systems, enhanced usability for app users, and the NHS app team takes care of interface changes. 
  • Considerations include: increased technical complexity, and the fact that extensive collaboration in development may be required. 

Web integration 

  • Benefits include: easier to implement than API integration, and much quicker to update. 
  • Considerations include: it can result in a disjointed user experience when not executed right, and it will require a certain level of design collaboration between your organisation and NHS Digital.

Working with the NHS: the process

6B, along with the NHS app team, assess the integration criteria for you and determine whether or not your organisation’s product or service is compatible for integration. To do this, we’ll ask you a whole host of questions: What services do you provide? Who are your users? What type of information do you provide for your users? Have you integrated with NHS login?

Once this criteria has been met, 6B and the NHS app team will place your product or service under the microscope. We’ll ask you to send us some documents to help better understand your offering, including: a data flow list, a data flow diagram, a contract detailing your data status, and privacy information created for your users. And you’ll also need to send a test account, which the NHS app team will use to conduct a usability assessment, to determine mobile optimisation and accessibility, among other things.

Once we understand the integration in depth we will run workshops with the NHS app team and guide you through a design sprint, identifying which areas of your product or service are suitable for integration and which parts work best with existing app users.

Design, build and release your integration

Integration will consist of two main options – API or web integration. To be considered for API integration, you will be required to already have a FHIR CDS API and the design and maintenance of the user interface will be handled directly by NHS Digital. Whereas web integration will require you to provide your own front-end developer to update your own user interface.

Another feature of integration with the NHS app will be the option to include notifications and messaging. The app already features an inbox so users are able to receive messages and push notifications, and this can be integrated alongside your general NHS app integration.

The design will be subject to prototype testing with users, which will dictate if the integration meets the NHS Digital Service Standard. Moderate usability testing is used to analyse how individual users complete specific tasks and a report is produced by NHS Digital. They will also run a series of quality assurance tests in test environments, within different browsers, and on multiple devices, to ensure any defects are identified and logged.

A definitive rollout plan will then be created and this will detail the gradual release of your integration with GP practices, which will help test integration for issues, as well as measure and monitor usage. This will constitute a minimal viable product (MVP) release of your integration to select practices, before it becomes fully functional within the NHS app and is ready for full release.

Why choose 6B for NHS app integration?

  • Experienced integration consultants – We have the experience and technical knowledge of developing NHS app integration with the NHS for private and public sector organisations in the healthcare sector.
  • Healthcare integration expertise – We work with the NHS, Public Health England as well as leading healthcare system providers including EMIS, SystmOne, Epic and Cerner.
  • Secure and compliant – 6B are ISO 27001 accredited, cyber essentials certified, and experienced in processing patient data under HIPPA, CFR Part 11 and other industry regulations and we are proficient with healthcare data taxonomy including Snomed CT, NHS Data Model, HL7 FHIR, openEHR, CDM, ODM and more.

Healthcare Services

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NHS PDS

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