Many individuals across the UK find themselves giving care to somebody less able at some point in their lives. Whether paid care workers, or unpaid carers for friends and family — the majority of these will have had limited (or no) access to medical training. Resulting in additional strain on support services like 999 and 111.

We partnered with the NHS NEL Commissioning Support Unit to create a mobile app that democratised best–in–class knowledge for care–givers.

Co–created with care–givers

In circumstances characterised by worry and concern, it was important that the app was reassuring, friendly and trustworthy in equal measure. We ran focus group sessions with key stakeholders and care–givers across Kent and Medway to co–create the app — from content, to UX, to creative.

Simple, actionable patient assessments

Symptom–checking and appropriate escalation was one of the most significant factors that drove care–givers to contact support services.

We built an assessment tool that operated on a traffic light system, asking a series of questions from the most severe to the least. Based on a care–giver’s answer to these questions, they would be given a recommended course of action. This tool now empowers carers across Kent and Medway to draw expert and substantiated conclusions about their patients’ current circumstances, without the need to escalate further.

The app also hosts a directory of services which are categorised by location, and by condition. This means that a carer concerned about their patient’s mental state will be clearly signposted to a supporting service for mental health in their local area.