Case Study | Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust
Overview
Just as Covid-19 began to grab the headlines, CPFT started talking seriously to the VerseOne team about rethinking, redesigning and relaunching their primary public-facing website.
Despite rolling lockdowns and the introduction of remote working for some, a new digital blueprint and partnership with VerseOne chimed with the Trust’s strategic plans.
As CPFT’s dedicated staff are based in more than 50 locations, our transformation experts were tasked with bringing disparate services together within a secure and easy-to-navigate digital hub which allowed patients to manage their referral online.
Trust executives were also keen to ensure the site supported emerging technologies and closer integration and coordination with system partners.
Andrea Grosbois, CPFT’s Head of Communications, said: “We had a really outdated, old platform that didn’t meet our needs, didn’t reflect well on us as an organisation, didn’t meet accessibility regulations and was home to a huge amount of information that we needed to review.
The Challenge
To meet the challenges of a changing health and care landscape, support diverse user journeys, allow engaging access to service information, and reflect the Trust’s ‘Good’ CQC rating online, CPFT required a website which would:
- Place patient needs front and centre: by providing easy and swift access to appointment and service information thanks to tools including smart digital directories
- Support and empower staff: allowing them to manage and update content on a central hub from bases across Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire
- Improve engagement: thanks to an attractive and inclusive design which is consistent with NHS identity guidelines and allows users of all abilities to navigate the site
- Remain ‘mobile-first’: by delivering a scalable, ‘mobile-first’ approach which works well on smaller screens
- Bring CPFT’s people together: by empowering the Trust’s disparate workforce to deliver high-quality care under the ‘Team CPFT’ banner
- Give patients and carers what they want: making it easy for people to find the services they need and key information
- Remain fit for the future: by ensuring the new site could embrace emerging technology and connect with health partner’s platforms
The Solution
The project began in September 2020 and, despite the challenges posed by a global pandemic, the website was launched just four months later in January 2021. Along the way VerseOne and CPFT’s dedicated teams developed a close working relationship which is reflected in the site’s premium feel and design.Together, we delivered a digital experience for service users which exceeded the expectations of stakeholders and staff.Our experts also provided support every step of the way, answering crucial questions around accessibility and ensuring CPFT content managers and editors had the tools, training and knowledge they required.
VerseOne’s partnership with Microsoft has also reaped significant rewards. Transferring the support and maintenance to a secure partner has removed a substantial burden from the Trust’s own IT team, freeing them up to help clinical staff deliver high-quality care.
The new site, hosted by Microsoft’s best-of-breed Azure cloud computing service, also meets national accessibility standards. Users can now tailor colours and contrast levels to meet their needs, zoom in to view pages, and listen to easy-read content via a screen reader.
To ensure as many people as possible can use the website, we’ve also made the text as simple as possible to understand.
CPFT staff tell us they are extremely happy with the new platform and love its look and feel. It also provides a solid foundation for the Trust’s future digital plans.
Feedback from patients and staff has been generous and positive, particularly as the website allows easy access to key services, including crisis help, minor injury units, and the Trust’s Psychological Wellbeing unit.
