National first for health trust with NHS app milestone
ROTHERHAM has become England's first NHS trust to integrate patient initiated follow up appointments into the NHS app.
The milestone for Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has seen it roll out PIFU appointments across multiple specialities via the app following a pilot in one department,
With PIFU, patients do not need routine check-ups – instead, they can contact their specialist team if they need help, such as if symptoms get worse or something changes.
This reduces unnecessary hospital visits for people who are doing well, while helping those who need it to get support sooner.
The PIFU functionality within the NHS app was first used in the trust’s Respiratory and Sleep Physiology department, but is now available in many services including surgery and general medicine, specialist clinics including cardiology, support services including physiotherapy and specialist surgery including ENT (ear, nose and throat).
Most NHS trusts use a patient engagement portal to let patients see their hospital appointments through the NHS app, but Rotherham has added PIFU features inside the NHS App through its engagement portal, Patient Hub.
James Rawlinson, director of health informatics, said: “This supports the direction set out in the 10 Year Health Plan for England, including the shift from analogue to digital.
“By being the first trust to bring these specific follow-up pathways into the NHS App, we are making it easier for people to take control of their own care.
“It helps our services spend less time on administration and more time with patients.
“We’ve kept a clear safety net in place, too, so moving faster digitally does not mean leaving anyone behind.”