Working together since 2019
Started with hybrid mail for three departments
Digital letters available almost immediately
Through the Patient Engagement Portal
Accessible Information Standard compliant formats
Including yellow paper and Clear Read letters
East Cheshire NHS Trust
East Cheshire NHS Trust needed to streamline and digitalise patient communications. Restore Information Management helped the trust move away from labour-intensive manual processes, enabling faster digital access for patients, reducing pressures on adminstration teams and supporting Accessible Information Standards requirements.
Executive summary
- Restore Information Management has been working with East Cheshire NHS Trust since 2019, initially introducing hybrid mail options for three departments.
- The Trust’s previous communications process relied on producing, printing, stuffing, collecting, franking and posting patient letters manually.
- Restore Information Management helped format documents for upload to a Patient Engagement Portal, allowing patients to access communications digitally.
- Digital letters are now available almost immediately through the PEP, helping patients confirm appointment details, procedure dates and clinical information on the same day.
- The new process has reduced admin workload, supported cost savings and helped the trust meet Accessible Information Standards with automated format options.
East Cheshire NHS Trust, focused on better patient communications
East Cheshire NHS Trust needed a more efficient and robust way to manage patient communications. The Trust wanted to reduce the administrative burden on staff while improving the quality, speed and accessibility of the information patients receive.
Restore Information Management initially supported three departments with hybrid mail options. The success of that implementation led to solutions being expanded into other departments across the Trust.
The challenge: manual communication processes created delays and pressure
Previously, administrators and booking teams had to produce, print and stuff letters into envelopes. Those letters were then collected by porters, delivered to the post room, franked, collected by the post service and sent out to patients.
Because the process was manual, issues could arise with letters being in the wrong format, missed or not delivered on time. East Cheshire NHS Trust decided it was time to re-evaluate, streamline and digitalise its communication processes.
The solution: digital and physical patient communications through a streamlined process
The set-up began with a Restore Information Management Regional Account Manager completing a thorough survey of the Trust’s current processes. This included understanding volumes, letter templates, training needs and preferences for audit reports.
Restore Information Management helped the Trust format documents so they could be uploaded to a Patient Engagement Portal, where patients can access them digitally. This removed a significant amount of administrative work that the Trust would otherwise have needed to complete for the PEP provider.
The process also supports both digital and physical patient letters. Staff can track the journey of documents through Restore Prism software, even though they no longer need to handle the physical end product themselves.
The results: faster access, less admin and more accessible communications
Patients can now access important healthcare communications much faster. Digital letters are available almost immediately through the Patient Engagement Portal, allowing patients to confirm appointment details, procedure dates and clinical information on the same day.
The streamlined process has also reduced pressure on admin staff. Instead of managing a lengthy manual process, staff can use the Restore Prism printer and simply click ‘print’, helping reduce stress and free up time for other responsibilities.
The Trust has been able to save money by streamlining communications and redirecting staff resources to other important tasks. The process also supports the NHS carbon agenda and helps East Cheshire NHS Trust meet Accessible Information Standards requirements.
Restore Information Management can provide Accessible Information Standard compliant letter formats such as yellow paper and Clear Read letters. Patients with additional needs can receive communications in the format that suits them, without adding to the admin team’s workload because the process is automated.
The story in numbers:
- 2019: Restore Information Management began working with East Cheshire NHS Trust
- 3 departments initially supported with hybrid mail options
- Digital letters now available almost immediately through the Patient Engagement Portal
- Same-day access helps patients confirm appointment details, procedure dates and clinical information
- AIS-compliant communication options include yellow paper and Clear Read letters
- Automated formatting helps deliver accessible letters without adding to admin workload
Making patient communications easier
Patient communications need to be reliable, timely and accessible. East Cheshire NHS Trust shows how moving away from manual processes can reduce administrative pressure while giving patients faster access to important healthcare information.
Just like East Cheshire NHS Trust, your organisation can use information management technology to streamline communications, support accessibility needs and create a better experience for staff and patients.
If manual communications are slowing processes down or adding unnecessary pressure to your teams, get in touch. We’ll help you explore a more efficient way forward.
Note: Restore Information Management acquired the document management and outbound communications business of Synertec Ltd, the organisation that carried out this project as the time the case study was written.
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