NHS APP
Improving patient experience of viewing test results online
Context
In the NHS App, test results are one of the most frequently accessed sections, generating 2.5 million views per month. Despite this high engagement, the Test Results area of the NHS App has not been improved since the app launched in 2019.
How might we improve the test results experience in the NHS App and reduce pressure on frontline staff?
Designs prior to changes
Discovery
Research with SMEs
We began by mapping the problem space through conversations with NHS internal stakeholders and primary care clinicians:
-
In collaboration with business analyst, we interviewed 30+ stakeholders across NHS England, product teams, clinical safety and SMEs across primary and secondary care.
-
I conducted 8 interviews with GPs across England and ran a survey with 200+ GP administrative staff to understand operational challenges.
Insights from these sessions allowed us to narrow down the focus of discovery to two use cases and exclude one, as well as informed our recruitment strategy for patient interviews.
Use Case
Status
Rationale
Monitoring existing condition
Prioritised
Low risk of harm from digital delivery and very high annual volume
Results that require no further action
Prioritised
Generally includes normal range results. Low risk of harm and worry.
Diagnosis of a new condition
De-prioritised
Risk of misinterpretation and GPs want control of messaging in diagnosis journey.
Research with patients
I interviewed 12 patients with a range of long-term conditions who do regular tests to monitor their conditions, ensuring there is a mixture of recently diagnosed and those who had their condition for over 10 years.
The aim of this research was to understand:
-
how patients are currently accessing and understanding their test results
-
what information is useful for patients
-
feedback on how test results are currently presented in the NHS App.
Analysis
Insights
Patients feel overwhelmed with the amount of information test results contain.
This makes it hard for patients to find specific information and leads to patients losing confidence and motivation in being able to interpret the test results themselves.
Patients who view their test results online find it difficult to understand what they mean.
This leads to patients doing personal research and/or relying on healthcare professionals.
There is no standardisation around when and how patients are notified of their test results.
This leads to patients feeling unsure and anxious about when to expect their results, which often results in patients contacting their GP surgery.
The systems and processes aren't set up to support primary care staff in providing patients test results in large volumes, in a way that is clear and easy to understand.
Ideation
To tackle this challenge, I planned and facilitated several workshops where the team got the chance to:
-
turn insights into opportunities using How Might We? framework
-
explore competitor solutions and share back using Lightning Demos technique
-
ideate using Crazy 8s exercise
-
prioritise utilising Speed Critique technique
How might we present test results in a way that reduces confusion and information overload, empowering patients to interpret their results independently?
Ideas created by the team
Solution
The core idea was to simplify the experience by breaking the information into three distinct sections that aligned with users’ mental models. To reduce cognitive load, we moved the result value and normal range details to a dedicated “Details” page and introduced an additional page that consolidates all historical results for that specific test type.
1
Organize test results by year and month for easier browsing
2
Provide clearer visual indicators showing each result and its normal range
3
Offer concise explanations about each test type to support understanding
4
Include simple, contextual information that explains normal ranges
5
Visualize changes over time through easy-to-read trend charts
6
Allow users to view all results for a specific test type in an alternative, consolidated format
Usability & Accessibility testing
We iteratively tested and refined concepts throughout the project. As part of this, I:
-
created Figma prototypes for rapid iteration
-
built coded prototypes using the NHS App Prototype Kit to ensure compliance with NHS accessibility standards
In total, we conducted: 4 rounds of usability testing and 2 rounds of accessibility testing.
What we found
Final design
