People staying at home suffering with suspected COVID-19 symptoms now get regular check-ins from a new NHS text messaging service.
Daily texts are sent by the NHS to new patients who register their Covid-19 symptoms and contact details with the 111 online service.
The messages check how people are and ensure that those who need help to get them through the isolation period receive it.
The text messages are sent as a reassurance to those who contact NHS 111 online, complete the assessment, and leave basic information such as their age, mobile number and when their symptoms started.
How did Valtech contribute?
In just 10 days, Valtech worked tirelessly with NHS Digital, NHS Business Services Authority, NHS 111 and NHS X to develop and stand up the NHS COVID-19 text messaging service. This service is simple in its ambition but complex in its multi-agency execution, and provides powerful data to help drive both operational and clinical decisions. Tens of thousands of people have already signed up for updates.
The Result
The service provides both clinical and operational benefits. Clinically, it serves two key roles:
Firstly, it acts at a population level to nudge daily those who have self-diagnosed to remain self-isolated and reduce the spread of the infection.
Secondly, the service steers people towards the appropriate urgent and emergency care they need while keeping those who don’t need urgent care reassured but away from front line services.
Striking this balance is key to efficient use of the NHS’s frontline, and the more efficient this use can be, the more lives will be saved.
Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said:
I know all too well that experiencing symptoms can be worrying, but for those living on their own it will be even more so. Alongside other measures, this new daily text service will reassure our most vulnerable that they are not alone, and also to help them manage their symptoms.
Technology, combined with our heroic staff on the frontline, have played a huge role in battling this virus and I encourage everyone to use this new service.
