In October 2018, NDR-UK quietly launched a new electronic delivery system for its nutrition and diet resources.  This softly, softly approach was deliberate so that the team could monitor usage, queries and troubleshoot any hiccups.  We knew that the system had potential, and we knew that services liked the idea in principle, but making the change to providing digital guidance to patients was a bigger shift for our customers than we had anticipated. 

Take up was slow.  Some ranges being used more than others – the bariatric surgery ranges were more frequently used than any other – but it remained low.  However, that all changed when remote clinics, services and communication became an essential part of healthcare delivery through the Covid-19 pandemic.

NDR Prescribe provides access to over 150 patient information resources, that can be personalised and sent directly to named patients.  The service is deliberately patient-centred to support guidance from a health professional to an individual. Key features:

• Content written by dietitians and related health professionals
• Hyperlinked signposting for easy navigation to external sites/organisations such as patient representative organisations
• ‘Prescriptions’ are dated and identified to named individuals for clarity of use and application
• Each resource can be customised by the addition of notes to highlight local services and/or guidance/goals for individuals

With increasing use amongst individuals, small teams and whole services, we completed an evaluation in 2022.  This provided valuable feedback on what worked, where improvements could be made and queries around use.  This has informed a series of updates and improvements over the past six months and will continue as we enter the next stage of development.

We could see that our mix and match packs were under used via Prescribe.  Feedback demonstrated that provision of multiple resources in one ‘prescription’ would make the service more user-friendly for health professionals and people receiving their advice.  This feature was launched in October and is currently being used via structured education programmes and related services such as diabetes, eating disorders, Crohn’s disease and weight management.

Time management is a constant challenge.  Our customers explained how they would often see patients who would be receiving the same resource(s) after clinic or group education.  Efficiency is a key part of this education model.  So, in February a new ‘block’ sending went live.  Akin to a mail merge function, it enables health professionals to customise resources, add multiple recipients and personalise messages to the email each patient receives.

What’s next?  We’re now seeking to ease credit flow and increase efficiency with a bulk purchasing model.  Development is now underway with our web team, and we will be preparing to pilot the service with current users in a few months.  If you would be interested to learn more and to support the pilot, please get in touch.