NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB plans and buys healthcare services across the Norfolk and Waveney region – a total budget of £2 billion a year.
Known as NHS Norfolk and Waveney, the organisation works with local people, health and care professionals, and partner organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of their regional population.
The organisation is part of the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System. A system dedicated to working with partners in local government, the voluntary sector and others and helping the NHS to support broader social and economic development and to tackle inequalities in health outcomes.
NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB sought a technical partner to design and develop the new Knowledge NoW digital platform – a knowledge management system to provide clinical information, guidance and referral forms to health and care professionals across the Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System, as well as to the public.
There were problems with the old platform infrastructure, it was not user-centric or accessible inline with WCAG standards, and the overall experience, content architecture, and technical infrastructure needed to be updated.
The key areas identified by users to improve included:
NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB needed an experienced technical partner to deliver the new platform end to end, including: discovery, design, development, and implementation, as well as ongoing hosting, support, maintenance, and training. NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB needed a partner with a robust and structured approach to end to end implementation in order to support the ICB through the process as well as with additional support ongoing in areas such as: accessibility compliance, user-centred design and user experience optimisation, technical support and training, robust and timely release management, and user acceptance testing.
6B worked closely with NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB to discover, design, and develop the new Knowledge NoW digital platform.
We implemented a headless CMS, in order to decouple content and data from the user interface and to ensure adaptability and scalability.
We ensured an optimal user experience through mobile-first responsive design and compatibility with the latest browser versions. To enhance accessibility, our platform supported various document formats and seamlessly integrated with EMIS form templates. And thorough UI/UX reviews informed the design process, while advanced search functionalities streamlined content retrieval.
We prioritised accessibility throughout, conducting comprehensive accessibility planning, testing, auditing, and monitoring. Predictive search and misspelt term correction were integrated to enhance user experience, while a built-in feedback form facilitated continuous improvement. Additional frontend features included a chatbot for user support and automated tagging for efficient content organisation.
On the backend, we developed robust admin permissions management, batched processes for document uploads and approvals, and version control to ensure streamlined content management. Multi-factor authentication and role-based access control mechanisms were put in place to guarantee secure system management.
Our implemented solution ensured a robust, user-friendly platform aligned with NHS standards and requirements, facilitating efficient knowledge management and accessibility across the board. With a focus on user-centred design and enhanced functionality, our solution successfully met the diverse needs of NHS Norfolk and Waveney ICB, enabling seamless information access and management across the system.
The implementation of the new Knowledge NoW digital platform by 6B significantly transformed information accessibility and management across the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System.
Through prioritising user-centric design, accessibility, and user experience, the platform has seen a notable increase in user satisfaction and efficiency. With advanced search functionalities, mobile-first responsive design, and seamless integration with EMIS form templates, health and care professionals can now access relevant content swiftly and effectively.
The robust backend management system ensured secure and streamlined content management, fostering improved collaboration and knowledge sharing across the NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care System.
Ultimately, the impact of the new platform is translating into enhanced healthcare delivery and in turn better outcomes for patients in the region.
“Collaborating with 6B has been a game-changer for our organisation. From the initial brainstorming sessions to the final launch, their team demonstrated unparalleled professionalism and skill. Their attention to detail in both design and functionality resulted in a website that not only met but exceeded our expectations.
Throughout the entire process, communication with 6B was seamless. They were responsive to our needs, receptive to feedback, and proactive in addressing any concerns that arose.
One of the most impressive aspects of working with 6B was their unwavering commitment to deadlines. They set clear milestones and consistently delivered on time, allowing us to stay on track with our project timeline. Their ability to maintain this pace without sacrificing quality is a testament to their expertise and dedication.”
– Tristan Angel, Digital Project Manager, NHS Norfolk and Waveney Integrated Care Board