Patient-facing API's
Service design for four new patient-facing APIs for NHS England
The client: NHS England
NHS England is responsible for overseeing the commissioning, funding, and delivery of healthcare services across the UK. With a focus on improving patient outcomes, NHS England drives initiatives that enhance access to care, promote the adoption of innovative technologies, and streamline healthcare services.
By leading the charge in modernising healthcare systems, NHS England ensures that patients receive high-quality, efficient, and personalised care. Through projects like the development of new patient-facing APIs, NHS England continues to foster innovation and improve the overall patient experience in the digital health space.
Standardising tech requirements
The goal of this project was to create four new APIs to enable new providers to enter the patient-facing services (PFS) space, which has been dominated by just two system providers.
The existing PFS system, known as IM1, resulted in variations in features and functionality across providers. The new APIs aimed to establish standardised technical requirements, simplifying market entry for new providers and offering patients a richer, more consistent experience with enhanced features.
Enhancing patient experience
Working closely with the PFS team, we mapped out user journeys and system interactions for each of the four APIs, creating detailed service blueprints for over 20 scenarios.
Leveraging user research and insights gathered during first-time user setup, we helped ensure the APIs would function smoothly and meet user expectations.
The existing NHS app was used as a benchmark to compare how the new APIs would integrate into current patient-facing journeys.
For each API, we produced UI wireframes for the MVP, illustrating how they could be presented in the NHS app. Service blueprints were annotated with research notes and recommendations and shared with key stakeholders and technical architects for validation.
The Four APIs:
Provides a read-only copy of a patient’s GP practice records, structured for use in patient-facing services.
Manages a patient’s prescriptions as held by their GP.
Manages a patient's permissions to access their medical records and services provided at their GP practice.
Facilitates the booking and management of GP appointments
Improving entry to market
The service design for the four APIs was met with highly positive feedback from stakeholders. The blueprints provided a clear roadmap for smooth API integration into the NHS app and patient-facing systems. Additionally, a change management process was established to formalise how API modifications would be handled, ensuring consistent functionality over time.
By setting new technical standards and improving functionality, these APIs are positioned to offer patients a seamless and enhanced experience in managing their healthcare, while making it easier for new providers to enter the market.
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