Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust

Serving a population of 1.8 million across an area of 1,500 square miles, Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership Trust (KMPT) specialises in caring for people with a wide range of mental health needs, including forensic and other specialist services, and substance misuse.

The challenge

To best serve the trust's geographically disparate population, KMPT needed a website which would enable visitors to obtain relevant information and advice about mental health issues and find information regarding its 180+ services (including where they are located), all while being as accessible as possible.

The first steps

Our first task was to ensure relevant information could be found simply and easily, and so working with key stakeholders thorough website audit was conducted. We analysed the existing structure, content and analytics data to help categorise content, determine content areas of focus, and map out existing user journeys. This insight was then used to restructure the website and its navigation, ensuring these journeys were as simple and as logical as possible.

Finding the right service

One such journey was aiding visitors in finding the service they required in the right location quickly and easily; however, with 180+ services across the region this was no small task, with the services previously having been simply listed alphabetically.

To address this, we worked with the trust to develop relevant public facing service categories to allow visitors to filter services so that only those relevant to their needs are displayed. A keyword search, supported by relevant tagging, and an integrated Google map to allow visitors to determine the best service for them based on location, were also included as part of a new dedicated ‘Our services’ area.

Accessibility

As a public sector body, ensuring that content and functionality is available to all is of course of paramount importance.

To achieve this the website is optimised for modern screen readers and other accessibility aids. W3C mark-up and WCAG v2.0 guidelines (to a double-A rating) are followed, with WCAG guidelines applied to media (display of videos, images & audio) and site design elements, so that the highest levels of accessibility are attained.

NHS Property Services

Comprising of more than 3,000 properties with 7,000 tenants, NHS Property Services helps the NHS get the most from its estate, ensuring that it is consistently fit for purpose so that healthcare professionals can deliver excellent patient care.

The challenge

Our task was to restructure three existing but disparately managed and branded Wordpress websites into one cohesive system that now delivers a single website that serves the entire organisation and provides information on the organisation’s range of services.

Key functions include:

Property data feed and property search

Of vital importance was the ability to provide users with an interactive and visual way of exploring the properties that make up the NHS Property Services estate.

Using a daily feed of property data, a location-based search function was developed to allow website visitors to search for relevant properties. Results are displayed both in list form and visually on Google Maps using the Google Maps API.

Using the websites content management system, sales information can also be added to the property data for properties which are marked for disposal.

Interactive billing schedule document

To assist customers in understanding complex annual budget schedules an interactive tool was developed and integrated into the site. This tool allows visitors to explore sample documents, review key sections, and access detailed information, enhancing transparency and comprehension.

ReciteMe integration

As with all NHS sites a high degree of accessibility was required, however as an added measure Recite Me's Accessibility Assistive Toolbar software has also been implemented.

The use of Recite Me has helped ensure that the website is as inclusive as possible, with visitors able to customise content so that they can consume it in ways that work best for them.