Tavistock and Portman launches PEP in gender identity clinic

Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust has gone live with DrDoctor’s patient engagement platform (PEP) in its gender identity clinic, with the view of extending into other departments by the end of 2024. 

The mental health trust plans to integrate the PEP with its Carenotes electronic patient record (EPR) to transform the way that waiting lists are managed and improve patient engagement.

Following the go live in the gender identity clinic on 31 March 2024, the long-term goal is to implement the PEP in other hospital departments by the end of the year.

Dr James Barrett, lead clinician at the gender identity clinic at Tavistock and Portman, said the “has the potential to be a huge leap forward for patients and clinicians”.

“We will be able to communicate with any patient or group of patients really quickly.

“It means we will soon be able to get information, opinions and options from patients pretty much in real time.

“We can learn exactly what would help most, and if it’s possible we will try to get that done,” Dr Barrett said.

As part of the roll out, Tavistock and Portman will introduce a range of DrDoctor’s non-integrated products, focusing first on patient engagement tools including ‘Broadcast Message’ and ‘Quick Question’.

Integrating the ‘Broadcast Message’ tool will enable the trust to send SMS messages to up to 10,000 service users at once in less than 15 minutes.

The ‘Quick Question’ tool will allow the trust to ask service questions about their appointments to help gather information and manage waiting lists better.

Ian Curr, project manager at Tavistock and Portman said the PEP patient portal “advances the trust’s quest for working digitally by default”.

“It will keep patients updated and in control of their journey from referral to appointment and for as long as they need our services,” Curr said.

DrDoctor’s notifications and messaging functionality will also be implemented, helping the trust with basic appointment rescheduling and support triaging patients faster.

Tom Whicher, founder and chief executive of DrDoctor, said: “We’re delighted Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust is taking the issue of waiting lists seriously and has selected our platform to revolutionise its entire patient pathway.

“Our tech is designed to fundamentally change the way patients access care, whilst supporting trusts to increase efficiency and minimise inaccuracy throughout the patient journey”.

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust also went live with the DrDoctor PEP in May 2024.

Meanwhile, North Tees NHS Foundation Trust went live with a PEP from NHS-owned digital health company Health Call in October 2023, following Gateshead Health launching the same PEP in August 2023.