Description
When near term GP appointments are not available on the NHS App, users are left with no guidance, no alternatives, and no next step.
A discovery survey of 7 respondents found 71% could not complete an online booking, and 5 moderated user interviews confirmed this gap consistently drives users back to calling the surgery. This submission shares those findings and a working redesign prototype built in response.
Related component
This relates to the appointment booking flow, action cards on the home screen, warning and information banners, and navigation patterns.
It also highlights a gap where a slot notification component and an alternative care signposting pattern do not currently exist in the design system.
Context
The NHS App has come a long way in making healthcare more accessible digitally, and the recent developments to the booking journey are a step in the right direction. This submission focuses on something that currently does not exist in the design system, rather than a bug or error. The GP appointment booking journey does not yet communicate availability honestly, surface alternative care options when appointments are unavailable, or notify users when a cancellation opens. Independent user research confirmed these gaps consistently lead users away from the app and back to calling the surgery. A working redesign prototype has been built in response and is ready to share.
Alternatives
As part of this research, an alternative booking journey was designed and prototyped to address the gaps identified. The redesign introduces urgency triage at the start of the journey, honest communication of appointment availability, alternative care options when near term slots are unavailable, and a slot notification feature for when cancellations open. The prototype is fully interactive and available at nhscasestudy.netlify.app.
Additional information (if applicable)
This redesign is grounded in independent UX research conducted in the United Kingdom. A discovery survey of 7 respondents found that 71% could not complete an online GP booking, and 86% wanted a mobile option that actually worked. Five moderated user interviews were conducted with participants across different booking preferences and levels of digital confidence. None of the five participants had successfully booked a GP appointment online. All described a similar experience, when near term appointments were unavailable, they were unsure what to do next and defaulted to calling the surgery. The research suggests that clearer guidance and alternative care signposting at this point in the journey could reduce that drop off significantly. The redesign was built directly in response to these findings. The interactive prototype is available at nhscasestudy.netlify.app and reflects the specific gaps identified through research.
Description
When near term GP appointments are not available on the NHS App, users are left with no guidance, no alternatives, and no next step.
A discovery survey of 7 respondents found 71% could not complete an online booking, and 5 moderated user interviews confirmed this gap consistently drives users back to calling the surgery. This submission shares those findings and a working redesign prototype built in response.
Related component
This relates to the appointment booking flow, action cards on the home screen, warning and information banners, and navigation patterns.
It also highlights a gap where a slot notification component and an alternative care signposting pattern do not currently exist in the design system.
Context
The NHS App has come a long way in making healthcare more accessible digitally, and the recent developments to the booking journey are a step in the right direction. This submission focuses on something that currently does not exist in the design system, rather than a bug or error. The GP appointment booking journey does not yet communicate availability honestly, surface alternative care options when appointments are unavailable, or notify users when a cancellation opens. Independent user research confirmed these gaps consistently lead users away from the app and back to calling the surgery. A working redesign prototype has been built in response and is ready to share.
Alternatives
As part of this research, an alternative booking journey was designed and prototyped to address the gaps identified. The redesign introduces urgency triage at the start of the journey, honest communication of appointment availability, alternative care options when near term slots are unavailable, and a slot notification feature for when cancellations open. The prototype is fully interactive and available at nhscasestudy.netlify.app.
Additional information (if applicable)
This redesign is grounded in independent UX research conducted in the United Kingdom. A discovery survey of 7 respondents found that 71% could not complete an online GP booking, and 86% wanted a mobile option that actually worked. Five moderated user interviews were conducted with participants across different booking preferences and levels of digital confidence. None of the five participants had successfully booked a GP appointment online. All described a similar experience, when near term appointments were unavailable, they were unsure what to do next and defaulted to calling the surgery. The research suggests that clearer guidance and alternative care signposting at this point in the journey could reduce that drop off significantly. The redesign was built directly in response to these findings. The interactive prototype is available at nhscasestudy.netlify.app and reflects the specific gaps identified through research.