More than 800 fax machines are still being used by the NHS – almost four years after the Government's deadline for a total ban on them.
Fax machines aren’t exactly cutting-edge technology. And their continued usage encapsulates the connectivity, data access and compliance challenges facing the NHS. Over 1.6 million patients interact with the NHS every day and outdated technology is simply not up to the task.
Not only that, but it’s also ill-equipped to weather the modern cyber-attack landscape – a recent ransomware attack resulted in 10,000 cancelled appointments across NHS Trusts.
Cloud contact centres bring communication into the 21st century and help the NHS securely deliver better patient outcomes.
Patient-centricity
Delivering an excellent patient experience is a top priority for the NHS. Cloud contact centre solutions provide the tools and capabilities needed to do this.
Cloud contact centres integrate with business applications, such as Microsoft Teams and EPR systems, effortlessly connecting employees across acute care, community care and mental health departments. This level of integration provides staff with access to the information they need to make the correct decision for each patient based on their health history.
Through omnichannel communication features, NHS contact centre staff can stay with the patient through their entire journey – whether they’re booking an appointment, ordering a repeat prescription or asking for help with a more complex enquiry. What’s more, advanced data analytics capabilities enable insights into patient needs and preferences, allowing for tailored service delivery that addresses the unique requirements of each patient.
Across all these services, cloud contact centres adhere to strict data privacy practices, ensuring compliance and maintaining patient trust.
Faster response times
Just 24% of the public is satisfied with the NHS and 71% cite the time it takes to get an appointment as the main reason for their dissatisfaction. Customer satisfaction scores (CSAT) are low.
One of the challenges is that patients call NHS front desks for a number of reasons beyond just making appointments – to ask about opening hours, parking, changing appointments or checking test results. And often patients are distressed, either because they themselves are unwell or because someone close to them is.
So, while front desk staff aim for first call resolution and short average response times, they are under a lot of pressure.
Cloud contact centre solutions offer automation features that streamline workflows, reducing manual tasks and enhancing operational efficiency. Integrated conversational AI and interactive voice response (IVR) can help direct calls to the correct department and handle routine enquiries, cutting down on call wait times and freeing agents up to directly answer relevant questions.
Informed planning
‘Years of under-investment in the health service has left staff overstretched, exhausted and struggling to provide the care patients have a right to expect.’ Tim Gardner, Assistant Director of Policy at the Health Foundation.
In such conditions, it is easy to see how difficult it must be to decide how to invest time and money to make improvements. But cloud contact centres can help. Real-time, historic reporting and data-driven insights reveal trends and areas where operational efficiency can be increased.
These statistics enable NHS Trusts to make informed decisions about staff resourcing, enabling them to handle busy times more effectively and save on overstaffing during quieter times. This scalability is vital for ensuring that local NHS Trusts and country-wide services can cope with sudden, unexpected increases of calls, for example if there’s a local outbreak of salmonella or a wide-spread heatwave.
Speech and sentiment analytics also provide essential insights to highlight training requirements and speed up enquiry resolution. All of which lead to better patient experiences.
An 8x8 customer, The Princess Alexandra NHS Trust, was able to use reports on abandoned calls, average call wait, and call duration to double the number of calls they handled and drive down missed appointments, which can cost £300-800 each.
Modernise the NHS
Cloud contact centre solutions offer scalability and flexibility, and seamless integration with existing systems speeds up journeys through care pathways as agents have access to all the information they need for faster decision-making.
By embracing cloud contact centre solutions and fostering a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, NHS Trusts can upgrade their communications from fax machines to AI-enhanced omni-channel experiences.
8x8’s secure solution – DSP toolkit compliant with a 99.999% uptime service level agreement (SLA) and UK ring-fenced data – provides the tools, insights and flexibility needed to deliver better patient outcomes. And with Wavenet’s experience working with NHS 111, we are well positioned to modernise your communications.
