NHS 111 has highlighted how it’s piloting the use of adding multimedia content to triage questions, initially with using meningitis pictures and video on 111 online.
In a recent blog post, Paul Pod, interaction designer for NHS 111 online, shares how the 111 online team have improved information about meningitis symptoms by adding multimedia content, and explains how they have started with selected conditions where they have “received feedback from users that they need more help with understanding the question.”
Paul highlights how “sourcing medically approved imagery was challenging”, however adds that “all of the imagery was approved by a clinical panel from NHS 111 online and NHS Pathways, who agreed that the images were appropriately matched with the questions selected”.
He goes on to share how they aimed to show early stage rashes to “accurately show the meningitis rash in its earlier stages” and added the “images are similar to ones that GPs or other clinicians might be using when making a diagnosis”.
111 online has a feedback form on most pages, where a common comment for checking skin rashes has been “show me a photo”.
Paul highlighted how the team has conducted a lot of user accessibility research, stating: “In terms of building the portfolio, the image gallery and the video player have undergone accessibility research with people who use a variety of assistive technology, like screen readers and magnifiers.”
The blog summarises to add that “the images and video are now live on the service” and the team “plan to follow the analytics of user behaviour as they use these questions online”.
In related news, in April we reported on a new roadmap released for the NHS.uk website, which shared the main objectives for NHS.uk in 2023/24, focusing on maintaining and improving the existing service whilst making it more efficient and supporting initiatives involving the website.
