The newly-formed Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, created from a merger of North Bristol NHS Trust and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, has launched its new website, built on the LocalNHS Drupal open-source digital platform.
LocalNHS Drupal is said to build on the success of being in use across more than 60 councils in the UK and Ireland. It features AI search technology as a tool to support people find information, and reportedly improves accessibility, responsiveness of design, and flexibility for content teams.
“As a newly formed trust, we wanted our new website to reflect the scale of our ambition and make it as easy as possible for people to access the information and services they need,” says Elliot Nichols, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust’s chief communications and engagement officer. “By becoming the first NHS organisation to launch a website built on LocalNHS Drupal, we’re not only improving the experience for our patients, visitors and staff, but also helping to pioneer a collaborative approach that has the potential to benefit NHS organisations across the country.”
A case study on the use of LocalGov Drupal at Waltham Forest Council found a saving of three-to-six months in development time, and £90,000 in development costs. Also noted is a 25 percent increase in user satisfaction, a 40 percent faster page load performance, and a score of 96/100 for accessibility from SiteImprove.
Paul Jenkins, managing partner of Big Blue Door, the company behind the development of LocalNHS Drupal, notes: “The best public sector technology is built in the open. We hope LocalNHS Drupal becomes a platform that the NHS community can shape collectively, creating better digital services for patients, staff and visitors across the country.”
Wider trend: Patient communications
NHS Shared Business Services has launched a procurement framework to support NHS trusts procure technology spanning chatbots, SMS messaging, and mail processing. The framework lists “fully-vetted” suppliers across digital communication, messaging, voice communication, hybrid mail, patient communication and workforce communication. Kelly Harris, senior category manager, NHS SBS commented: “Using a framework agreement like ours enables all public sector organisations to swiftly and compliantly procure reliable and cost-effective ways of communicating with their patients, staff and service users.”
NHS England has announced an “overhaul of patient communications”, to detail standards for regular updates at least every 12 weeks for those on waiting lists in a plan to ensure a consistent “customer service” approach. Eight new minimum standards for patient experience have been developed in collaboration with patients and stakeholders including The Patient’s Association and sent out to all NHS providers of planned care, NHSE shares. Trusts will be expected to publish an annual summary of their performance against these standards to promote transparency.
The 2026/27 digital workplan for University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has been published noting the appetite for AI with the challenge of safe implementation, setting an aim for “rapid progress” to be made. In terms of patient communications, the update shares that digital post exceeded physical post for the first time in March 2026, with patient use of digital letters having increased from 20 percent at the start of the project to 68 percent. Improvement work will be aimed at streamlining access for patients to digital solutions whilst keeping alternative arrangements in place for patients to prevent digital exclusion.
