The UK’s NHS system is revolutionary in the sense that free healthcare for such a populous country is still not considered the norm across the world, however, what holds it back is the lack of funding and the scarcity of trained professionals. The overwhelming demand for NHS services makes this a troubling mix for UK healthcare and the patients that need support.

TBC Healthcare, a UK-based healthcare specialist consultancy provides comprehensive bariatric care for NHS patients, and have supported these patients, for over a decade, with a Tier 3 Weight Management programme.

With the majority of the work done manually, the push from the 2020 pandemic to innovate the way doctors and patients meet, and the rise in using tech and AI to support a patient’s experience, there is a massive opportunity to improve areas of healthcare that have seen little, to no change, in decades.

Approximately 25% of adults in the UK are classified as obese, and it is projected that by 2025 half of the UK population will be obese. To address this growing concern, the NHS has launched various weight loss programs, including Tier 3 weight management services, which TBC Healthcare is a prominent provider of.

However, a majority of these services are not yet available in a digital format which limits their impact and patients’ access to the service, in the UK.

In 2022, TBC Healthcare approached Skillwork to help them continue with their own goals of staying innovative and remaining ahead of the curve, which included digitising their processes, supporting their rebrand and to develop a web application. This application allows patients to undergo the majority of what is considered ‘tier three’ services (typically this would be to support patients with complex and chronic conditions, requiring a comprehensive and long-term approach) through an online portal, all from the comfort of their home.

A little more about the task at hand: 

Use Case: Access to services for those on the Tier 3 Weight Management programme remains a challenge. With an increasing number of people experiencing issues with healthy weight management in the UK and the pressure currently on NHS services, it becomes a much more pressing issue by the day.

Challenges for TBC Healthcare Digital Transformation: TBC Healthcare wanted to build a working application for patients to digitally undergo the majority of what is considered tier three services, alleviating people-power from the NHS, and providing end-patients a much more streamlined service. The business also wanted external support from Skillwork to understand what areas they could focus on to increase internal innovation, and finally, to rebrand the business.

The Solution

Understanding the business: Skillwork understood that to ensure a smooth and seamless process for the client, that careful planning was essential. What ensued was the team’s deepdive into the project challenges, vision and incremental goals to refine the product roadmap through workshops. Plus, to ensure clarity and accuracy due to the nature of the healthcare sector, communication between key, senior stakeholders was key to keeping momentum up and having clear alignment.

Fast execution: Working in sprints (based on the customer journey) allowed Skillwork to release a scalable MVP with a mobile-first approach, all whilst remaining compliant with strict CQC and NHS regulations. 

Our technical approach: A comprehensive custom landing page, detailed patient onboarding system and a dashboard interface that allows patients to include trackers for food, mood and workouts were built. Plus, an advanced content module with a robust CMS, Admin Panel and patient management system was built with high security standards so that patient data was protected. All of this was done as the team’s certified DevOps specialists and business experts prepared a scalable AWS infrastructure in place. 

Ongoing support: Skillwork implemented a robust framework so feedback and iteration loops were seamless. Furthermore, a content strategy was developed for TBC so they could continue with marketing efforts.