NHS ChoicesKeeping pace with the public’s changing health information needs

Cleveland Henry, Director of NHS Choices

What we do

We provide information, data and IT Systems for commissioners, analysts and clinicians in health and social care. Our work includes…

• Setting standards that protect patient’s confidential information, reduce bureaucracy and improve data quality

• Operating essential technology services that support the health and care system

• Collecting, analysing and publishing national data and statistical information that helps inform decision making

• Developing the next generation of national data and information systems

NHS ChoicesNHS Choices is the website for the National Health Service in the UK, providing health and lifestyle advice, information about local services and the latest news

User trendsHow can web analysis help us to anticipate information needs?

Understanding seasonal demands

Which of these NHS Choices pages was visited most often in January 2015?

1. Stop smoking treatments2. Healthy Weight Calculator3. Risks of alcohol misuse4. Improve your NHS Health Check numbers

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User trends: seasonal demands

Jan 2015: New Year’s Resolution> 980k visits to ‘Healthy Weight Calculator’ (4th)

> 250k visits to ‘Height/Weight Chart’ (20th)

Mar 2015: Chickenpox> 225k visits to ‘Chickenpox Introduction’

Jul 2014: Summer Holiday> 540k visits to ‘European Health Insurance Card’

Dec 2014: Christmas Dinner> 90k visits to ‘Turkey Cooking’ page

User trends: Self-help

51%56%

of users considering visiting their GP say

NHS Choices information enabled them to manage their own symptoms instead of seeing a GP

of users concerned about mental health

have used NHS Choices to manage a mental health condition

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Our response

Using cloud servers means the service is more reliable for users and cheaper for taxpayers

Today’s newsHow does the media shape the demand for information?

News stories generate interest

Which of these news stories generated the most visits to NHS Choices?

1. Lynda Bellingham dies from bowel cancer2. ‘Call the Midwife’ features a diphtheria storyline3. TOWIE star Sam Faiers reveals she has Crohn’s

disease4. ‘Emmerdale’ mentions risk of infection to pregnant

women from ewes during lambing season

News stories generate interest

23 Feb 2014TOWIE star Sam Faiers revealsshe’s been diagnosed withCrohn’s disease

• > 110k visits to ‘Crohn’s Disease Introduction’ page that day

• 71% of these visits during screening of the episode

News stories generate interest

15 Feb 2015BBC One’s ‘Call the Midwife’features a storyline aboutdiphtheria

• >41k visits to ‘Diphtheria Introduction’ page• Ranked as most visited page on NHS Choices that day• 88% of these visits via mobile phones or tablets

News stories generate interest

20 Oct 2014Actress Lynda Bellingham’s death from bowel cancer isannounced

• 865% rise (to >22k) in visits to ‘Bowel Cancer introduction’ page

• Ranked 8th most visited page on NHS Choices that day

News stories generate interest

06 May 2015ITV’s ‘Emmerdale’mentions risk of infection topregnant women from ewes

• 526% rise (>8.5k) in visits to ‘Why should pregnant women avoid sheep during the lambing season?’ page

• 40% of these during broadcast of the episode at 7pm

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Our response

We’ve produced 343 Behind the Headlines articles in 2015. These generated more than 1 million visits

Public health campaigns create awareness

Oct 2014

Stoptober month

• Visits to ‘Smoke free’ homepage reached >69k during October 2014. 70% higher than visits recorded the following month

• 67% of these visits came from mobile phones

Public health campaigns create awareness

Jan 2015

Sugar Swaps

• 513% rise (>185k) in visits to ‘Change 4 Life’ homepage followingSugar Swaps campaign

• Positive impact on other C4L pages• Meal mixer up 227% (>69k)• Eat well hub up 311% (>62k)• Healthier snack ideas up 385% (>33k)

Going mobileHow has mobile technology affected consumption of information?

What percentage of NHS Choices visits are via mobile and tablet devices?

Growth of mobile visits

1. 26%2. 49% 3. 69% 4. 85%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%69.5%

Growth of mobile and tablet visits

Chart shows % of traffic on a mobile or tablet device growing since 2009• Most popular device in 2015 is mobile phones with 51% share of all visits • This increases to 69.5% when tablets included• Desktop users account for 33%

Growth of mobile visits

0:00 1:00 2:00 3:00 4:00 5:00 6:00 7:00 8:00 9:00 10:0011:0012:0013:0014:0015:0016:0017:0018:0019:0020:0021:0022:0023:000

20,000

40,000

60,000

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120,000

Weekday Weekend

Chart shows average hourly visits to nhs.uk. Two distinctive spikes:• 09:00 – This could be result of morning’s health news, or checking

details/opening times/contacting GPs and dentists etc.• 21:00 – Visits tend to be driven by what is on TV at the time. Higher proportion of

mobile and tablet visits at this time

Our response

Software developments ensure the website is responsive to mobile devices

Social mediaHow does social media effect user behaviour?

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When Stephen Fry tweeted about the ‘My Heart Age’ test, how many Twitter referrals to the page were generated in the week that followed?

Impact of social media

1. 502. 160 3. 750 4. 2000

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Impact of social media

13 Feb 2015

Twitter

• Visits to ‘What’s your heart age?’ page increased from <450 on Thursday to >28k on Friday

• >2k referrals from Twitter during the week• >1.3k referrals from Facebook during same period

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Impact of social media

May 2015

Facebook

• Facebook post about obtaining medicines for free via minor ailment services goes viral

• Visits to ‘Common problems your pharmacist can help with’ page increased from <1.5k to >138k in one week

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Our response

Our social media channels ensure that we reach patients and carers in the digital spaces they feel most comfortable with

Where next for online patient information?Transactional content

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Where next for online patient information?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yg0bJfwNgNU&feature=youtu.be

Where next for online patient information?

Transactional content• Book and amend my appointments online• View my medical record• Decide when my data can be shared• Click and collect my prescriptions• Provide a seamless health and care journey• Manage my personal care budget