A pioneering native mobile application guiding patients to the correct NHS resources.
What we did
- Native iOS & Android Development
- UI/UX Design & Prototyping
- Secure CMS Development
- Geolocation & Mapping Integration
- Symptom Triage Logic
- Data Security & Compliance
About the project
In the landscape of digital healthcare, timing and precision are everything. Back in 2014, the Kent Community Health NHS Trust identified a critical gap in how patients accessed care. While the NHS offers a wealth of services, navigating them can often feel overwhelming for the average user. Patients were frequently unsure whether their symptoms required a visit to Accident and Emergency, a GP appointment, or a simple trip to a pharmacy. This confusion often led to overcrowding in urgent care centres for non-critical issues.
Tinderhouse was commissioned to solve this problem through digital innovation. We partnered with the Trust to build "Health Help Now," a robust mobile tool designed to signpost patients to the most appropriate care facility based on their specific symptoms and location. As an early adopter of mobile health guidance, this project set a benchmark for how NHS Trusts could utilise healthcare app development to reduce strain on physical resources while empowering patients with immediate, reliable advice.
The project was not merely about displaying information. It was about creating a secure, user-friendly ecosystem that could function reliably across the diverse range of devices used by the public. By focusing on accessibility and clear navigation, we helped the Trust transform a complex network of medical services into a streamlined, pocket-sized guide for thousands of residents across Kent and subsequently other regions.
The Challenge
The primary hurdle facing the Kent Community Health NHS Trust was the lack of a centralised, accessible source of truth for patients. Without clear guidance, the default behaviour for many patients was to attend A&E, regardless of the severity of their condition. This behaviour pattern created several distinct operational challenges:
Resource Strain: High volumes of patients attending emergency departments for minor ailments that could be treated elsewhere.
Information Fragmentation: Health advice and service location data were scattered across various websites and leaflets, making it difficult for users to find what they needed quickly.
Location Awareness: Patients were often unaware of closer, more suitable alternatives to hospitals, such as late-night pharmacies or walk-in centres.
Mobile Accessibility: In 2014, mobile usage was exploding, yet the Trust lacked a dedicated mobile interface to engage with the younger, tech-savvy demographic.
Data Security: Creating a tool that stored personal health preferences (a "health wallet") required rigorous adherence to data protection standards.
Our Solution
To address these challenges, Tinderhouse engineered a dual-platform solution. We focused on building a native application that prioritised speed, reliability, and security.
Strategic Validated Approach
Given the innovative nature of the project at the time, we needed to ensure the core proposition—directing patients to the right care—was solid before expanding into complex features. We adopted a minimum viable product strategy to focus initially on the symptom checker and location services. This allowed us to test the user flows with real patients and stakeholders within the Kent Trust, ensuring the triage logic was accurate and safe before a wider rollout. This phased approach was crucial in mitigating risk and ensuring the final product was truly fit for purpose.
Intelligent Recommendation Engine
The core of the application was a sophisticated symptom checker. We developed a logic-based recommendation engine that allowed users to select their symptoms or injuries. Based on the input, the app provided immediate, clinically approved guidance. It would suggest the most appropriate course of action, whether that was self-care at home, visiting a pharmacy, or contacting emergency services. This feature directly addressed the issue of unnecessary A&E visits by offering trusted alternatives.
Native Performance and Geolocation
To ensure the best possible user experience, we utilised native app development for both iOS and Android platforms. This approach allowed us to leverage the device's built-in GPS capabilities seamlessly. We built a map-based interface that didn't just tell patients what to do, but showed them where to go. The app displayed real-time opening hours and directions to the nearest NHS locations, effectively guiding patients away from overcrowded hospitals and towards available community resources.
Secure Content Management
Behind the scenes, we built a secure Content Management System (CMS) tailored for NHS administrators. Healthcare advice changes rapidly, and the Trust needed the ability to update articles, opening hours, and service details instantly without requiring a full app update. We delivered a bespoke CMS that allowed non-technical staff to publish healthcare articles and manage the knowledge base, ensuring the app always provided the most up-to-date information.
Personalised Health Wallet
We also implemented a "Health Wallet" feature. This secure section of the app allowed users to store important personal information and preferences. By keeping this data local and secure, we provided utility to the user—such as tracking appointments or contacts—without compromising on the strict data privacy requirements inherent in iOS app development services and the wider healthcare sector.
The Results
The launch of Health Help Now marked a significant step forward for digital patient engagement in the UK. What began as a project for the Kent Community Health NHS Trust proved its value quickly, demonstrating that digital tools could effectively manage patient flow and demand.
Regional Expansion: Following the successful launch in Kent, the platform demonstrated such efficacy that it was subsequently adopted by other regional NHS trusts, proving the scalability of our architecture.
Reduced A&E Pressure: The app successfully diverted a portion of non-critical traffic away from Accident and Emergency departments by highlighting faster, alternative care pathways.
Award-Winning Innovation: As an early adopter of mobile health guidance, the app received recognition for its forward-thinking approach to patient care.
Empowered Patients: Users reported feeling more confident in managing their health decisions, with thousands of downloads across both platforms.
Operational Efficiency: The CMS allowed the Trust to communicate public health messages and service changes in real-time, reducing administrative overhead.
Technical Highlights
Native iOS (Objective-C/Swift) for optimal performance on Apple devices.
Native Android (Java) ensuring broad compatibility across the Android ecosystem.
Geolocation API Integration for precise facility mapping and routing.
Bespoke Secure CMS for real-time content updates and knowledge management.
Encrypted Local Storage for the secure Health Wallet feature.
Triage Logic Engine for symptom-based recommendations.
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