Making sure the NHS App works for everyone

We're not just interested in what users want – we need to understand the outcomes they're trying to achieve and identify any barriers preventing them from reaching those goals. We’re interested in what users need from our NHS App service.

We have recruited users with access needs in community-based research, research with charities and local NHS teams, and in remote research, either one to one or in groups. 

Through methods like usability testing, interviews, and card sorting (where participants group and organise content topics to help us understand how they categorise information), we gather valuable insights on both the existing app and prototypes of future developments.

Accessibility isn't an afterthought for us – it's built into our process from the beginning.

We've set a target that every user research round must include at least one participant with access needs, whether cognitive, visual, physical or auditory. This approach is crucial because it allows us to identify potential barriers early in development.

More importantly, it ensures the NHS App genuinely works for all our users. When accessibility is woven into every stage of development, we create a more inclusive service that benefits everyone, including those who may not identify as having an access need but still gain from clearer navigation, simpler language, and more intuitive design.

Currently, we're conducting research with people who have rheumatoid arthritis, in collaboration with the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS), as they may struggle with the dexterity required for certain touch interactions on a smartphone.

We also have upcoming sessions planned with the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) and individuals with users who are blind or partially sighted. Our screening processes and surveys are specifically designed to identify participants with diverse accessibility requirements.

Working closely with designers is particularly important in our accessibility efforts. We ensure they're informed by our research findings, and we collaborate around designs so we can build appropriate user research around it.

We regularly feed accessibility insights back to our design system team, ensuring that the components they create – which all other teams in the NHS App will use – work for users with accessibility needs right from the start.

One concrete example of how our accessibility research has made a difference is with the direct appointment booking feature. Our research showed that breaking down multiple questions into separate pages makes completion easier for many users, particularly those using screen readers or with cognitive access needs.

We're constantly working on accessibility, even when we're not actively publicising it—it's simply part of our standard process. If you encounter accessibility issues with the NHS App, please let us know. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us continually improve. You can provide feedback directly within the NHS App, and you can also join our User Research Panel.

We're always seeking volunteers with access needs to participate in our research, as this is essential for making the NHS App truly work for everyone.