Patient App Specification and Design

To engage those in clinical research or who wish to be in clinical research. To be able to provide meaningful information, a two way dialogue, and the ability to say 'thank you' for participating in clinical research.

Background

As part of the overall digital strategy the NIHR would like to be able to say 'thank you' to the some 600,000 people who take part in clinical trials in the UK. We recognise that we need to allow the patient/participant to take a greater role in the direction of trials, be informed of the trial outcome and feel valued.

Mobile technology has now given us the reach to be able to achieve these aims. The development of an app is seen as one thread to an overall package that will deliver a better experience for clinical trials participants.

We have looked at several apps that deal with client/relationship, and in healthcare have taken a lead from the NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) service.

App delivery to users

The App will have to be authorised to be downloaded from either a trusted 'android' marketplace (Google Play) or the Apple app store.

Depending on the cohort that we aim for we will either have to advertise the location of the app or mailshot/text with the location of the app. NHSBT advertise the app on their website.

We could possibly do the same with NHS Choices, Join Dementia Research and UKCTG (UK Clinical Trials Gateway an NIHR-sponsored, publicly-accessible database of research studies).