Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust needed a solution to modernise and streamline its school-age immunisation consent process, which had been heavily reliant on paper forms. The aim was to enhance efficiency, improve clinical safety, and ultimately provide better patient care by integrating a digital system that could securely manage consent records within their electronic patient record (EPR) system, Rio. By implementing EBO’s AI-powered e-Consent solution, the Trust sought to alleviate the administrative burden on staff, reduce the risk of errors associated with manual processes, and ensure that parents could easily provide consent for their children’s vaccinations—all facilitated by the power of Conversational AI and automation.
What were the key objectives for implementing an e-consent solution for school age immunisations?
The main goal was to “integrate the e-consent solution with our electronic patient record, Rio”, Andy explains. This integration was essential to improve clinical efficiency, reduce risks associated with manual processes, and ensure that consent records were securely stored under each child’s profile.
From a trust perspective, what are the key benefits you've seen since your go-live?
Since launching, we’ve collected “nearly 7,000 consents” and received very positive feedback from parents. The e-consent solution has saved “around 2,000 administrative hours” and enhanced our staff’s digital skills. Andy noted, “EBO’s virtual assistant has proven to be a versatile tool for addressing various challenges.”
How are parents/guardians and children benefiting from the e-consent solution?
Parents appreciate the control and convenience the e-consent solution offers. As Andy explained, “This gives parents more control,” allowing them to receive links via school email and complete the process on any device at their convenience.
How was the e-consent process received by parents and guardians?
The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with “97% of parents preferring this solution for providing consent.” We also gather insights through a brief survey at the end of the consent process, ensuring we understand user experiences.
Can you share any advice and lessons learnt for trusts looking to digitise immunisation consent processes?
Implementing e-consent encouraged the Trust to reassess its existing processes. Andy shared that this transition “made us really explore what we did and how we did it.” He emphasised that moving to a digital system doesn’t eliminate work but often shifts responsibilities, requiring “some process redesign to ensure everything functions smoothly.”
What’s Next?
With e-consent now a proven success, Shropshire NHS Trust is looking ahead. Future plans include expanding their digital capabilities and continuing to integrate innovative solutions like EBO’s Virtual Assistant into their healthcare processes.
Find out the solution’s performance results, how it works, its benefits, staff and patient feedback and the next steps for the Trust here!
