More patients in and around Shipston are now feeling more confident using online healthcare services thanks to successful partnership working between Shipston Medical Centre’s Patent Participation Group and IPC Digital Champions.
Digital support sessions run regularly at the Community Hub based at the Ellen Badger Hospital, offering a welcoming and accessible environment where people can receive personalised guidance.
The Challenge
Many patients registered at Shipston Medical Centre wanted to use the NHS App but faced barriers that affected their ability to access digital healthcare services confidently and independently. Common challenges included:
- limited digital skills
- difficulties creating or verifying NHS App accounts
- forgotten passwords or login issues
- concerns about online security
- lack of awareness of the app’s features and available digital services.
As a result, many patients were unable to fully benefit from services such as ordering repeat prescriptions, viewing health records, managing appointments, and accessing NHS services online. This highlighted the need for targeted digital support to increase confidence, improve NHS App uptake, and promote digital inclusion within the community.
Chair of the Patient Participation Group (PPG), Carole Nossiter, sought help from IPC Digital Champions to offer dedicated digital support within existing Community Hub.
Our approach
We worked with the PPG to develop dedicated digital sessions at the Community Hub – an established setting which regularly sees members of the community coming together to connect and access local services. The PPG played a key role in promoting the sessions, encouraging patients to attend, and providing a welcoming environment where patients could receive one-to-one support.
Digital Champions offered tailored assistance, helping patients download and set up the NHS App, create and verify accounts, resolve login issues, and learn how to use key features such as ordering repeat prescriptions, viewing health records and test results, and managing appointments online. Patients also received guidance on online safety and building digital confidence.
Impact
This initiative has helped patients feel more confident using digital healthcare services. Through one-to-one support, patients gained the skills to use the NHS App independently, manage appointments, request prescriptions, and access health information online.
The sessions also strengthened collaboration between the practice, the PPG, and the local community, helping to improve digital inclusion and awareness of online healthcare services.
Participant Feedback
Feedback from patients attending the sessions has been overwhelmingly positive. Many appreciated the friendly, patient-centred approach and the personalised support provided by the Digital Champions. The informal and welcoming environment helped patients feel comfortable asking questions, learning at their own pace, and building confidence in using digital healthcare services.
One patient shared:
“I’d been trying to set up the NHS App for months without success. The Digital Champions helped me get started, and I can now order prescriptions and check appointments myself.”
Key Success Factors
The success of the initiative was driven by strong leadership from the PPG Chair, close collaboration between the PPG, GP practice, and IPC Digital Champions, and personalised one-to-one support for patients. Delivering practical skills in a trusted community setting has helped build confidence and increase the use of digital healthcare services.
Conclusion
The Shipston Warm Hub digital support sessions demonstrate how community-led initiatives can successfully improve digital inclusion. Driven by the PPG and supported by IPC Digital Champions, the programme has enabled patients to overcome barriers to digital healthcare, build confidence online, and make greater use of the NHS App and other digital services. The partnership continues to play an important role in helping patients become more digitally empowered and connected to their healthcare.
By Nicoleta Turcan, Digital Champions Team Lead
