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One design system is better than 2

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 16:05:14 GMT

Frankie and Ananda explain why the NHS design system is not just for public-facing services, with an overview of recent changes to meet the needs of staff-facing services. There’s also more change coming, and you can get involved too.

The NHS design system was set up to meet the needs of teams building public services. We are often asked whether there should be a separate NHS design system for digital services used by staff. It’s an understandable question. Staff services can have different needs and might be a lot more complex.

How we're using Proxygen to transform API development

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (Jonathan Eagle) — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:15:11 GMT

Jonathan Eagle explains how the NHS England API Management team tackled some of the biggest pain points in API development in the NHS – and how a new tool called Proxygen is cutting integration time with the NHS API Platform from weeks to days.

Co-creating the digital front door to the NHS

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 08:15:12 GMT

The NHS App enables millions of people to access essential healthcare services, but some struggle to use it. Tanja Galloway, Lisa Collins and Simon Davis explore the challenges and share practical insights for making user research inclusive and accessible so no one is left behind.

The NHS App enables millions of people to access essential healthcare services. As part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan, by 2028 the NHS App will become a full digital front door to the NHS. Yet for many, this digital future feels out of reach.

Some risk being left behind due to barriers that prevent them from accessing, or confidently using, the NHS App.

Making the NHS design system fit for the future

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 09:43:21 GMT

Tero Väänänen explains why the NHS design system exists and why it plays an important role in fulfilling the 10-year health plan. He also describes recent changes to the frontend code behind the design system, and why it is important for teams to adopt them now.

The NHS is moving from analogue to digital, and the NHS design system plays a critical role in making sure that shift results in accessible and usable digital products.

It does this by giving teams across the system a shared set of tools and standards, which reduce the effort needed to deliver digital products and services.

Transforming data into action for rare and congenital conditions

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:42:13 GMT

Sarah and Steven celebrate 10 years of the National Congenital Conditions and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS).

This year the National Congenital Conditions and Rare Disease Registration Service (NCARDRS), part of NHS England’s the National Disease Registration Service (NDRS), celebrates 10 years of advancing understanding and care for people affected by congenital and rare conditions. Reflecting on the past decade, we have come so far in using data to make a tangible difference and achieved so much, yet there remains much more still to do.

Cyber first responders: Strengthening NHS defences in the digital age

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Mon, 17 Nov 2025 15:17:49 GMT

Martin Jarvis, Incident Management Lead in our Cyber Security Operations Centre (CSOC), explains how the preparedness of individual NHS organisations, working alongside central response capabilities, forms a protective partnership to keep the NHS safe.

Driving forward the NHS 10 Year Health Plan’s commitment to move 'from analogue to digital' means cyber security is more critical than ever. As we build a digitally-enabled health service, where patients can access care 24/7 through the NHS App and other digital channels, robust cyber defences are essential for patient safety and continuity of care.

Failure isn’t the end – it’s where better services begin

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 12:50:12 GMT

Liz Glidewell explains why failing a GDS service assessment is a normal part of the improvement process – and how she supported the Be Part of Research team through multiple assessments to build a better, more accessible service for their users.

Government and NHS services have a duty to work for everyone, including those with low digital confidence and non-digital users. This is why services need to pass a GDS service assessment.

It’s not unusual for a service to fail its first assessment. But what happens next?

An easier way to manage vaccinations in schools

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 14:58:14 GMT

Helen Pitts shares a video walk-though of the new Manage vaccinations in schools (Mavis) service, which helps those involved in school vaccinations handle the challenging logistics of vaccinating hundreds of children in a single day.

Manage vaccinations in schools (shortened to Mavis) is a digital service we're building to support vaccination providers around the country, so that they’re easier to manage and more effective.

Vaccination providers visit schools to deliver vaccinations to hundreds of children in a single day. This can require a great deal of planning, preparing, and coordination.

Why we are reinvesting in the NHS prototype kit

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Mon, 21 Jul 2025 13:38:08 GMT

Frankie and Mike explain why we revived the NHS prototype kit, the benefits of prototyping in code and how digital teams in the NHS can get started using it.

The NHS prototype kit was first developed in 2019 to make it easier for digital teams to rapidly design and test new digital services. It was inspired by the GOV.UK Prototype Kit and builds on the legacy of open-source public-sector design tools in the UK.

A digital-first approach to patient communications

enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk (NHS Digital) — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 09:40:52 GMT

Joe and Pete explain the greater emphasis being placed on digital patient messaging across the NHS and the potential to provide a more seamless experience for patients, reduce the number of missed appointments and save the NHS money.

This week, the Secretary of State announced the start of our journey to becoming a "digital first NHS" – here is what it means for you.

In other aspects of our lives, it's second nature to receive messages digitally. Think online bank statements, email receipts for our online shopping or text messages confirming our home deliveries have arrived. But for various reasons, the NHS has found this challenging, and we still send out millions of letters to patients each year.