Newly developed app built in 5 days provides latest NHS information on COVID-19

One of Scotland’s leading digital design agency’s has developed an app with Scotland’s national healthcare service NHS 24 to give users the latest information and guidance on Covid-19. Mobile app company xDesign has designed the app which links directly to the NHS 24 health information site nhsinform.scot which has seen record numbers of people visiting its pages. It also means NHS 24 can alert users to the latest information and guidance from NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government, quickly updating from the nhsinform.scot site. Built in five days and available on Apple and Android devices, the app helps people assess potential of Covid-19 symptoms and take appropriate action NHS 24 head of digital Louise Bennie said: “Given the situation is changing on a daily basis it was absolutely crucial that we were able to pull content from our NHS Inform website through to the app in real time” xDesign managing director Ben Hutton said that he and other team members at the business “have partners and family who work for the NHS and we wanted to do everything we could to help the cause at such a difficult time for so many. xDesign volunteered its services to help NHS 24 and has built the app in five days to help to ease the pressure on services while maintaining the same level of quality assured and trusted information. The app helps people assess their symptoms and take appropriate action depending on the severity of the symptoms they are displaying. Hutton added: “In practice, the app means you can get a reliable symptom check and at a time when people are struggling in a sea of information it also contains a comprehensive bank of reliable information.” Bennie at NHS 24, said: “While a primary focus with the app was around user experience, given the situation is changing on a daily basis it was absolutely crucial that we were able to pull content from our NHS Inform website through to the app in real time. “Looking ahead, we think there is a long-term role for the app working alongside the website as a general entry point for NHS services.”