The Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust has entered into a contract with DrDoctor, valued at £572,000, to implement a patient engagement portal.
Key Features of the DrDoctor Platform
- Automated appointment confirmations and reminders via SMS, email, and the NHS App.
- Instant access to digital letters through secure patient portals and app integration.
- NHS App connectivity for push notifications and appointment management.
Currently in the early stages of deployment, the platform does not have a set go-live date. Dr Remy McConvey, Chief Clinical Information Officer at Greater Manchester, emphasized the need for mental health services to be as accessible as physical healthcare. He stated:
“For a long time, our service users have faced fragmented communication and complicated processes. This partnership is about fixing that.”
The trust aims to utilize DrDoctor’s solution to create a hybrid care model that combines digital tools with in-person services. This approach is expected to:
- Enhance communication with patients.
- Reduce missed appointments.
- Support patients throughout their care journey.
Contract Details
The contract, awarded through the G-Cloud Framework, was signed on 10 May 2025 and commenced on 31 May 2025. It is set to last for two years, with an option for a 12-month extension.
Additional tools included in the contract are:
- Digital forms and patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs).
- Integration with Civica Paris for structured data capture.
- Support services for technical onboarding and adoption.
Nick Barlow, Transformation Director at DrDoctor, highlighted the pressing need for efficient systems in mental health care, noting:
“More than 1.2 million people are currently waiting for mental health support in England – a figure not currently accounted for in the 7.4 million strong NHS backlog.”
DrDoctor’s recent acquisition of the personal health record platform Maia in August 2024 marks its entry into the mental health and community support sector. Maia allows patients to:
- View, book, amend, and cancel appointments.
- Complete questionnaires and access care plans.
- View clinical documents and health information.
Maia is being integrated into DrDoctor’s patient engagement platform, which is already in use across over 70 NHS trusts and health boards in England, including Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.