SOLUTION-DRIVEN COMMUNICATION ACROSS NHS TRUSTS

From appointment letters and test kits through to confidential results and discharge messaging, every patient communication within an NHS Trust shapes how care is delivered and experienced.

To date, CFH has delivered over 25 million letters for NHS Trusts, working with a wide range of organisations including Acute, University and Foundation Trusts, as well as Health Boards across the UK. This experience gives us a clear understanding of the complexity of Trust communication, supported by a suite of advanced, flexible solutions that can be tailored to specific requirements, however complex they may be. 

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NHS Long Term Plan

SUPPORTING PATIENT PATHWAYS

We know that when messages arrive on time, in the right format and with the right information, patients are better prepared, services run more smoothly, and clinical capacity is protected. Unlike large-scale campaigns, Trust communication is continuous, time-sensitive and directly linked to individual patient pathways.

With millions of outpatient appointments each year, and growing waiting lists, NHS Trusts are managing communication at huge scale. A single patient pathway can involve multiple touchpoints, all needing to align with where that patient is in their journey.

Across a Trust, this quickly becomes millions of communications issued across departments, specialities, and systems - and when communication is fragmented, the impact is immediate. Patients arrive unprepared, miss appointments or require follow-up, adding pressure to already stretched teams.

CFH support NHS Trusts with high-volume, time-sensitive communications, delivering joined-up messaging across print and digital channels. With CFH Transform, Docmail hybrid mail, e-delivery and fully managed services, we provide the structure and control needed to keep patient pathways moving.

INTELLIGENT WORKFLOW-LED COMMUNICATION WITH CFH TRANSFORM

The intelligent CFH Transform embeds logic-led workflows into Trust data, automatically triggering communications based on real-time pathway activity. Whether it’s confirmations, reminders, preparation instructions or discharge messages, each is issued at the right moment with the right content.

This reduces reliance on manual processes, removes inconsistencies across departments and allows communication to adapt to timing, patient response and clinical requirements.

Transform is built specifically for Trust environments, where communication must respond to pathway stage, timing and patient status in real time:

  • Patient data flows directly from your existing systems into the platform
  • Predefined rules are applied based on pathway stage, timing and requirements
  • Communications are automatically triggered at the appropriate point in the journey
  • The most suitable channel is selected (SMS, email or print), with fallback options where needed
  • Messages are issued with the correct content, format and level of urgency
  • Patient responses can be captured and fed back into your systems for follow-up or action
  • Full tracking and reporting provide visibility over what has been sent, when and how

CFH quickly understood what we needed to achieve and designed a solution tailored to us and our patients. The process is working incredibly well, and the level of engagement and support throughout the project was exactly what we needed

Head Of Procurement,
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

FLEXIBLE DELIVERY ACROSS PRINT AND DIGITAL

Communication in healthcare isn’t one-size-fits-all. While digital channels are increasingly important, print continues to play a vital role, particularly for time-sensitive or clinically important information.

CFH supports a flexible approach, enabling Trusts to deliver communications across SMS, email, print or a combination of channels. This might include digital-first messaging with print as an alternative, or channel selection based on patient preference, communication type or urgency - ensuring messages reach patients in a way that works for them.

Docmail hybrid mail makes it easy to create and send ad-hoc, personalised communications quickly and securely through a streamlined platform, while CFH Managed provides a dedicated account manager to oversee delivery - ensuring a tailored solution for every requirement.

INTEGRATING WITH TRUST SYSTEMS

CFH have worked with enough NHS Trusts to understand that teams rely on a wide range of systems to manage patient care. When communication sits outside of these systems, it can create gaps - requiring manual intervention and reducing visibility across the pathway. Our integrations include:

  • Dictate IT (clinical dictation & speech recognition)
  • Cerner (acute EPR systems)
  • Medway (acute & community EPR systems)
  • VitalHub (patient flow & operational systems)
  • Nervecentre (clinical workflow & safety systems)
  • Lexacom (clinical dictation systems)
  • Medefer (outpatient & elective care platforms)
  • Zesty (patient engagement platforms)
  • Mayden (mental health EPR systems)
  • Soliton IT (radiology information systems)
  • CVIS platforms (cardiology information systems)

ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE BY DESIGN

As the NHS continues to move towards digital delivery, inclusion remains essential.

Not all patients are able to engage with digital communications, and in many cases, this can have a direct impact on care. If instructions are missed or misunderstood, it can lead to delays, DNAs or risks at the point of discharge.

CFH supports inclusive communication as part of the standard workflow, including Large print formats, Braille, Audio formats & Multi-language delivery.

By building these considerations into the process from the outset, Trusts can ensure that communications are not only delivered but understood - supporting better outcomes for patients and reducing avoidable pressure on services.

A TRUSTED, SECURE NHS PARTNER

Trust communication involves sensitive patient data, so security and compliance are critical.

CFH operates to the highest industry standards, including ISO 27001 and ISO 9001, Cyber Essentials Plus, and a Data Security & Protection Toolkit rating of “Standards Exceeded” for over 10 years. All data is processed securely within the UK, giving Trusts complete confidence in how their information is handled.

As an approved supplier across frameworks, including HealthTrust Europe, we work closely with NHS organisations to deliver secure, reliable communication solutions that meet the demands of modern healthcare.

SUPPORTING NHS TRANSFORMATION

The NHS 10-Year Plan sets out a clear direction for the future - with a focus on community-based care, increased digital access and a stronger emphasis on prevention.

As care becomes more distributed, communication must remain consistent across services and locations. As digital adoption grows, Trusts must balance efficiency with accessibility. And as prevention becomes a priority, communication must encourage timely engagement and action from patients.

These challenges - and how Trusts can respond to them - are explored in our latest white paper:

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CASE STUDIES

Transitioning to new Postal Options Delivers Multiple Benefits

Croydon Health Services NHS Trust

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Bespoke Logic-Based Workflow Delivers “Triple Win”

Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

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