How CONNECTPlus is freeing up nurse time at Mid Cheshire
Rheumatology teams at Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust used CONNECTPlus to move drug education online, saving nursing time without losing the personal touch.
The problem
Every patient starting a new rheumatology medication needed a 40 minute face-to-face appointment to talk through their treatment and sign consent forms. It was good care, but it took up a lot of nursing time and wasn't always convenient for patients travelling from across the region.
The idea
The team turned to CONNECTPlus. Nurses and pharmacists checked the app's medication videos, then ran a small pilot: patients scanned a QR code, worked through the education content in their own time and completed consent digitally, straight into their medical record. Face-to-face appointments still ran alongside, so the team could catch any issues early.
The results
- 40 minute appointments cut to 20 minutes
- Capacity doubled, no extra staff
- 87% of patients completed the digital pathway
- Patients spent 27 minutes on average, with positive feedback
Where things didn't go smoothly, the team acted, simplifying the instructions into an easy, step-by-step guide.
What's next
The Trust has now swapped 40 minute appointments for 20 minute phone calls for CONNECTPlus patients, effectively doubling capacity. Clear guidance means every check still gets done, and nurses can finish prescriptions in the shorter slot.
With staff confident in the app, biologic medicines are next. The Trust expects to digitally educate 50% of patients at home, freeing up around 300 nurse appointments a year.
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