SOUTHAMPTON'S biggest hospital has launched a UK-first app that can track coronavirus vaccinations among staff to help protect the city's frontline workers.

With tens of thousands of NHS staff currently off sick or self-isolating due to Covid, the race is on to vaccinate front-line employees and get them back to work so they can support patients through the winter months.

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust (UHS) has created and launched an app that can allow their staff to consent to the two-part vaccine quickly and easily, and provide a reminder when they are due their next shot.

It aims to "speed-up" the vaccine programme within the Trust to help protect their staff and support the hospital during these difficult winter months.

The Trust has teamed up with partner Netcall, a leading provider of low-code and customer engagement solutions, to create the app.

UHS called upon Netcall and utilised its Liberty Create platform, a low-code software solution for business users and developers, to rapidly build a digital vaccine consent and reminder solution fit for purpose.

The easy integration of low-code also meant that the application could be combined with UHS Digital’s own creation.

The Netcall app works with APEX, which is a digital appointment booking app. This lets staff know when their appointment is via text message.

At the same time the text message includes consent for data to be collected at the time of having the vaccination. This data goes into the NIVS (The NHS National Immunisation Vaccination System for health care workers) as a record of the date and time first dose is administered.

In line with national guidance, the APEX app ensures the second required dose is scheduled at the appropriate time after the first dose.

Ian Brewer, Head of Information Technology at UHS, said: “Thanks to the ease of use and agility of Netcall’s Liberty Create platform, we have been able to supercharge the speed of change, getting staff protected and back at work.

"Without the use of low-code and our partnership with Netcall, communicating with and reminding staff about vaccinations would have relied on error-prone, paper-based or manual processes. Real-time reporting would be difficult. And, ensuring everyone attended the second vaccination would take considerable effort.”

Following its work with UHS, and in continued support of the public sector, Netcall is developing an end-to-end version that will be made available to all NHS bodies.