CX Partners / NHSx Case Study
A mental health service was facing significant operational challenges: they were over-stretched with non-technical staff, operating in a complex environment where client services had strict eligibility criteria. The broader NHS systems didn't integrate with each other, creating information silos. The service was struggling with a long waiting list and insufficient staff to meet demand or even properly triage incoming requests.
(Image deliberately blurred to protect client confidentiality)
As a contract Lead Service Designer, I was brought in to provide strategic design leadership and help navigate this complex healthcare ecosystem.
I filled multiple roles:
- Led a multidisciplinary team including a project manager and UX researcher
- Facilitated understanding of the current service landscape through collaborative workshops
- Directed research efforts and identifed pain points and opportunities for improvement
- Created actionable insights that could be implemented within the constraints of the system
- Bridged the communication gap between technical requirements and frontline service needs
Established a first case study for ongoing service design improvements within NHSx
Provided a prioritisable set of options for service improvements based on impact and feasibility
I delivered strategic guidance, collaborative design, and actionable insights:
Discovery & Mapping:
- Ran workshops to understand and map the service as it currently existed
- Identified key touch-points, bottlenecks, and system constraints
- Documented workflow processes and decision points
- Mapped stakeholder relationships and dependencies
Research & Insight:
- Conducted extensive research interviews with service providers and users
- Gathered qualitative data on user experiences and staff challenges
- Identified systemic issues that impacted service delivery
- Prioritised findings based on impact potential and feasibility
Facilitated Prioritisation:
- Presented comprehensive findings to both the mental health service and NHSx
- Delivered a detailed document and presentation deck outlining recommendations
- Created visualisations of the research and options for moving forwards
- Facilitated a prioritisation workshop to help stakeholders identify key areas for improvement
- Provided implementation guidance appropriate for non-technical teams
Provided tangible benefits to NHSx and the mental health service:
- Created a clear meta view of service design as a process within mental health services
- Identified practical interventions to address the long waiting list issue
- Provided a prioritisable set of options for service improvements based on impact and feasibility
- Equipped stakeholders with tools to make informed decisions about resource allocation
- Established a first case study for ongoing service design improvements within NHSx
