Improving patient journeys

Summary

Arthritis Action commissioned Blue Lozenge to research communication gaps and information needs for patients with inflammatory arthritis in secondary care settings. Blue Lozenge conducted desk-based research, academic literature review, guided conversations with healthcare professionals, and communication health checks at two hospital trust rheumatology teams. Blue Lozenge also facilitated two patient journey mapping workshops with patients and healthcare professionals, co-creating an ideal patient communication pathway. The research provided Arthritis Action with insights into healthcare professional habits and patient needs, offering a roadmap for developing self-management resources to improve patient experiences and outcomes.

Supporting healthcare professionals to enhance patient experience through better communication

Arthritis Action, the UK charity helping people with arthritis live better lives, needed to better understand the information needs and communication gaps for patients with inflammatory arthritis in secondary care settings. They sought insights into how healthcare professionals share self-management resources and wanted to identify where high-quality communication could improve patient experiences and outcomes throughout the care pathway.

Approach

Blue Lozenge conducted comprehensive research combining multiple methodologies to understand both professional and patient perspectives:

  • Carried out extensive desk-based research reviewing existing self-management resources available to healthcare professionals
  • Analysed academic literature for best practice in self-management communication and professional engagement
  • Conducted guided conversations with secondary care healthcare professionals to understand their preferences and practices for sharing patient resources
  • Performed communication health checks at two hospital trusts’ rheumatology teams, examining communication practices, patient demand drivers, and barriers to effective self-management
  • Facilitated two patient journey mapping workshops – one with inflammatory arthritis patients and another with healthcare professionals
  • Co-created an ideal patient communication pathway with patients, identifying key touchpoints and resource gaps

Our approach ensured both clinical expertise and lived experience informed the research findings.

Impact

The research delivered critical insights into healthcare professional habits and patient needs regarding self-management resources. These findings provide Arthritis Action with a clear roadmap for developing world-class resources that fill identified gaps and support rheumatology teams in enhancing their communication practices. The co-created patient communication pathway offers a framework for improving patient experiences and outcomes throughout their care journey.

 Youth-centred communication and engagement strategy

Summary

Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board commissioned Blue Lozenge to develop a co-designed communication and engagement strategy to improve children and young people’s access to mental health services. Blue Lozenge placed young people at the centre of the methodology, conducting focus groups in schools and youth councils, engaging parents, carers, and education staff, and consulting mental health service providers. The resulting strategy was grounded in evidence and insight, accompanied by a pragmatic one-year implementation plan. The strategy provides Kent and Medway ICB with a framework to address communication gaps and improve mental health service access for children and young people across the region.

Co-designed communication strategy to help transform children’s access to mental health support

Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board faced escalating demand for children and young people’s mental health services, compounded by feedback about poor communication around available services. They needed a transformative communication and engagement strategy that would help vulnerable young people access appropriate mental health support when they needed it most. 

Approach

Blue Lozenge placed the voices of children and young people at the centre of our methodology: 

  • Involved young people throughout the entire process, beginning with co-scoring the project bid 
  • Conducted targeted focus groups with children and young people in schools and youth councils 
  • Engaged education workforce, parents, and carers to understand their unique perspectives 
  • Consulted mental health service providers to identify operational challenges and opportunities 
  • Collaborated with the local communications network to leverage existing strengths 
  • Analysed national research on youth mental health communication preferences 
  • Developed a comprehensive strategy grounded in insights and evidence 
  • Created a pragmatic one-year implementation plan with achievable milestones 

This multi-stakeholder approach ensured our strategy addressed the patient journey holistically, identifying and resolving communication gaps that previously prevented young people from accessing vital services. 

Impact

The resulting strategy represents a breakthrough in children’s mental health communication, providing Kent and Medway ICB with a roadmap for delivering world-class engagement. Beyond the strategic framework, our practical implementation plan ensures incremental progress toward improved mental health outcomes for children and young people across the region. 

Most importantly, by redesigning communication pathways based directly on young people’s input, the strategy will help vulnerable youth navigate and access mental health services more effectively, potentially transforming outcomes during critical developmental stages. 

 

From start to finish Blue Lozenge shared our vision for creating a first-class strategy that had the voices of children and young people at its heart, while being ground in insight, evidence and research. Blue Lozenge’s professional, expert and pragmatic approach to the project meant they felt like an extended part of our team, working together to deliver a vital piece of work. We wouldn’t hesitate to work with Blue Lozenge again.

Sue Mullin, Associate Director: Children’s Mental Health