first vita post

Author: jolumley-nhs

app/_layouts/product.njk

@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@
           "Manage vaccinations in schools",
           "Manage your appointments",
           "Record a vaccination",
-          "Select people for invitation"
+          "Select people for invitation",
+          "Vaccinations in the app"
         ] },
         { title: "Personalised prevention", services: [
           "Personalised prevention platform",

app/images/vaccinations-in-the-app/07/designing-eligibility-in-the-app/already-booked.png

@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+---
+layout: collection
+title: Vaccinations in the app
+description: Enabling access to vaccinations and NBS via the NHS app
+area: Vaccinations
+pagination:
+  data: collections.vaccinations-in-the-app
+  reverse: true
+  size: 50
+permalink: "vaccinations-in-the-app/{% if pagination.pageNumber > 0 %}page/{{ pagination.pageNumber + 1 }}{% endif %}/"
+---

app/images/vaccinations-in-the-app/07/designing-eligibility-in-the-app/already-vaccd.png

@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+---
+title: "Designing eligibility for vaccinations in the NHS App"
+date: 2025-07-02
+---
+
+We’re working on a new vaccination feature in the NHS App to help people of any age:
+
+* understand which vaccines they should get
+* check if they’ve already had them
+* get a convenient appointment
+
+Our aim is to make vaccination information more relevant and personal, based on what we know about them. We’re doing that using a new Eligibility API that brings together things like age and vaccine history.
+ 
+By tailoring the experience, we hope to make it easier for people to take action, reduce pressure on frontline services, and ultimately improve uptake.
+ 
+We’re starting with the RSV vaccine, and one of the key groups it's offered to is older adults within a specific age range. By using age and vaccine appointment data, we can give adults checking their eligibility a more tailored experience.
+ 
+But it’s not straightforward. Here’s how we’re tackling two of the biggest content challenges.
+
+
+## 1. Designing for uncertainty
+
+One way we’re personalising the experience is by showing in the App:
+
+* any vaccination appointment we believe they've already booked
+* any vaccination we believe they’ve already had (and the date)
+
+ 
+But what if we’ve got these events, or their age, wrong? 
+ 
+To avoid shutting out people who should get the vaccine, we’re designing ways for them to challenge what they see and take action if something doesn’t look right. 
+ 
+We’re testing designs where the personalised message is still clear and confident, but we allow users to flag concerns and proceed to booking, if needed.
+
+**Appointment booked**
+
+![Screenshot of appointment booked, with help and support link](already-booked.png) 
+
+**Vaccination given**
+
+![Screenshot of vaccination given, with help and support link](already-vaccd.png) 
+
+## 2. Telling people they cannot have it
+
+Even when the data is right, it’s hard telling people they are not eligible. We currently say:
+
+“We do not believe you can have it. This is because you:
+
+* are not aged 75 to 79”
+
+This is not landing well for everyone. People who are proactive about their health often don’t feel that’s a good enough reason.
+ 
+One user, aged 80, asked: “Why does it stop at 79? That doesn’t seem fair.”
+ 
+Another, with a weakened immune system, said they planned to check with their GP in case they still qualified.
+ 
+They have a point. Clinicians reminded us that the vaccine is available privately – so technically, anyone could choose to have it.
+ 
+We’re wondering if removing specific mentions of ages: “It’s not currently available on the NHS for your age group” might be clearer and a more helpful starting point. We might also explore tone: can we make it more empathetic?
+
+![Screenshot of ineligibility screen](ineligible.png)
+
+We’ll be back with another Design History soon, once we’ve tested and refined these ideas.
+
+

app/images/vaccinations-in-the-app/07/designing-eligibility-in-the-app/ineligible.png

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{
+  "eleventyNavigation": {
+    "parent": "Vaccinations in the app"
+  }
+}

app/posts/vaccinations-in-the-app.md

@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ module.exports = function (eleventyConfig) {
     return collection.getFilteredByGlob('app/posts/select-people-for-invitation/**/*.md')
   })
 
+  eleventyConfig.addCollection('vaccinations-in-the-app', collection => {
+    return collection.getFilteredByGlob('app/posts/vaccinations-in-the-app/**/*.md')
+  })
+
   // Personalised prevention collections
   eleventyConfig.addCollection('digital-nhs-health-check', collection => {
     return collection.getFilteredByGlob('app/posts/digital-nhs-health-check/**/*.md')