NHS Sefton was honoured at the recent HSJ Efficiency Awards for its work in widening access to its health services using channels provided by Looking Local including TV, mobile and smartphones. Highly commended in the 'Efficiency in IT' category, NHS Sefton's award was based both on the breadth of customer focused channels NHS Sefton engages with and the sustainability of the technology.

Sefton is an area of great health inequality and NHS Sefton wanted to ensure that it was providing equal access to health information and services to give people the best chance of living a healthy life and getting treatment. In some areas over 75% of Sefton's population is without internet access, and in many cases these are the people who need health services the most.

NHS Sefton was able to ascertain that around 55% of homes in the area had access to interactive TV (Sky & Virgin), in fact evidence showed that in those areas where the internet was less available, there was more take up of Sky & Virgin. This in addition to the significant numbers of people of all ages having access to a mobile or smartphone means that engaging with the public sector solution Looking Local - provided by Kirklees Council - was a logical development to enable cheaper, wider and more equitable access.

NHS Sefton was the first primary care trust (PCT) to engage with Looking Local to deliver services on TV and mobile. This award recognises the PCT's understanding of Sefton residents' information needs and commitment to ensuring these are met in the most appropriate way. Patients in Sefton are able to access a wide range of health services 24/7, from making GP appointments and ordering repeat prescriptions, to getting information on sexual health (one of the most popular areas of the service) and local leisure events promoting activity and exercise.

David Hammond, Acting Engagement and Communications Manager at NHS Sefton, said:

"Being Highly Commended for the HSJ 'Efficiency in Information Technology' award shows how important it is to give people information in a way that works for them. This helps them find and choose the best services and live a healthy lifestyle."

The NHS Sefton site is enhanced by a range of local and national content partners including the British Lung Foundation, Diabetes UK, the British Heart Foundation, who deliver comprehensive guides and advice around specific health issues such as COPD, CHD and Diabetes. Looking Local's partnership with NHS Choices allows NHS Sefton to link into the health website's Health A-Z, Live Well guides and offer local listings for GPs, dentists, smoking clinics and other local health service and support providers. On top of this NHS Sefton gives its viewers and mobile users access to Jobcentre Plus, Patient Opinion and local partner services from Sefton Council and Merseyside Fire & Rescue.

The HSJ judging panel rewarded the work done to engage more widely with people on popular devices and technology that people have ready access to and an understanding of. Nearly 50% of NHS Sefton's usage on Looking Local is out of traditional office hours, allowing people to self serve when it suits them on their device of choice. By shifting people to cheaper channels of communications - away from telephone help lines and face to face consultations, as well as giving people 24 hour access - real efficiencies have been realised.