Hospitals in the UK, like any other in the world, offer everyday citizens a reliable source of care and treatment. Yet they also have unique advantages and challenges to face. Today, you will learn more about how these institutions are doing in this current environment. Also, you will know how custom web designs may provide them with the push they need to stay afloat.
What You Need to Know about Hospitals
According to numbers gathered in September 2019, there are 1,257 hospitals in the UK. This spans both NHS Trust-managed centers and the additional private ones.
In the UK, the whole population is covered by the National Health System (NHS), which gets funding through general taxation under the management of the Department of Health. But responsibility for the availing of health care services across the nation varies among constituent country levels.
This means primary care trusts in England, health boards in Scotland, local health groups in Wales, and primary care partnerships in Northern Ireland. Despite this, the trend towards private care and coverage continues to rise, with 12% of the population relying on private health insurance.
No Smooth Sailing for Hospitals in the UK
While public satisfaction with the NHS (including those who have not necessarily interacted with it recently) stays high, it has still dipped recently. Satisfaction with the NHS was at 57% in 2017 compared to 64% in 2009. Meanwhile, satisfaction for inpatient appointments drops to 55% from 59%, and outpatient appointments at 65% from 67%.
Even though private care is becoming more popular, hospital admissions have increased sharply. From 2009-2010, elective admissions have increased to over 8.2m, and emergency and maternity admissions have risen to over 6.2m annually. Also, hospitals do more appointments and tests with the number of diagnostic tests rising by over 50%.
This does not mean everything is going well. Between 2011-12 and 2017-18, voluntary resignations from the NHS increased from 74,285 to 114,870. Those citing work-life balance as the reason for leaving almost tripled in this period. This can present a serious challenge in meeting patient care needs, especially in the recent COVID-19 era.
So Here Is Where Custom Websites Can Help
Clearly, hospitals in the UK cannot rely on immeasurable factors to stay afloat. They would need a reliable tool to maintain their quality of services in an ever-changing care environment. Fortunately, custom websites may offer just what they need.
Compared to template-based designs, these are designed from the ground up with professional coding and specialized widgets. Therefore, they offer more in terms of customization, which is key in achieving patient satisfaction.
Through custom websites, hospitals can:
- Give visitors immediately accessible information on relevant health topics
- Improve how inquiries, appointments, and referrals are handled through specialized online forms
- Make patient communication much easier
- Reduce costs and waiting times
- Grow care accessibility for the disabled and chronically ill
Interested?
Let Proweaver be your web design partner. We offer more than a decade of experience in helping hospitals and other care providers maintain virtual platforms for the needs of their patients. When you choose us, you get to work with a dedicated team of programmers, designers, and customer representatives who can create a website that suits your brand in less than a week.
Call now to get to sample layouts for FREE.