Introduction

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) has moved its PROMs process from paper to digital via the Patients Know Best (PKB) platform. Since launching in early 2025, the trust has seen a significant jump in patient engagement and data accuracy. By giving patients real-time access to their own recovery scores, EPUT is moving toward a patient-led model of care.

The Challenge

Adult Community Psychology (ACP) teams are required to collect Patient-Reported Outcome Measures (PROMs) at multiple touchpoints: while waiting for assessment, at the start of treatment, and at discharge.

Historically, this relied on paper forms, leading to:

• Administratively heavy

• Low return rates

• Low engagement outcomes 

• Data silos

The Solution 

EPUT used Patients Know Best (PKB) to digitise the Recovering Quality of Life (ReQoL) measure. By moving the process into the patient’s Personal Health Record (PHR), the Organisation transformed a "tick-box" exercise into a collaborative clinical tool.

How it Works

1. Digital delivery: ReQoL questionnaires are sent directly to the patient’s PKB account.

2. Instant access: Patients complete the form on any device at their convenience.

3. Patient ownership: Patients can view their own scores and track their recovery journey in real-time.

4. Clinical integration: Completed forms are moved to the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) for review during consultations.

The Impact

Since launching in April 2025, the pilot has demonstrated a clear digital and care improvement compared to the old paper-based system

"In addition, the welcome shift in healthcare towards a more trauma-informed and patient centred care offer means that opportunities to allow patients access to the data we keep about them and their care are valuable. The impetus to offer patients more ownership over their information and their care, to invite them into explicit review of their felt sense of progress and holding part of the onus of change and accountability for wellness creates a gap for patient portal options to meet this need."

Key Benefits 

For patients

• Easier access to questionnaires

• Greater ownership of their data

• Visibility of progress over time

• Support for reflection and engagement in treatment

For clinicians 

• Reduced administrative burden

• Improved consistency of PROM administration

• More robust and accessible outcome data

• Better use of PROMs in care planning and review

What’s Next

Building on this success, EPUT is working toward:

• Full automation: Seamless data flow from PKB directly into the EPR.

• Automated reminders: Using PKB "Campaigns" to prompt patients to complete measures.

• Organisation-wide scaling: Expanding digital PROMs across all Adult Community Psychology pathways.

Further Information

• Pre-Metrics for a Team Use of PKB for PROMs: outlining pre-metrics and the importance of outcomes when rolling out PROMs.

• Capturing Digital Outcome Measures: examples, outcome measure questionnaire templates and workflow

• Benefits of PKB for PROMs: Secure, efficient, patient-centred data collection