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Archives: Tools
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babblevoice
babblevoice is a cloud telephone system built specifically for general practice, “designed by GPs for GPs”, bundling several surgery systems into one. A notable differentiator is that it operates with no minimum-term contract and publishes its pricing.
Pricing
Among the more transparent in the market. A typical set-up costs around £5,000 (network survey, handsets, headsets, routers, switches, installation and training). Calls are roughly 1p/min to landlines at peak and 4.5p/min to mobiles; babblevoice surgeries spend around £25 a month on calls per 1,000 patients on average. There is no minimum-term contract. Confirm current rates with the supplier. It is also procured via the NHS Advanced Telephony Better Purchasing Framework (BPf), through which NHS funding may be available.
Function
It includes a desktop softphone (babblevoice Desktop) with EMIS/SystmOne integration and hot-desking, automatic NHS-compliant call recording and storage, per-call metrics, and an automated module letting patients book and manage appointments from their handset keypad (which also supports online-booking targets). Call recording/storage is DSPT- and ISO 27001-compliant.
Ease of setup
Supplier-led with an up-front set-up covering the network survey, hardware and training. The no-minimum-term contract is a notable differentiator, lowering the commitment risk of switching. Number porting and clinical-system integration are handled as part of onboarding.
Ease of use
Positioned as intelligent and easy to use, with the softphone letting staff work from any internet-enabled device — useful for hot-desking and remote/branch working. Reviewer experience on call quality and day-to-day handling will be the useful signal here.
Applications / best fit
Its published pricing and contract-free model make it particularly worth a look for smaller and cost-conscious practices, and those wary of long tie-ins — though it suits practices of various sizes. Currently integrates with EMIS and SystmOne (confirm Vision support if relevant). Reviewer context — list size, single vs branch sites, clinical system — matters.
Things to check before buying
Total first-year cost including set-up and call charges against BPf funding, exact clinical-system support for your setup, call quality/reliability in your area, and support arrangements.
Compare with
Surgery Connect and Think Healthcare — see the other telephony pages.
Babble Ltd
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Think Healthcare
Think Healthcare provides Ascend Cloud Telephony, pairing VoIP with contact-centre features aimed at higher-volume GP call handling. It supports 1,000+ practices and was founded by former NHS professionals.
Pricing
Not openly published — quote-based, procured via the NHS Advanced Telephony Better Purchasing Framework (BPf), through which NHS funding may be available. Confirm with the supplier and your ICB.
Function
Features include patient pop-ups showing caller demographics, one-click record access, custom notes/alerts (e.g. flagging palliative patients or QOF reminders), VIP routing to move emergency or palliative callers to the front of the queue, unlimited lines with dynamic routing for vulnerable patients, auto-callback, and a Virtual Care Navigator that automates repeat admin tasks. It integrates with EMIS, SystmOne and Vision (patient pop-ups, one-click record access, click-to-call). The company cites 99.999% uptime.
Ease of setup
Supplier-led and procured through the BPf framework, so switching is a managed migration. Setup covers number porting, routing/queue configuration, clinical-system integration and staff training on the contact-centre tools.
Ease of use
The contact-centre orientation (routing tables, wallboards, auto-callback, alerts) suits teams managing high call volumes and wanting fine control over prioritisation. Uptime and routing features are selling points; reviewer experience will show how it performs day to day.
Applications / best fit
Leans towards practices and PCNs that want contact-centre-grade call management and prioritisation. Three-system integration (including Vision) is a plus. Reviewer context — call volumes, list size, clinical system, single vs PCN-scale — matters.
Things to check before buying
Total cost against BPf funding, contract length and SLA (given the uptime claims), migration/number-porting effort, which contact-centre features are included vs add-ons, and depth of integration with your clinical system.
Compare with
Surgery Connect and babblevoice — see the other telephony pages.
Think Healthcare
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Surgery Connect
Surgery Connect is described as the UK’s leading GP telephony platform, serving 3,500+ practices. It is a cloud-based (VoIP) phone system built for general practice, with call handling, routing, patient self-service, call recording and analytics, plus clinical-system screen-pop and click-to-dial.
Pricing
Not openly published — quote-based, procured via the NHS Advanced Telephony Better Purchasing Framework (BPf), through which NHS funding may be available. Confirm with the supplier and your ICB.
Function
Beyond core cloud calling it adds a Phonebar desktop client, X-Flow drag-and-drop call-flow design, real-time and historical analytics with wallboard displays, AI voicemail transcription and summarisation, and patient self-service (Check and Cancel, appointment booking via secure SMS links). It integrates with EMIS Web, SystmOne and Vision for screen-pop patient identification, click-to-dial, and automatic filing of calls, SMS and photos to the record. BPf-assured, with six ISO certifications.
Ease of setup
Supplier-led and procured through the BPf framework, so migration from a legacy phone system is a managed project with the vendor. Setup includes number porting, call-flow configuration, clinical-system integration and staff training.
Ease of use
The desktop Phonebar, screen-pop and click-to-dial are designed to keep call handling tight and tied to the patient record. Call-flow customisation gives practice managers control, with analytics for monitoring performance. Vendor-cited benefits (e.g. self-service reducing inbound calls) are supplier figures — look to on-site reviews for real experience.
Applications / best fit
Broad fit across practice sizes and all three clinical systems, and often chosen by larger practices and PCNs wanting rich call analytics and self-service. The three-system integration (including Vision) is a plus. Reviewer context — list size, call volumes, clinical system — matters.
Things to check before buying
Total cost against BPf funding available to you, contract length and support/SLA, migration and number-porting effort, which features are included vs chargeable add-ons, and how deeply it integrates with your specific clinical system.
Compare with
babblevoice and Think Healthcare — see the other telephony pages.
X-on Health
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iPLATO myGP
myGP (from iPLATO) is a patient-facing app and engagement platform. iPLATO is used by 6,500+ GP surgeries, with the myGP app used by millions of patients to book and cancel appointments, order repeat prescriptions, view records and receive reminders.
Pricing
The myGP app is free to patients. The practice-side engagement/messaging (Connect+) is quote-based and not openly published — confirm with the supplier. Since April 2023, iPLATO customers also get free use of NHS App messaging and notifications.
Function
Two sides: a patient app (appointment booking/cancellation, repeat prescriptions, records with NHS login, reminders that add to the calendar) and a practice engagement suite (Connect+) offering multi-channel messaging via SMS, myGP push and NHS App notifications, plus SNOMED-coded questionnaires that auto-write to the record. It is IM1-assured with integration across EMIS Web, SystmOne and Cegedim Vision over secure HSCN — one of the few tools here supporting all three clinical systems.
Ease of setup
Supplier-led, with clinical-system integration and NHS App messaging handled during onboarding. Patient adoption of the app is a separate consideration — promoting it to your list takes some effort. Setup centres on configuring messaging, questionnaires and channels.
Ease of use
For the practice, the appeal is combining a patient app with messaging and questionnaires in one platform. Patient experience of the app (and how it sits alongside the NHS App) is central — reviewer perspectives on both the staff tools and patient uptake will be the useful signal.
Applications / best fit
Suits practices wanting a patient app plus engagement/messaging in one place, and those valuing all-three-clinical-system support. Given the rise of the NHS App, consider how myGP complements or overlaps it. Reviewer context — list size, clinical system, and patient demographic/app uptake — matters.
Things to check before buying
Overlap with the NHS App and any messaging you already run, total cost of the practice-side suite against list size, patient app-adoption in your population, clinical-system integration, and current DTAC/DSPT status.
Compare with
accuRx (messaging), MJog and the NHS App — see the other messaging & patient-facing tools.
iPLATO
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MJog
MJog (now MJog by Livi) is a multi-channel patient messaging platform used by 4,000+ GP practices, delivering batch messaging, appointment reminders, patient questionnaires and video consultations by SMS, email, voice and app.
Pricing
Not openly published — quote-based, typically procured at practice/PCN/ICB level. Confirm with the supplier.
Function
Core strengths are batch messaging (send to thousands of patients, attach documents, allow replies) and DNA-reducing appointment reminders customisable by patient, clinic or appointment type, with patients contacted on their preferred channel. Clinicians can message or start video consultations from Desktop GP, a clinical toolbar. It integrates with EMIS and SystmOne, and with the NHS App to send “smart messages” at reduced cost.
Ease of setup
Supplier-led, with EMIS/SystmOne integration and NHS App messaging handled as part of onboarding. Setup centres on configuring reminder rules, message templates and channels, plus staff training.
Ease of use
A long-established, focused messaging tool that reception and admin teams are widely familiar with. Reviewer experience on reliability, the desktop toolbar and NHS App message delivery will be the useful signal here.
Applications / best fit
Suits practices wanting dedicated, reliable patient messaging and DNA reduction — particularly those that value NHS App delivery to cut SMS costs. Works with EMIS and SystmOne. Reviewer context — list size, clinical system, and how much you lean on batch recall/reminders — matters. Note many practices now get messaging bundled within a wider platform (e.g. accuRx), so consider overlap.
Things to check before buying
Total cost against list size and SMS volumes (and how much NHS App delivery offsets this), overlap with messaging you may already have, clinical-system integration for your setup, and current DTAC/DSPT status.
Compare with
accuRx (messaging) and iPLATO myGP — see the other messaging & patient-comms tools.
MJog (Livi)
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Rapid Health
Rapid Health’s Smart Triage is positioned as the UK’s only fully autonomous AI triage-and-booking system. It assesses symptoms, determines urgency, identifies the right pathway and books the appointment automatically under practice-defined capacity rules — without staff intervention.
Pricing
Not openly published — quote-based, and typically procured at PCN/ICS level rather than by individual practices. Confirm with the supplier.
Function
It uses a five-tier urgency scale (Black/emergency, Red/same-day, Amber/next-day, Yellow/within 5 days, Green/routine) and books automatically under practice-defined capacity rules. It also handles planned and preventive care (vaccinations, smears, chronic disease) and supports custom pathways for under-16s and at-risk patients. It integrates with EMIS and TPP SystmOne, and supports NHS App booking. Reported in use across 31+ ICSs.
Ease of setup
Supplier-led and usually rolled out at PCN or ICS scale. Because booking is autonomous, setup involves careful configuration of capacity rules, pathways and safety controls with the practice/PCN before go-live — more configuration-heavy than a simple triage form.
Ease of use
The draw is that, once configured, much of the triage-to-booking work happens without staff involvement (the vendor cites ~91% auto-bookings). That autonomy is also the main thing to scrutinise: practices will want confidence in the safety and appropriateness of automated booking. Vendor-reported outcomes (e.g. large cuts in wait times and peak calls) are supplier figures — on-site reviews will show real experience.
Applications / best fit
Best suited to PCNs and larger practices comfortable with autonomous AI booking and wanting to shift capacity away from manual triage and phone demand. Reviewer context — scale (PCN/ICS vs single practice), risk appetite for automation, and clinical system — is especially important here.
Things to check before buying
Clinical safety and governance of autonomous booking, how capacity/routing rules are controlled, procurement level (PCN/ICS vs practice) and who funds it, clinical-system write-back, and current DTAC/DSPT status.
Compare with
accuRx, eConsult, PATCHS, Anima and Klinik — see the other online consultation & triage tools.
Rapid Health