Designing for Secure Mobility in the UK Healthcare System
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Designing for Secure Mobility in the UK Healthcare System
The NHS Digital Staff Passport was created to support staff transitioning between NHS trusts with ease and speed. By allowing employees to securely share verified credentials like employment checks, occupational health records, and core skills, the system reduces the need for repeated onboarding and redundant form-filling.
The initial rollout targeted temporary movers and rotating doctors, with a long-term vision to onboard all NHS staff groups.
The design needed to follow strict GOV.UK and GDS standards, NHS branding, and accessibility guidelines. Working in an Agile environment, we had to move fast, delivering high-quality design solutions in a highly structured ecosystem, where innovation had to balance with compliance.
As the UX/UI Designer on the project, I was involved from discovery to final delivery. Working under Sitekit (on a permanent contract), I led the design of flows, screen layouts, and prototypes, collaborating daily with PMs, developers, and stakeholders from NHS Digital. I handled client presentations and aligned design decisions with their technical and regulatory needs.
Adobe XD
Used extensively for wireframing, prototyping, and creating high-fidelity mockups.
Miro
For brainstorming sessions, user journey mapping, and defining workflows.
Jira & Confluence
For managing tasks, tracking project progress, and documenting design iterations.
Microsoft Teams & SharePoint
For daily communication with cross-functional teams and sharing design assets securely.
The complexity of this project lay in balancing strict guidelines with a smooth user experience. One major challenge was the archiving and restoration of credentials. Staff needed a reliable way to manage digital credentials that could be revoked, expired, or manually restored.
To tackle this, I created a detailed matrix that outlined various credential states and workflows. This Excel overview helped stakeholders make clear decisions and aligned the product team on when and how credentials could be archived or restored.
The design process followed a user-centered approach, deeply integrated with the NHS’s digital service standards.
Starting from discovery through to delivery, each phase focused on user needs, accessibility, and iterative testing.
Gathering requirements through workshops with stakeholders and NHS staff.
The discovery phase highlighted the necessity for a secure, easily navigable system that minimized manual data entry while safeguarding sensitive information.
With the insights gathered, I developed wireframes that evolved into interactive prototypes.
Using Adobe XD and Miro, I designed key flows, components, and responsive UI layouts for both mobile and desktop. I also proposed new interface components aligned with NHS’s digital language where existing ones didn’t meet needs.
Every design element was tested against NHS, GOV.UK, and GDS accessibility standards to ensure inclusivity.
A robust credential management system allowing users to archive, revoke, or update certifications easily.
Accessibility enhancements compliant with WCAG 2.1 and GDS guidelines, including optimized color contrasts, keyboard navigation support, and screen reader compatibility.
A credential lifecycle matrix that provided stakeholders with a clear visualization of how credentials are managed over time, aiding in strategic decision-making.
The NHS Digital Staff Passport (DSP) project delivered a transformative impact on the mobility and efficiency of NHS staff transitions. By streamlining the process of transferring employment checks, core skills training, and occupational health records, the platform significantly reduced administrative burdens for both staff and HR departments. This resulted in quicker onboarding processes, reduced unnecessary paperwork, and enhanced data protection by adhering to NHS and GDS standards.
The intuitive, accessible design enhanced user satisfaction, making it easier for healthcare professionals to focus on their roles without administrative delays. The successful implementation of the DSP not only improved operational workflows within the NHS but also set a new standard for digital staff management across public sector services.
