In a targeted pilot within a broader community nursing service, Pennine Care tested Florence, a persona-based text‑messaging tool, to support patients in self-managing their wounds between in-person visits.
Key outcomes from the trial included:
- 100% of patients reported a positive experience and would recommend Florence
- 53% fewer nursing contacts were needed, freeing staff to focus on more complex patients
- No unplanned visits were required, demonstrating the approach was safe
- Staff feedback was highly favorable. Nurses felt Florence improved patient experience, boosted their own job satisfaction, and gave them confidence to “let go” of routine oversight while patients felt empowered
This pilot illustrates that even a modest-scale deployment of remote support can meaningfully improve service efficiency, patient satisfaction, and workforce utilization. Based on its success, the model is now being expanded across additional community nursing services within the trust.
