NHS Booking and Referral Standard

Principles for rendering BaRS payloads

BaRS does not specify how the BaRS Payload should be displayed in receiving systems. It is anticipated that where possible, the payload will be displayed in the system user interface (UI) as if it had been collected natively. However, it's recognised it may be necessary to display some or all of the payload in a textural data output e.g. PDF.

Some high level principles are provided as guidance to suppliers designing system UIs to ensure the payload is displayed in a way that can be understood by end users. Suppliers will be asked to self-declare that they have understood and implemented these principles in the Supplier Conformance Assessment List (SCAL).

Principle for rendering payloads

1. User Interface (UI) or report design should be informed by appropriate standards, including but not limited to:
   • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines(WCAG) 2
   • GOV.UK Design System
   • NHS Common User Interface (CUI) where still relevant
2. UI design must be underpinned by a rigorous user-centred design process
   • User research should be performed to determine the most appropriate order: of information groupings to meet users needs e.g. clinical assessment information should follow established clinical narrative patterns
3. Clinical governance processes to assure safe presentation of clinical information
   • Assessment of the presentation of clinical information to be undertaken as part of supplier DCB0129 activities
4. All data must be clearly identified
   • All data must be labelled in an unambiguous way
   • Labels to be adjacent to the corresponding data item
   • Labels must be meaningful to the end user i.e. have business or clinical meaning rather than technical
   • There must be clear differentiation between similar data items (e.g. Home phone number, Works phone number)
5. The most pertinent information must be displayed prominently
   • Use of bold, highlighting, boxed information
   • The most pertinent information displayed near the top e.g. callback number, the chief concern, what the referral is for, when the referral action needs to be completed by.
6. The most pertinent information must be displayed prominently Use of bold, highlighting, boxed information
   • The most pertinent information displayed near the top e.g. callback number, the chief concern, what the referral is for, when the referral action needs to be completed by
7. Content to be presented consistently
   • Use of regular spacing
   • Consistent use of font and font sizes
8. Relevant information to be grouped together
   • Contextually related elements should be grouped together e.g. patient demographics
   • Supplementary information required to interpret data must be grouped together e.g. Contact rank to be displayed with the relevant contact
9. Display human readable identifiers
   • Avoid use of GUIDS
10. Indicate where data has not been provided if it is appropriate
    • e.g. No medications stated
    • e.g. No known allergies