Doncaster and Bassetlaw pilots communication app for patients

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is piloting an app to help improve communication with patients across any language barriers.

The CardMedic app is intended to enable healthcare staff to have accurate conversations with patients without the need for interpreters to be present for every interaction, which sometimes is not possible.

The initiative, funded by the Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals Charity, aims to reduce health inequalities by ensuring all patients receive the same level of information and care, regardless of language, sensory or cognitive barriers.

Kirsty Clarke, associate chief nurse at Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals, said: “Every patient should get the same level of information, but we’ve identified a significant gap in accessibility for patients whose first language isn’t English.

“Too often, Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals colleagues rely on gestures and mimes to communicate essential health information – from explaining why a urine sample is needed to taking blood pressure. This isn’t acceptable when it comes to patient safety and dignity.”

Unlike informal translation methods such as Google Translate, CardMedic uses clinically validated scripts that have been professionally reviewed to ensure accuracy and appropriateness for healthcare settings.

It provides access to live interpreters in more than 200 languages via Language Line, alongside thousands of scripts in multiple languages and formats.

Doncaster and Bassetlaw began using Digital Health Rewired Pitchfest champion CardMedic, following a soft launch in October 2025 across the emergency department at Doncaster, maternity services, fracture clinic and outpatient services.

These areas were selected to test the app across different patient pathways, from emergency situations requiring immediate communication to routine appointments where detailed information sharing is essential.

The app was then rolled out trust-wide in December for a 12-month pilot with regular evaluation to measure impact on patient experience, staff confidence and care quality.

Feedback will be gathered throughout the pilot period to assess the difference it makes to patient treatment and care.

Tim Grimaldi, co-founder and managing director of CardMedic, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals on this vital initiative.

“Communication is fundamental to safe, compassionate care, yet language barriers continue to create significant health inequalities across the NHS.

“CardMedic empowers healthcare professionals to have meaningful conversations with every patient, ensuring nobody is left behind simply because English isn’t their first language.

“This pilot demonstrates the trust’s genuine commitment to equitable care and we’re excited to see the positive impact it will have on both patients and staff.”

Cardmedic secured £411,000 in funding from Innovate UK’s SMART grant programme in June 2025 to fund a 12-month project, running from April 2025 to March 2026, to scale and integrate a portal aimed at transforming how healthcare organisations deliver language services.

Meanwhile, Stockport NHS Foundation Trust went live with the healthcare language app in October 2025 across 455 bedside devices on 20 wards at the trust’s Stepping Hill Hospital.