Improving patient engagement at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust: A SPARK Fusion® case study

At SPARK TSL, we understand that Trust budgets are limited and WiFi solutions are rarely top of mind. Nevertheless, we're fully committed to ensuring that no patient should ever have to go without digital access or engagement.

By accelerating hospitals to become leaders in digital transformation, we help improve the patient experience, empower staff and strengthen care across the NHS.

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust was a natural partner for this vision. The Trust’s forward-thinking approach and shared values with SPARK TSL made it an inspiring choice for a flagship digital project. Working alongside Apple and Sync, we deployed SPARK Fusion® on iPads at the bedside across the Trust, delivering a solution that connects patients to their care and the wider community.

The challenge

With increasing lengths of stay and a national shift from analogue to digital, the Trust needed a solution that supported both patients and staff.

Patients often arrive at wards with just their personal devices, and without accessible digital resources, patients can feel isolated, anxious or frustrated during their stay.

Staff face pressure from administrative tasks, managing patient education and ensuring communication is clear — all while maintaining high-quality care. Stockport NHS Foundation Trust wanted a solution that would support both patients and staff and align with the NHS 10-year plan to move from analogue to digital care.

Our solution

SPARK TSL deployed Point of Care Engagement Hubs (specialised bedside touchscreen units), driven by the cloud-based SPARK TSL software layer and supported by an enterprise SPARK Managed WiFi network architecture to ensure continuous uptime.

Patients responded positively to the technology, reporting that they felt more informed, more in control and more comfortable throughout their stay. Access to clear information, familiar interfaces and engaging content helped reduce frustration and anxiety, contributing to a calmer ward environment.

Staff also saw clear benefits, with improved communication and engagement and a noticeable reduction in day-to-day pressures, allowing them to spend more time focusing on patient care.

Sync, our accredited Apple partner, supported the Trust through smooth procurement and deployment, ensuring the rollout was seamless and taking the burden of technology management away from clinical teams.

Key features

Patient education and engagement: Patients can explore hospital services, learn about their care, and access tailored content.

Entertainment and connectivity: Familiar iPad interfaces help patients navigate easily, reducing boredom and anxiety.

Staff support: Administrative and communication tasks are simplified, giving staff more time to focus on care.

Inclusive care: Content and features are designed to support patients of all ages and needs, including children and families.

The impact

Stockport NHS Foundation Trust now has a fully digital patient engagement platform that is scalable and future-proof. SPARK Fusion®’s iPads open the door for further innovations in patient care, education and staff efficiency. The partnership demonstrates how digital solutions can transform care delivery, enhance patient satisfaction and support NHS staff.

By continuing to integrate SPARK Fusion® with additional applications and services, the Trust is well-positioned to lead the way in digital healthcare across the UK.

Baseline constraints (before implementation)

Manual operations: Trust relied entirely on manual, paper-based bedside meal ordering workflows.
Administrative drain: Ward staff routinely lost hours to non-clinical patient requests and administrative tasks.
Patient isolation: Limited access to digital entertainment and trust communications lowered satisfaction scores.

Optimised state (with SPARK Fusion® Platform)

Digital workflows: Seamless transition to automated, real-time digital meal ordering at the bedside.
Clinical efficiency: Shifting non-clinical tasks to self-service portals instantly reclaimed nursing shift capacity.
Connected experience: Universal access to comprehensive media software, trust updates, and healthcare education resources.

Improved patient experience: Patients feel engaged, empowered, and informed about their care.

Calmer wards: Reduced frustration and boredom; patients have something productive and familiar to interact with.

Staff efficiency: Administrative tasks are simplified, freeing time for direct patient care.

Aligned with NHS digital strategy: Supports the government’s 10-year plan by advancing digital patient care.

The government has recently announced its 10-Year Plan for NHS and one of the things that they have announced is moving from analogue to digital. Now the SPARK Fusion® deployment has come at a perfect time, because it's fully aligned with the government's vision, and it will also go a long way because there's so much potential in it to incorporate.

Junaid Ejaz, Business Change Manager at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust

Performance metrist area	Pre-deployment baseline	Post-deployment impact summary
Ward staff administrative burden	High (Manual, paper-based data tracking)	Direct reduction in repetitive administrative tasks
Patient meal ordering efficiencies	Prone to manual errors and delays	Automated, real-time bedside data input
Patient experience & engagement	Constrained by minimal bedside connectivity	Universal access to digital media and education

Frequently asked questions

How did Stockport NHS improve patient engagement at the bedside?

Stockport NHS optimised bedside engagement by deploying unified digital patient portals that offer integrated access to entertainment, automated trust communications, and seamless self-service clinical tools directly to the point of care.

What are the benefits of using bedside units instead of traditional paper workflows?

Transitioning to bedside digital platforms eliminates paper-based administration, minimises manual reporting errors in services like meal ordering, and immediately saves ward staff hours per shift.

Can digital patient platforms reduce the administrative burden on NHS nursing staff?

Yes. By automating non-clinical requests and hosting self-service tasks on bedside portals, the platform removes repetitive manual tracking chores, allowing nurses to spend more time on direct clinical patient care.

Improving patient engagement at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust: A SPARK Fusion® case study

At SPARK TSL, we understand that Trust budgets are limited and WiFi solutions are rarely top of mind. Nevertheless, we're fully committed to ensuring that no patient should ever have to go without digital access or engagement.

The challenge

With increasing lengths of stay and a national shift from analogue to digital, the Trust needed a solution that supported both patients and staff.

Our solution

SPARK TSL deployed Point of Care Engagement Hubs (specialised bedside touchscreen units), driven by the cloud-based SPARK TSL software layer and supported by an enterprise SPARK Managed WiFi network architecture to ensure continuous uptime.

Key features

The impact

Baseline constraints (before implementation)

Optimised state (with SPARK Fusion® Platform)

Turning vision into action

Your strategic 10-Year Plan guide

Frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions

How did Stockport NHS improve patient engagement at the bedside?

What are the benefits of using bedside units instead of traditional paper workflows?

Can digital patient platforms reduce the administrative burden on NHS nursing staff?

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