Analogue to Digital: CPFT Modernise Patient Questionnaires, Saving Time and Money
Analogue to Digital: Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust Modernise Patient Questionnaires, Saving Time and Money
Cambridge and Peterborough Foundation Trust has modernised a paper-based questionnaire process by using native SystmOne Comms Annexe functionality to send and receive patient questionnaires digitally.
The result has been faster turnaround times, lower administrative burden, improved data quality and significant cost savings. Since implementation, the Trust has received over 10,000 completed questionnaires, with the solution now live across 25 mental and physical health services and plans underway for wider rollout. The initiative also supports wider NHS priorities to improve productivity, reduce waste and accelerate the shift from analogue to digital services.
“Using Communications Annexe has been a game changer for how we manage patient questionnaires, delivering a faster, more efficient and lower-cost digital process that reduces administration and improves the experience for both patients and staff.”
Mindy Munday, Business Change Analyst – CPFT
At a glance
- 10,000+ completed questionnaires received digitally
- 37+ admin hours saved per month
- £700+ monthly postal and processing costs avoided
- 25 services already using the functionality
- Responses automatically filed
The challenge
The Trust previously relied on posting paper questionnaires to patients, creating several challenges across busy services.
Questionnaires were often not completed or were reported as not received, delaying access to information needed to support timely care decisions. Returned forms then had to be manually entered into SystmOne, requiring staff to spend valuable time rekeying information instead of supporting patients directly.
The process also generated ongoing costs for printing, postage and Freepost return envelopes, while postal delays and lost mail reduced efficiency and service quality. Removing these avoidable manual processes was key to improving productivity and making better use of frontline staff time.
The solution
Using Communications Annexe within SystmOne, the Trust created a streamlined digital workflow.
Questionnaires are sent directly to patients via SMS, with completed responses automatically filed into the patient record when a task is actioned. Message presets, quick action buttons and task rules ensure responses are routed to the correct user groups across shared unit structures.
For outcome measure questionnaires requiring more complex scoring, protocols have been developed to automatically calculate results and code the patient record without additional staff input.
By using existing SystmOne functionality, the Trust was able to implement change quickly without introducing additional systems. Information remains securely within the clinical record, reducing duplication, lowering administrative workload and creating a scalable model that can be expanded across services. This demonstrates how NHS organisations can modernise services by making better use of trusted existing technology.
Before and after
| Before | After |
| Paper questionnaires sent by post | Digital questionnaires sent by SMS |
| Low response rates and missing forms | Faster, more reliable returns |
| Manual data entry into records | Automatic filing into patient record |
| Printing and postage costs | Low-cost digital communication |
| Time-consuming admin processes | Streamlined automated workflow |
Delivering measurable benefits across the Trust
The move from paper questionnaires to Communications Annexe has delivered clear time and cost savings across the Trust. Based on January 2026 activity alone, the Trust estimated a saving of 37 administrative hours per month, alongside significant reductions in printing, postage and paper processing costs.
Patients now benefit from faster and more convenient questionnaire completion using mobile devices, reduced delays in communication and greater flexibility in how they engage with services, supporting the wider NHS ambition to improve digital access and convenience.
For staff, the new process has reduced manual administration, improved turnaround times for responses and automated the filing and scoring of questionnaires, allowing more time for direct care activity.
For services, the solution has improved data quality, reduced data entry errors, lowered operating costs and created a scalable model that can be deployed across multiple teams. Together, these improvements increase productivity and deliver better value through smarter use of existing resources.
A model other Trusts can adopt now
With 25 services already using the functionality and plans to extend it across all services, Cambridge and Peterborough Foundation Trust has shown that this is a practical, repeatable and high-impact improvement.
Because this solution uses existing SystmOne tools rather than requiring new software procurement, other Trusts can adopt it quickly and at low cost while supporting their own analogue to digital transformation goals.
Recent TPP enhancements, including longer patient response windows and the ability to send letters directly via PDF, are expected to support even wider adoption.