NHS England has recently issued guidance to ICBs and GP practices on what to look for when adopting a virtual receptionist solution. We have been building virtual receptionist technology for NHS primary care for over twenty years, and we welcome the scrutiny. As one of the most experienced providers in this space, we want to show clearly how Virtual Care Navigator is designed to meet every requirement the guidance sets out.
NHS framework compliance
Virtual Care Navigator is provided by a founder member of the NHS Better Purchasing Framework for telephony. It is designed to work alongside your existing BPF phone system, with no number porting to a third-party platform. Your total inbound call volumes continue to be captured and reported in line with framework requirements.
Virtual Care Navigator is compatible with all BPF-approved phone systems and is already in use across hundreds of GP practices, regardless of which telephony provider they use.
This matters because accurate call data helps NHS leadership understand the real demand on GP practices and make better informed planning decisions. We believe it is important that nothing disrupts that picture.
Clinical system integration
Virtual Care Navigator connects to clinical systems including EMIS and SystmOne, and to online consultation platforms including eConsult and Engage Consult, through API-level integrations using officially supported data pathways provided by each system vendor. Integration with Klinik is currently in progress, and further integrations with major platforms are being developed in active partnership with those organisations and will be available soon.
We do not use screen scraping or robotic process automation. Every integration is built through the approved API routes that system vendors provide and support. We work closely and collaboratively with all our integration partners, with ongoing product development on both sides, to ensure our connections are safe, accurate, and continuously improving.
Data handling and information governance
All patient data processed by Virtual Care Navigator stays in the UK at every stage. This includes our AI models, which process data here rather than sending it overseas. Patient data is not just stored in the UK – it never leaves.
We hold ISO 27001 certification and Cyber Essentials accreditation. Our clinical safety work is carried out under DCB0129 by SafeHand, one of the leading clinical safety organisations in the NHS technology sector, and our platform has been assessed against DTAC requirements.
Continuity of service
Because Virtual Care Navigator sits alongside your existing phone system rather than replacing it, your current business continuity arrangements remain in place. There is no split of responsibility between unrelated suppliers, and no new single point of failure introduced into your setup.
Access for all patients
Virtual Care Navigator is designed to complement, not replace, existing access routes. Patients who are unable or unwilling to use automated systems can always reach a member of your team. The platform is configured to ensure no patient is left without a route to care.
AI when you are ready
Virtual Care Navigator gives practices a choice. For those ready to deploy conversational AI, AIMEE, our AI virtual agent, handles patient enquiries in natural conversation, understanding what a patient needs and resolving or routing their request without them needing to speak to a receptionist.
For practices that prefer to introduce self-service more gradually, Virtual Care Navigator offers a non-AI option that gives patients a clear, guided experience by phone. Both options sit on the same platform, so moving to AIMEE when the time is right requires no new procurement, no change of system, and no reintegration.
A track record you can rely on
We have been building phone-based patient self-service for NHS primary care for over twenty years. Virtual Care Navigator has been part of the case studies behind multiple national awards, including General Practice Telephony Provider of the Year in 2024 and 2025, Health Tech Digital Best Communication Solution in 2024 and 2025, and Health Tech News Patient Portal of the Year in 2025.
The practices behind those awards have seen significant reductions in inbound call volumes, lower receptionist workload, and improved patient satisfaction scores.
If you would like to understand how those results could work for your practice, we would be happy to talk it through.
Call: 0330 058 4004 | Email: [email protected] | Visit: think-healthcare.co.uk