Requesting new features and improvements

Registering a feature or improvement request

To register a request, make sure you are registered for the Tactuum support portal ( https://support.tactuum.com/hc/en-us/). Log into the support portal, click on the “Community” link and then “Feature requests.”

Click on “New post” and complete the form describing your request.  Please include information on:

• Why this request is important, including any issues or concerns that have arisen as a result of this feature not being in place.
• Any clinical safety or quality of care issues that may transpire due to lack of this feature.

Make sure that “Feature requests” is selected in the “Topic” dropdown and click on “Submit.”

You may wish to accompany a feature request by an email to the RDS team (his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot) to draw it to their attention. However, we recommend that you do not rely on email as the primary means of making your request. The support portal provides a better audit trail and enables others in the RDS community to get involved in supporting important improvements.

Voting for feature requests

Editors are recommended to check the Feature requests section of the support portal regularly and to vote for requests they deem important. Only one vote per editor is allowed for each request.

Other ways that feature requests are identified

Feature requests are also compiled from user feedback and testing of the RDS platform, and by Tactuum and the RDS team noting areas for improvement.

Tactuum maintain a backlog of all feature and improvement requests identified through all routes. Each request is accompanied by an initial estimate of effort.

The RDS team will carry out an initial proposed prioritisation of requests based on criteria including available budget, impact of proposed features on safety and quality of care, and scale of benefit from the proposed feature. The results of this prioritisation exercise will be shared with the RDS toolkit editors and leads for review, with information on the scope of work that can be accommodated within available budget. Editors and leads will be able to vote for particular improvements, including any not included in the initial prioritisation list.

Based on this exercise, a recommended list of improvements will be drawn up for initial review within HIS, and then approval by the Decision Support Advisory Board.

This prioritisation process will usually take place once or twice per year, depending on budget and volume of programmed work.

Commissioning features not included in the prioritisation process

For features which do not make the prioritised list, or which organisations need implemented in advance of the prioritisation programme, there is the option to request an estimate of effort, cost and timescale, by contacting the support email address his.decisionsupport@nhs.scot. Organisations may then pay directly for these improvements.