WHAT IS FLO?
Quite simply Florence, or ‘Flo’ as we like to call her, is a very easy to use service designed by NHS professionals so you can manage your own condition. You can also find information about Flow
- Monitoring the effects of new treatments or stopping treatments
- To remind or encourage you to do something to take care of yourself
- Show status of your blood pressure, weight, blood sugar glucose, or other measurement
- Help identify flare-ups of your condition so that you get the right treatment sooner
Flo combines the expertise of your healthcare team and your familiar and convenient mobile phone to communicate with you directly.
Flo communicates by text message to and from your mobile phone. It will work with any mobile phone or network to send and receive text messages.
All texts to and from Flo are free to you (even if your mobile phone says you will be charged).
Not all health services or GP practices will be using Flo but if your service or practice does use Flo a health professional will explain the system and will also discuss the potential benefits to you. You will only be registered for Flo with your agreement.
Any information collected about you will be held securely in line with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act (2018). General information about how the NHS handles your health information can be found on the NHS inform website.
Please bear in mind that Flo is a system and not a person. It is programmed to send and accept specific information, so do not text anything other than what is expected as explained by your health professional.
If you are offered Flo and would like to use this system, you will need to give your mobile number to register. Flo will then send a short message to your mobile phone introducing herself and asking you to confirm that you want to join.
If you are happy to receive texts from Flo and share your information with the doctors and nurses who look after you, just reply YES to Flo’s message. Flo will not do anything until you reply. You are in control.
You will be asked to text in readings about your condition. Flo is very flexible about how and when you send your readings in. Flo can be set up to expect your readings at a time that suits you but you can send them in before or after the scheduled time, it is up to you. To be helpful, Flo may send you a prompt or two to remind you that your readings are due.
It’s quick and easy to send a reading in. You just send a text with the reading and usually a short word or a few letter (Flo will tell you what to write). Flo will then know where to put the information in the system.
Flo will check the reading against a guide set up by your healthcare team and will reply telling you that everything is normal or giving you advice t follow on what to do next. The advice might remind you to do something you have already agreed with your doctor or nurse, or she could ask you to call your healthcare team for further help.
Important:
Flo is not an emergency service.
If you need urgent medical assistance the you should contact your GP in the usual way or NHS24.