In recent years, the healthcare workforce in the UK has been under immense pressure with many carers saying they feel overworked, overwhelmed and mentally exhausted. The CQC’s 2022/23 report finds that “staff regularly fed back to us about being overworked, exhausted and stressed, sometimes to the point of becoming ill, injured or leaving their job altogether.”

To recognise this, we built a mini feature in-app which prompts carers to take time out during shifts to practise a breathing exercise. This launched with the hopes that it might help alleviate carer anxiety, whilst making our workforce feel valued, understood and supported.

Since this piece was part of a two-day hackathon, it was critical to focus my limited time wisely. Part of my focus therefore was on sourcing a lightweight animation as the core of this micro feature, which would facilitate the widely recognised relaxation breathing technique (inhale for 2-4 seconds, exhale for 4-6 seconds). To allow a tailored experience, carers would also be able to toggle when this prompt appears, allowing mental health check-ins at preferred intervals throughout an otherwise busy day.

Owing to the compact design and reuse of existing components, we were able to release this within weeks after the hackathon, making it a core part of the Florence carer experience.