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Think Healthcare – Ascend Cloud Telephony

Think healthcare is an assured supplier available from the Advanced Telephony Better Purchasing framework (BPf).

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With over a decade of experience supporting GP practices, the Think Healthcare team is made up of former practice managers, clinicians, and telephony experts across the UK.

Our next-generation Ascend platform is purpose built for general practice, combining patient access, workflow efficiency, and NHS integration in one reliable system. Whether for a single practice or a Primary Care Network (PCN) hub, Ascend adapts to your needs and is ready for the future with AI capability built-in, not bolted-on.

Benefits

Patient benefits
  • fewer bottlenecks – unlimited lines with dynamic routing to prioritise vulnerable patients and auto-callback eliminates engaged tones and long waits
  • Self serve, not dead-end menus – Virtual Care Navigator automates repeat admin (scripts, results, referrals, appointments) while keeping human access for clinical matters
  • Inclusive access – route priority patients (palliative, vulnerable, carers) straight to staff without navigating menus
Practice benefits
  • one simple app for everything – Ascend runs on any device (desktop, tablet, mobile), making it simple to roll out, train, and scale
  • built for managers – Dashboards and task templates or shortcuts simplify day-to-day admin, from updating call flows to checking performance data
  • real data, real insight – see when calls peak, which get missed, and how your team responds so you can staff more effectively and control costs
  • proven time saving – in case studies, over a third of routine admin calls have been automated or redirected, freeing reception to focus on patients
PCN benefits
  • shared without compromise – Ascend supports both “light-touch” federation (shared directories, presence, overflow cover) and full shared hubs with advanced call routing
  • supports remote ARRS roles – paramedics, pharmacists, and other team members can securely handle calls from any location
  • data that works for you – export call data into Power BI or other tools to evidence demand and shape local access models

Features

Simple to use, simple to manage

  • Single app – everything runs through one app on any device (desktop, mobile, tablet), so staff only need one login
  • bulletins and shortcuts – common admin tasks (changing messages, call flows, or access settings) can be done locally via templated shortcuts, without a call to support, in seconds, not hours
  • unlimited lines – handle peak demand without engaged tones 

Smart patient access

  • Virtual Care Navigator (VCN) – Optionally automate scripts, results, referrals, or appointment management directly linked to your clinical system
  • auto-callback – fully customisable so patients don’t lose their place in the queue
  • priority routing – automatically put palliative, vulnerable, or key groups at the front of the queue
  • click-to-dial – call directly from EMIS/SystmOne, saving staff time and keeping records accurate

AI-ready, built-in not bolted-on

  • transcription and summarisation – accurate call notes to reduce admin (Subject to evolving NHS Ai assurances)
  • AI voice agents – future-ready for handling routine patient queries at the pace your practice chooses
  • safe adoption – built-in governance aligned with NHS standards and ISO42001

Flexible for PCNs and federated working

  • shared directories and presence – see who’s available across practices instantly
  • overflow and hub models – manage calls across practices or move to shared hubs as access models evolve
  • ARRS support – clinicians and pharmacists can take calls securely from any location

Insights that drive improvement

  • live and historic analytics – track call volumes, missed calls, and reasons for calls
  • custom exports – integrate with Power BI and other reporting tools for PCN-level planning
  • integrated patient surveys – capture feedback automatically after calls

Resilience built in

  • business continuity – full disaster recovery and multiple UK data centres
  • secure integration – EMIS Web and SystmOne live, Vision in progress
  • market leading uptime –a genuine 99.999% uptime is the highest on the NHS framework, and fully backed up by data

Interoperability

Clinical system integration – live with EMIS Web and SystmOne; Vision, Medicus, OX:DH integration progressing.

Patient pop-ups – see caller demographics on-screen as the call arrives, with support for multi-patient households and “calling on behalf of” scenarios.

One-click record access – instantly reach the correct patient record, even where multiple patients share the same phone number.

Custom notes and alerts – flag palliative patients, vaccination campaigns, or QOF-related reminders to staff as calls come in.

APIs for data flow – open standards to link call data with practice or PCN analytics platforms (for example Power BI) to evidence demand and shape access models.

Implementation

Tailored to your practice – every rollout starts with a discovery session to capture your exact needs (handsets, softphones, call flows, PCN working, training preferences).

Dedicated project manager – a single point of contact from order to go-live, ensuring nothing is missed.

Fast and flexible deployment – typical delivery in 4–8 weeks depending on complexity, with options for phased rollouts.

On-site support at go-live – our team is present to configure final details and support staff directly.

Simple training – delivered remotely or on-site, and tailored to staff roles. Shortcuts, bulletins, and dashboards make ongoing management easy without needing specialist IT skills.

Scales with you – whether you’re a single practice, a federation, or a full PCN hub, the same app scales without requiring a new system.

Service level agreements

Proven uptime – 99.999% platform availability, backed by four UK-based data centres.

Reliable support – access our UK support team online or by phone whenever needed.

ServiceNow portal – track and manage tickets, incidents, and service requests in one place.

Integration support included – all clinical system integrations are configured and supported by our in-house NHS team.

Disaster recovery built-in – resilient design ensures continuity whether the issue is local hardware, connectivity, or a wider outage.

Quick response times – major incidents responded to within minutes, and our dedicated healthcare experts will also help with less urgent requests prioritsing on severity.

PCN-ready resilience – local disaster recovery templates can be built around PCN sites, ensuring patients always have a way through.

Watch the introductory video

Last edited: 4 September 2025 4:18 pm