What does it take to get through the door?

What we found in the news

A WHO/Europe scoping review published in March 2026 (opens in a new tab) examined equity across digital health regulation, implementation and evaluation. Its overview points to a recurring gap:

“Implementation strategies often overlook structural barriers.”

The review considers systems and policies across the European Region. It does not test a particular community service or establish that one access intervention works everywhere. It invites a useful operational question: what must already be in place for someone to use the technology we offer?

Why this matters to us

A person can want to join an activity and still never reach its booking page. Perhaps the invitation assumes an email address. Perhaps the confirmation arrives in a language they do not read. Perhaps the nearest place with reliable internet closes before their shift ends.

From inside the service, all three situations might look like a quiet registration dashboard. From outside, they are very different experiences. We are interested in the work of understanding that difference before deciding people are not interested.

Start before the first click

Imagine an outreach worker meeting someone at a rural library. There is a loan tablet and a portable internet connection on the table. The person is curious about a local group but would rather take away a printed invitation and call when they know their transport arrangements.

That preference is useful information. Handing over the tablet would solve only one part of the journey. The person still needs to understand the invitation, decide whether the activity fits, and make a workable plan to attend.

Walk through the route from first hearing about a service to actually arriving. Include where invitations appear, what joining requires, how confirmation works and whom someone can contact. Invite people to describe the effort those steps involve.

Separate the obstacles

Cost, access to a device, language, confidence and available help can overlap. They are not interchangeable. A cheaper connection will not clarify an unfamiliar form. A simpler form will not create a quiet place to make a call.

Ask about specific moments without requiring people to explain every part of their circumstances. What made this step difficult? What would make the next step workable? Offer a private way to answer when the barrier involves money, shared equipment or personal arrangements.

Keep a modest record of recurring service problems, with only the information needed to respond. The purpose is to improve the route, rather than build a detailed portrait of everyone who found it difficult.

Give each route a real destination

A printed invitation needs a working phone number. A telephone enquiry needs someone who can explain the same opportunities available online. A staff-assisted route needs time in the working day.

These alternatives become credible when they lead to the same service information and a clear next step. Check them as carefully as the digital journey. An unanswered number can quietly turn a reasonable choice into another barrier.

When a route changes, tell the people who use it. Include the librarian, volunteer or community partner who has been helping others find their way. They may spot a broken step long before it appears in a report.

What this means for the people you serve

People can choose a route that fits their day without having their willingness judged by an online response. Families can help where invited, while the person remains involved in the decision. Staff gain a more useful account of where effort is being lost and which practical change deserves attention first.

The genus connection

The current care app and public wall (opens in a new tab) can bring configured resources and community activities into familiar points of contact. A public wall, a personal app and a conversation with staff serve different situations.

Planning a genus configuration should include how those entry points connect with printed information and human assistance. Confirm who maintains the resource details, how someone can respond and what happens when a person chooses another route. The useful connection is between the invitation and an opportunity someone can actually reach.

One question to take away

Which step before registration asks the most of people, and how could we make that step easier to complete?