Middle-aged patients will be encouraged to do their own health checks on the NHS app instead of seeing a GP.
Health leaders want those over 40 to go online to check their risk for diseases like heart disease and diabetes. It is part of a drive to make the digital tool “the gateway to the NHS” for routine care, including booking appointments and checking test results.
The initiative is also expected to free up GPs, saving appointments for those most in need. But there are fears it could “exclude” or discourage less tech-savvy patients.
Last night it was reported that people may soon be able to take sick leave with the help of an NHS algorithm.
The first resource for the sick will be an online triage system, through an app or website that will be tested, The Times reported.
Last night it was reported that people may soon be able to take sick leave with the help of an NHS algorithm.
Middle-aged patients will be encouraged to do their own health checks on the NHS app (pictured) rather than consulting a GP.
Joe Harrison, national director of the app at NHS England (pictured), said: ‘The app will be the gateway to the NHS. It’s not going to disappear, it’s just going to grow’
Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices (pictured), said it should not be at the expense of older patients: “If this is the front door to the NHS, the back door must be equally available to those who are not ‘Are they so adept or they don’t have smartphones’
I would send people with complex illnesses to a doctor, but others might be ruled out for a few days if they report flu-like symptoms.
It is understood to be one of several options the government is considering. The digital assessments are expected to arrive later this year and would replace the standard invitation to see a GP, which is currently sent every five years to people aged 40 to 74.
In addition to lifestyle questions, patients will be asked for height, weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol readings. The results of your risk scores for diseases such as kidney disease and stroke will be delivered through the app.
The number of NHS app users has more than doubled in the last 12 months to more than 34 million, with those aged 65 and over being the largest user group. Around 85 per cent of GP practices are connected to the app and 116 out of 125 acute care hospitals rely on it.
Joe Harrison, national director of the app at NHS England, said: “There is a genuine interest from the public in their medical records, in test results and in how they manage their health.”
‘The app will be the gateway to the NHS. “It’s not going to disappear, it’s just going to grow.”
Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, said it should not be done at the expense of older patients: “If this is the front door to the NHS, the back door must be equally available for those who are not as adept or not I have smartphones.