As reported by the HSJ, the NHS’s chief digital officer has confirmed that GPs across the country will be required to use the NHS app
NHS England’s chief digital officer, Tara Donnelly, has announced that the use of the NHS will be mandatory for GPs.
Donnelly spoke to HSJ last week, stating that the app would be a ‘universal offer’ to all NHS patients.
She said: “Regardless of what part of the country you live in, you’d have the option of using the NHS app.”
She added that all GPs will be required to connect to patients using it. Around a third of GPs have signed up already, and it is hoped that all of them will be using it by July.
Donnelly said there were no plans to financially incentivise the take-up of the app, but claimed that GPs have, thus far, been ‘very keen’ to be part of the scheme.
She added: “It is our expectation that it will be a universal offer across the country, and if there is a practice that finds it particularly tricky, we will give them extra support to help them do that.”
An evaluation of the NHS app’s pilot was published today, and shows that the app has proven popular with patients for checking their records and ordering repeat prescriptions.
However, many have found it difficult to book appointments, with some claiming that GPs are not making enough appointments available through the app.
The number of patients registered to the app has grown to 7,350. 18,000 more are waiting for their GP to connect to the app.
Donnelly said she was happy with the rate of uptake.
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