As reported by the National Health Executive, most people would be willing to use new digital services within the NHS App, according to fresh polling from the Health Foundation’s third annual Health Tech Tracker
However, the findings also suggest that the public remains more hesitant when artificial intelligence becomes part of healthcare delivery.
The study indicates that roughly three quarters of respondents would be comfortable using the NHS App for additional services. These include arranging hospital appointments, selecting where they would like to receive treatment, and viewing detailed information about medical procedures.
The results come from one of the largest surveys examining attitudes to health technology, gathering responses from more than 8,000 members of the public and over 2,000 NHS staff. The polling arrives as the government’s 10 Year Health Plan outlines proposals to significantly expand the role of the NHS App in day-to-day care.
Among healthcare professionals, attitudes towards digital tools are also broadly positive. Six in ten NHS staff say technology improves care, slightly higher than the 55% of the public who share that view.
Taken together, the findings point to strong support for digital developments that make healthcare easier to access, more convenient and more transparent for patients.
Confidence drops, however, when artificial intelligence is introduced into patient care. Fewer than half of the public (49%) say they would use the proposed AI-based “Doctor in Your Pocket” feature within the NHS App for non-urgent advice, while almost a third (32%) say they would avoid using it altogether.
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