The NHS app must not be used as a ‘cheap’ substitute for family doctors, DAUK’s GP committee has told national radio listeners.
Dr Steve Taylor, GP co-lead for the Doctors’ Association UK (DAUK), said he was concerned at reports patients were being told they have serious illness through the app rather than face to face.
Speaking on LBC, he said the Government needed to strengthen GP services instead of relying on technology.
Dr Taylor said: “The reality is it’s trying to do things cheaply without actually investing in what we really need.
Face-to-face appointment
“A face-to-face appointment with a GP is an important interaction that makes a massive difference.
“There are fewer GPs now than 10 or 15 years ago, and the reality is we need more.”
Dr Taylor was responding to reports that patients have learned they may have serious conditions such as cancer or Parkinson’s disease through the app.
Dr Taylor said the app works well for booking appointments and ordering prescriptions, he that it cannot replace human care.
Empathy and understanding
He said: “GPs warned this might be a problem right at the beginning when they started releasing all the information onto the app.
“It’s not good at sharing empathy, nuance, and understanding. It can’t tell you whether or not the result you’ve got is abnormal for you or is normal for you.
“It really isn’t good enough to be told that you’ve got cancer via an app. As a GP, I want to see you face to face, look you in the eye, and talk to you.”
Listen to the interview in full.
We are a non-profit campaigning and lobbying organisation led by frontline doctors, for frontline doctors. We are volunteers and our collective aim is to give frontline workers a voice to be heard.
Please support our work by contributing to our crowd funder.