DIGITAL HEALTHCARE: ARE THE MOST IN NEED BEING EXCLUDED?

Tech is being used to make it easier for people to access healthcare services. But it's not working for everyone

- TRISH GREENHALGH

From artificial intelligence algorithms that spot early cancers, to the 'doctor-in-your-pocket' smartphone video consultation, a string of next-generation healthcare technologies are being unveiled at a rapid rate.

For instance, as recently announced in England, users of the NHS app can now collect medications from a pharmacy without having to visit a healthcare centre - the usual paper slip given by doctors being replaced by an in-app barcode.

Such innovations have brought huge benefits to millions of patients. But the advantages of such digitisation are not distributed equally. According to a 2023 Ofcom report, one household in 13 has no access to the internet and a similar proportion has no home computer. Yet even within connected households, the so-called 'digital skills gap' means many people could still struggle.

Imagine this typical case. Dorothy and Bill are retired factory workers in their mid-70s. They have a home computer that plugs into the TV, a machine that can (just about) send emails to their daughter who lives abroad.

It's clunky to use, but they love to see news of the family coming through on the TV screen. Websites take a long time to load, however, so they don't use the computer for much else. Bill has a smartphone and receives photos of the grandchildren on an instant messenger app, but he hasn't worked out how to send any back.