Empowering Communities: How we’re helping people get to grips with the NHS app
This summer sees us launch a brand new initiative for the NHS which will help people get online using the app and hopefully ease pressure on already stretched local surgeries.
The digital divide, that is the percentage of people not having access or skills when it comes to digital devices, is higher in the North East than anywhere else in England. We’re on a mission to bridge that divide with projects just like this.
The Digital Voice approach to digital skills is not to make assumptions about what people ‘should’ be able to do, instead we meet them where they are, in this case, in the reception of their local doctors’ surgery. That’s right, we’re setting up camp in a number of surgeries in Gateshead and we’ll be taking people step by step through the app until they feel comfortable using it.
What does the app let you do?
Most things that you would usually have to call reception for including; repeat prescriptions; managing appointments; checking your medical records; booking vaccinations.
Practice Business manager, Julian Saul (Wrekenton Medical Group) and Deputy Practice Manager, Mary-Kate McIntyre (Beacon View Medical Centre) are hopeful about the positive effects this support from Digital Voice will produce:
“The practice is in a deprived area and patients do not always know how to use digital devices or even afford devices but having a team member from Digital Voice for Communities attending (and being available to patients) in the practice to show patients how to access online tools will be invaluable. It will also free up capacity in my admin team as we currently support patients who ask for help.”
- Julian Saul, Wrekenton Medical Group
“The practice has done a lot of work over the last year increasing their online users, we now want to tackle the cohort of patients who are not yet signed up, we as a practice feel these patients don't know how to access online services, or have anyone to help them. We are really looking forward to having [Digital Voice here] and seeing patients’ responses.”
- Mary-Kate McIntyre, Beacon View Medical Centre
Our project starts on 14/07/ and is happening in the following surgeries:
Bensham Family Practice - Medical Doctors in Gateshead
Central Gateshead Medical Group
Homepage - Fell Tower Medical Centre
There’s further information on the app here:
https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-app/about-the-nhs-app/
This project is funded by Gateshead Central and East Primary Care Network.