Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what discussions he has had with Babylon Health on the criteria for that company to refuse to accept patients for the GP appointment trial.

The Department and the National Health Service want to ensure that all patients have access to high quality primary care when they need it. Technological advances mean there are now more innovative ways patients can access health services and we are exploring how we can make the most of those.

‘GP at Hand’ is a practice in North West London operating under a general medical services contract. They offer traditional general medical services to patients registered with them. The enhanced model they are implementing now focuses on a digital first service through the use of a mobile app which is provided by Babylon Health.

It also provides in-person services should patients require them at sites in and outside of Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group area. This is made possible under the national GP Choice Policy enabling patients outside of the practice area to register with the practice. Any practice can register patients outside of their practice area using the GP Choice Policy. It may not be suitable for a patient managing a medical emergency or with complex needs to register with a practice that is not local to them.

NHS England will continue to evaluate the service to ensure it is delivering for all patients who use it.