Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to ensure that patients are not digitally excluded from making choices about their care as the Patient Access Plan is rolled out.

The Government wants to make it easier and quicker for everyone to get the help they need from primary care and reduce digital inequalities when they access care. The Delivery Plan for Recovering Access to Primary Care, published on 9 May 2023, describes the implementation of a new Modern general practice access model, which will make it easier for everyone to contact their practice and it will make sure arrangements for care happen on the same day. This will ensure we move away from a ‘first come, first served’ approach towards a more equitable one that benefits all patients, regardless of their chosen route of access.

To combat digital exclusion, the public need to know that the new access model combines the flexible use of telephone, digital and in person access choices for patients. That is why the delivery plan includes a major national communications campaign to explain the evolving nature of primary care how best the public can use the National Health Service. The plan commits £240 million of re-targeted funding for better digital tools and training, which will improve digital access routes, freeing up capacity for those patients who still want or need to contact their practice by telephone or in person.