Feeling under the weather? The patient portal will see you now

THE SNP has pledged £6million to extend a scheme which allows patients to book their GP appointments and order prescriptions online.

The bumper investment will see scores of GP practices introduce ‘patient portals’. These will allow patients to book appointments, order repeat prescriptions and instantly access personalised electronic health records – all from the comfort of their own home.

The funds, which will be invested over the next three years, will also see GPs trialling ‘e-consultations’, in which patients can discuss their symptoms with their doctor via a webcam.

The initiative, which forms part of the Scottish Government’s £60million Primary Care Fund, is designed to make it easier and more convenient for patients to organise their own healthcare.

It is also intended to reduce the administrative burden on NHS Scotland staff. It is hoped this will free up more time for clinical duties.

Announcing the funding, Health Secretary Shona Robison said: ‘In recent years, we have seen the number of people using online services for day-to-day tasks increase dramatically.

‘More and more of us are now rightly expecting companies and organisations to have a digital presence and be able to offer services through the internet.’

Health charities have welcomed the SNP’s vow to modernise GP services, but expressed concerns that the measures did not go far enough.

Dr Andrew Buist, deputy chairman of the British Medical Association Scotland’s GP committee, said: ‘ This funding is a welcome step, but further investment will be needed to ensure that patients across the whole of Scotland benefit from new IT systems.’

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: ‘It is important patients have easy access to primary care services.’

Online GP services are already available in almost every area in England.

According to the Health and Social Care Information Centre, some 97 per cent of patients – 55 million people – are able to arrange their healthcare online.

While most see the introduction of modernising measures as a step in the right direction, such schemes have been open to criticism by those who feel that they are making the health system less personal.

Critics have also attacked online GP services for alienating elderly people who might not be comfortable using new technology.

Patients in Scotland will still have the option to contact their GP by phone or in person if they prefer.