GPs text warnings to patients in areas at risk of lockdown

GPs have started texting patients to urge them to social distance when fears surface that an area could go into lockdown, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.

Surgeries are sending messages warning when there is a “slight increase in cases” in their catchment area, and advising people to keep their distance from those outside their own households. The texts, seen by this newspaper, also remind patients to wear masks, wash hands regularly and avoid unnecessary gatherings.

One of the surgeries using this automated system is PHGH Doctors in Barnet, north west London, where there was an increase in cases at the end of last month.

Barnet has an estimated population of 391,200. So far, it has reported 1,872 cases of Covid-19 and 457 deaths.

Cases in the borough increased from three to 17 between Aug 24 and 27, according to a report published by the local council.

NHS England said the sending of text alerts was not official policy, but was a “tool local health and local authority leaders have at their disposal in order to get important health messages out”.

When the UK went into lockdown at the end of March, the Government texted Britons outlining the new social distancing rules. NHS Test and Trace has been using text messages as part of its system of contacting people who may be at risk of spreading the virus.

Which?, the consumer watchdog, has warned that fraudsters could hack into the text messaging service to access people’s personal details.