Technology is a poor substitute for hands-on care

I’M ALL in favour of new technology, but not at the expense of my health. Or the health of my family and friends. That’s why these plans to expand GP video consultations by Skype, plus encouraging patients to make appointments, manage prescriptions and view health records online fill me with trepidation.

They’re part of the new 10year plan for the NHS, unveiled by Prime Minister Theresa May, which promises an extra £20.5bn a year by 2023-24. Mrs May insists that investing in technology will “relieve pressure” on the system.

She might like to start by directing some of this technology into telephone answering services at GP surgeries. Never mind Skype. I’ve lost count of the frustrated people I’ve spoken to recently who have spent hours just trying to get someone to simply answer the phone, never mind manage to secure a doctor’s appointment.

It is clear that this lack of response is part of the fallout from the last round of NHS reforms, in which GP practices were urged to conduct themselves as businesses.

But is technology really the answer? I understand the theory behind it. Indeed, I subscribe in part. For instance, I run pretty much everything to do with household management online from keeping an eye on the gas bill to paying for school trips. However, I’m fairly tech-savvy, I have a laptop and I shell out a fortune every month for a decent and consistent wifi signal. Not everyone is as fortunate.

And let’s remember that health is not a series of tick boxes. It’s complex and by its nature, very personal. Whilst one person may be happy logging onto Skype and chatting away to their doctor, another might find the whole experience confusing, even terrifying.

Age is not the issue here. I know plenty of people in their 60s and 70s who are comfortable ‘Skyping’ their grandchildren and using Facebook, Instagram and other forms of digital interaction to communicate.

However, what makes me uncomfortable is this assumption that going online will not only solve a lot of problems, but will be embraced by all. Those in charge may be surprised to learn that some NHS patients struggle to deal with technology as it is.

For instance, I know a lady in her late 60s who suffers from a range of problems including diabetes and compromised mental health. She lives a normal life but requires extra support with certain matters.

Notwithstanding her complex needs, her doctor recently gave her a self-test device which checks and monitors her blood glucose levels. From what we could make out, she was then expected to text her daily results to the surgery.

I’m sure the practice nurse explained in detail how it functions, but not much of it had actually registered with this lady. When we popped by to visit her,