PATIENTS will soon have full access to their medical records through the NHS smartphone app, as ministers introduce a single system for GPs and hospitals.
Under a new data bill, a standard record-keeping system will be mandated across the NHS, allowing patients and staff to easily access information such as test results and letters, The Times reported.
The bill, due to be introduced in parliament, aims to improve data management and reduce hospital admissions by enabling better sharing of patient information.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said the changes could save around 1.5 million hours annually and also make it easier for researchers to access patient data, the newspaper reported.
Streeting emphasised the need for care to shift closer to patients’ homes, with more diagnostic tests and minor treatments being handled at local clinics instead of hospitals.
He suggested family doctors could be incentivised to reduce hospital admissions under new plans that are expected to be tested next year.
While Streeting did not rule out the possibility of charging patients for missed appointments, he stated that it is not something he is considering at present.
He also highlighted the potential of new technologies and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a ten-year plan for health, which focuses on neighbourhood health services, digitisation, and illness prevention.
Keir Starmer also called for public input on improving the NHS, stating that the government would be launching a consultation to gather ideas from patients and staff, The Times reported.
Starmer said, “We have a clear plan to fix the health service, but it’s only right that we hear from the people who rely on the NHS every day.”
Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, urged that any changes to local care must consider the current pressures on GP practices.
