Is 2025 the year of the digital front door?

This year could be a big one for how the public engages with NHS tech, and the NHS App could play a big part in this.

“My expectation is, it is the start of a genuine revolution in the NHS, in 2025 we will see the numbers coming through, no question, and we’ll see changes in models of care,” national director for NHS digital channels Joe Harrison told the summit.

Helen Clifton, NHS England’s executive director, products and platforms, added that the NHS spends £450m annually on sending letters and text messages which could be delivered digitally through the NHS App.

She emphasised that the app needed to involve all parts of the patient journey, including community and mental health services. “We are really focused on securing funding to move further and faster in that direction,” she said. “We have got proven stats and metrics… and very positive feedback in terms of the user experience.”

Mr Harrison and Ms Clifton highlighted how the app could help deliver on the government’s aim of shifting from treatment to prevention, with updates in the works including the addition of screening programmes and a digital health check.

Panellists also pointed out there were still some issues to resolve. For example, National Voices chief executive Jacob Lant welcomed the use of tech, but noted only 3 per cent of people had used the NHS App to book a GP appointment. While he said this was not the app’s fault, it possibly indicated a lack of alignment on how people wanted to interact with the NHS.

Angela Spatharou, UKI and EMEA healthcare and life sciences leader at IBM, emphasised the need to begin technology development with the idea of what a digitally engaged citizen looks like.

Amy Darlington, engagement lead at OneLondon, stressed the importance of inviting the public to co-design systems.

Ms Darlington said: “Building [the public’s] trust and their confidence in how they use these systems, access these systems, is something we should be inviting them into the conversation to make sure that they are able to help us… [to] design a service that works for everyone.” The public wondered why the NHS was not going quicker and was frustrated when the app did not appear to be connected to some key services and was looking for consistency, while recognising there needed to be some tailoring to local services, she added.