The NHS App should focus on inequalities to improve population health

The 10-Year Health Plan for England aspires to create ‘the most digitally accessible health system in the world by 2028’ with the NHS App positioned as the primary gateway to the NHS. This is an ambitious and it is encouraging to see health inequalities given prominence in the plan’s executive summary. However, extensive evidence, including evaluations of the NHS App specifically, shows significant disparities in who is able and likely to use digital health technologies. Without addressing these broader social and structural determinants of digital access and use, an overreliance on the NHS App risks deepening existing health inequalities and failing to improve population health for all.

Although the NHS App has been been broadly adopted, it risks widening health disparities unless the health service or community groups can support patients to access and use the App appropriately. There must be clear value from using the NHS App and its features for patients, alongside equitable opportunities for access and use, and targeted support for disadvantaged groups such as those with disabilities or poor English language skills. Future research should examine the needs of disadvantaged groups in accessing primary care, including not only via the NHS App but also the requirements of GP providers with differing digital readiness in supporting digital services.

Read more in our article in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine.

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