The Scottish Government has confirmed it will not take part in the new NHS App – which will create a single patient record for people living in England.
Ministers are progressing with the plan to create a ‘Digital Front Door‘ for residents in Scotland – which will include NHS as well as social care data.
The personalised digital health and care service will provide digital notifications, access to personal health information and options for patients to interact directly with health and social care services as part of a five-year plan.
The new service draws together three major programmes – the Digital Front Door, the National Digital Platform, and the Integrated Social Care and Health Record, that are set out in Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy and its supporting ‘Delivery Plan 2024-25’.
Wes Streeting announced plans yesterday for the NHS App which will provide access for patients to their medical records, test results and letters from doctors in what was described as a ‘digital revolution in the health service in England’.
The NHS App – which is currently available for download via iOs and Android platforms – is currently limited because patient records are held locally by GPs and any hospitals they visit, and not all parts of the health service interact with the app.
However, under the new 10-year strategy to fix the NHS – ministers said they were pushing ahead with plans for a single patient record.
The government said individuals will gain greater control over their records, and frontline staff will be able to view ‘the full picture of patients’ health’.
Scottish Government ministers pointed to the ‘safe and secure’ digital app it has been developing since early 2022. However, it is understood that a contract is yet to be awarded for the Digital Front Door.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The NHS App was developed to support NHS Trusts in England. This is not something we can adopt in Scotland as it is configured specifically to the IT infrastructure in England and Wales.
“Therefore, the Digital Front Door programme was created to develop and deliver similar functionality into a range of different services across health and care in Scotland. This goes beyond an NHS app as it will also cover social care.
“We have engaged directly with those involved in the development of the NHS App and they will support the Digital Front Door programme going forward. In addition, we are working with NHS England and Wales to learn from each other and ensure common approaches, especially around interfacing with digital systems used commonly across the UK.”
The Digital Front Door is due to be available by the end of the current parliamentary term at Holyrood in May next year.
However, political opponents urged the government to work with Westminster.
Dr Sandesh Gulhane MSP, Scottish Conservative shadow cabinet secretary for health, said: “It is typical that the SNP want to do things differently rather than showing some common sense.
“While they are ultimately in charge of Scotland’s health service, it would be beneficial for patients if they worked together across the UK to support patients in accessing their records as easy as possible.
“The Scottish Conservatives have repeatedly called for an app in Scotland that would deliver a 24/7 digital health service, bringing positive changes for staff and patients after 17 years of the SNP failing to meet their needs.
“The SNP health secretary should not dismiss a UK-wide approach out of hand when it comes to the health service and must guarantee that patients won’t miss out on accessing crucial information as a result.”
Rachel Power, chief executive of the Patients Association, added: “While we understand Scotland’s plans for a separate digital health platform, this raises real concerns for patient care. Our key worry is for people who need healthcare on both sides of the border – whether they’re residents of border regions, students, business travellers, or those who fall ill while travelling.
“Having two separate apps could create unnecessary complications around medical records, prescriptions and appointments. While we support digital innovation, it must not create new barriers for patients. We urge both governments to ensure their systems can work and learn together seamlessly, putting patient needs ahead of administrative boundaries.”
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s Spokesperson for Health, added: “The NHS App for England uses technology created by a company headquartered in Glasgow so it’s baffling why this SNP government won’t take advantage of innovation on its doorstep.
“Putting patients at the heart of the NHS means acknowledging that many Scots have lived and worked elsewhere in the UK and have medical records to match.
“The NHS in Scotland is being held back by this SNP government’s lack of vision — Scottish Labour will invest in the digital infrastructure our NHS needs.”
