Digital access to healthcare in Bath and North East Somerset and Swindon

Healthwatch Bath and North East Somerset and Healthwatch Swindon wanted to understand how well digital access to healthcare was working for their community.  They undertook a survey, engagement events and focus groups, speaking to 132 people in total.

The findings from both the questionnaire and face to face engagements indicate that patients’ take up of digital access to healthcare is very varied. A primary variation is around a person’s age and their corresponding familiarity and confidence in use of and access to digital technology in their everyday life. 

Common concerns however, tend to be similar across all age groups, focusing on: 

• a lack of trust and even fear around issues of internet and data security
• the need for personal, human interactions in healthcare 

There is a difference between preferring to use one method over another, e.g, phone to online, and not being able to use a particular method at all. If someone is able to book a GP appointment using the App then it makes sense (from a GP/NHS resource point of view) for this person to use the App. This is different from a respondent who does not have the means/knowledge/tools/confidence to use the App at all. 

Some people need help to overcome knowledge barriers to accessing healthcare digitally, even if they have access to appropriate devices. The type of help and how it is provided can make a big difference in how effectively people are able to take on digital skills. 

• Some people who were able to access help from a provider (healthcare or generic such as Age UK) reported that they had learnt new skills and were more able to manage digitally, including access to healthcare
• Help sought from family or friends sometimes led to people ‘feeling stupid’ and as though they were handing over access to healthcare to family members
• Help from services such as Age UK was limited in terms of where it could be accessed, with those living in more rural areas being most excluded 

Whilst these caring and helping aspects of our community are positive and valued, if this leads to delegation of responsibility to those ‘non-healthcare carers’ it may hide inadequacies in digital health services. People unable to access healthcare digitally may lose ‘agency’ when they were previously able to manage their own healthcare in the pre digital world.