Digital solutions are making access to health care easier for many people. However, for some people, they are creating additional barrier to accessing care.
Also, where traditional routes into services are being replaced by digital ones, there may be a negative impact on people with certain protected characteristics – such as age, disability and race.
For example Glasgow Disability Alliance’s ‘Disabled People’s Mental Health Matters’ report (2021) highlighted that of the 2,500 disabled people involved, 1,500 faced digital exclusion with no access to devices, Wi-Fi or lacking the confidence to use it.
We want to ensure that these changes to the way patients access care will not disadvantage anyone who is digitally excluded.
To this end, we are assessing the impact of all proposed service redesigns where digital solutions feature as alternatives to pre-existing care pathways. We are also engaging with protected characteristic groups to better understand their experience of using digital routes into services and will make appropriate adjustments.