Affected person security incidents regarding the usage of on-line session instruments by GPs have been underreported, based on an investigation from the Well being Companies Security Investigations Physique (HSSIB).
HSSIB launched an investigation in June 2023, exploring whether or not on-line session instruments have contributed to dangers to affected person security.
The findings are included within the report ‘Digital instruments for on-line session on the whole apply’, revealed on 25 July 2024.
Researchers carried out focus teams with 35 sufferers, representing 16 common practices and first care networks throughout England.
Additionally they visited or remotely engaged with common practices, main care networks, native medical committees, and built-in care boards (ICBs).
Nick Woodier, senior security investigator at HSSIB, mentioned: “We heard from sufferers and common practices about their security considerations with on-line session instruments.
“Whereas proof of hurt associated to on-line instruments might at the moment be restricted, there is a chance to proactively discover and tackle dangers to affected person security as the usage of these instruments will increase”.
Researchers recognized a restricted variety of reported severe incidents associated to on-line session instruments on the Strategic Govt Data System, conflicting with what GPs and sufferers had described, and suggesting that incidents weren’t at all times reported.
HSSIB recommends that NHS England undertakes an analysis of the affected person security dangers related to on-line session instruments and develops mechanisms for assuring that built-in care boards assist common practices when implementing these instruments.
In response, a spokesperson for NHSE instructed Digital Well being Information: “Some sufferers select distant appointments the place it’s clinically acceptable and extra handy for them, however each GP apply should additionally provide face-to-face appointments the place sufferers need or want them.
“Retaining sufferers secure is a precedence for the NHS. Our on-line session strategies have been by intensive security assessments, and there are strong mechanisms in place to report and examine within the extraordinarily uncommon case of security incidents”.
Commenting on the report, Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal School of GPs, mentioned that it was vital that the usage of know-how didn’t detract from delivering secure care.
She added that though on-line triage programs labored nicely for some practices and sufferers, if they didn’t work they might have “very severe penalties”.
“There’s clearly a spot for know-how in healthcare, however when it’s launched, it’s important it’s carried out so safely and in a means that each helps sufferers to entry our care and providers, and helps practices handle the escalating demand for them,” she mentioned.
In June 2024, NHSE introduced the cancellation of its £300m digital pathways framework, which was geared toward driving trendy common apply mannequin by connecting ICBs with accredited suppliers for digital GP instruments for messaging, consultations and care navigation.