From artificial intelligence algorithms that spot early cancers, to the ‘doctor-in-your-pocket’ smartphone video consultation, a string of next-generation healthcare technologies are being unveiled at a rapid rate.
For instance, as recently announced in England, users of the NHS app can now collect medications from a pharmacy without having to visit a healthcare centre – the usual paper slip given by doctors being replaced by an in-app barcode.
Such innovations have brought huge benefits to millions of patients. But the advantages of such digitisation are not distributed equally. According to a 2023 Ofcom report, one household in 13 has no access to the internet and a similar proportion has no home computer. Yet even within connected households, the so-called ‘digital skills gap’ means many people could still struggle.