As a GP, I understand the importance of providing the best possible care to my patients. With the difficulties we all faced during the Covid-19 pandemic and the fast-paced developments in technology I am seeing an enormous shift in how we work compared to 3 years ago. With the development of the NHS Wales App we are about to see how we can improve the service to our patients and make life easier for us as GPs.
- Ease of use - The first version of the NHS Wales App was tested by 706 people in 10 GP practices from October 2022 in a Private Beta testing phase. Feedback received from these users was overwhelmingly positive, with 75% reporting a high degree of satisfaction with the app.
- Increased efficiency - The NHS Wales App will allow our patients to access a range of services such as appointments, test results, and repeat prescriptions at the touch of a button, avoiding telephone queues and unnecessary appointments, taking away the burden from managers and support staff . Additionally, it can help us manage workload better by reducing unnecessary visits and providing us and our patients with information that can support better care.
- Modernising how practices are run with technology – Technology advances so quickly and it’s important that we keep up to date with the tech available to make our lives easier and our offices run more efficiently. This will allow us to spend less time duplicating information by updating manual records and help us provide a more efficient and focused care to out patients.
- Better coordination of care and resources - With the NHS Wales App, we will be able to share information with other healthcare professionals and coordinate our patients' care more effectively, subject to the data sharing preferences of our patients. This will improve the quality of care our patients receive and help to make better use of resources available.
- Better patient communication - The NHS Wales App will also improve communication between us and our patients. Our patients will be able to access their health information anytime, anywhere, and communicate with us directly through the app, making it easier for us to provide the care they need.
The NHS Wales App will enter a further state of testing involving more people and practices in Wales early in 2023. Don't miss the opportunity to adopt this innovative technology in your practice. If you are interested in joining the next wave of GP practices adopting the NHS Wales App, please email dsppinfo@nhs.wales.uk.
Get more information on the NHS Wales App or email dsppinfo@wales.nhs.uk.