Evidence from the frontline of virtual care
Digitisation can genuinely improve access to health services, but only if it’s designed with the people most likely to be excluded from it firmly in mind.
When the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) launched its national NHS Online Trust consultation, we were one of just three local Healthwatch nationally, to run our own patient survey, rather than relying solely on a written submission. Between February and March 2026, we surveyed patients across four hospital specialties: gynaecology, urology, ophthalmology and gastroenterology.
Our survey found many patients valued virtual consultations for the time and travel costs they saved but identified certain groups such as older people preferred face-to-face appointments.
We used our response to flag wider risks, including digital exclusion, the need for stronger coordination across the NHS, and the danger of a “two-tier system” emerging between those who can access digital services easily and those who can’t.
We found a telling gap between awareness and willingness when it comes to newer NHS services. Our research showed that only 44% of respondents said they were aware of Pharmacy First, the service allowing pharmacists to treat certain conditions without a GP appointment, through channels like their GP, TV or the NHS itself. But among the 56% who hadn’t previously heard of it, three in four said they would use it once they understood what it offered. This suggests that for some digital and service innovations, the barrier isn’t reluctance but simply a lack of awareness.
Healthwatch Croydon is delivered by Public Voice. Find out more about our work and how we are helping to shape the future of digital health services in Croydon on the Public Voice website.
