GP appointments and repeat prescriptions going online

Health Minister Edwina Hart has pledged £1.7 million to fund a service which will allow patients to book appointments with their GPs, check their own medical records or order repeat prescriptions online through a new NHS website.

Although the new website is still in its development stage local trials have been carried out in Anglesey, Carmarthenshire, Swansea and Bridgend. A start date for the website hasn’t been confirmed although its expected it will be available to patients by the end of the year.

Speaking on the website plans Hart commented: “The demand for online GP services is increasing and we recognise that providing accessible information is critical if we want to enable people to change their lifestyles and improve their health.”

Meanwhile, Dr Richard Lewis, Welsh secretary of the British Medical Association, said: “Information systems are vitally important for ensuring good communication of health information, particularly in respect of patient care in the community… This money will go some way towards ensuring there is an improvement in IT systems in Wales.”

Earlier this week technology firm Philips confirmed the trials of technology set up to monitor chronically ill patients at home. As well as being able to test their own blood pressure and blood oxygen levels using this system, home patients are able to send vital health data directly to staff at the Primary Health Trust via broadband.

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