Why it matters: The rise in digital consultations shows how local healthcare is adapting to patient preferences, though Suffolk residents still favour traditional appointments more than the national average.
By the numbers: In Suffolk and North East Essex, 155,106 appointments (29%) were conducted remotely in June – up from 132,061 (24%) the previous year. This compares to a national average of 33%, the highest since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Nationally, the most dramatic change has been in online video appointments, which have increased from 2% in June 2023 to 8% this year. Phone consultations remain the most popular remote option.
What they're saying: Professor Kamila Hawthorne, chair of the Royal College of GPs, said remote consultations "offer convenience and flexibility that many patients value" and evidence shows they are safe in the vast majority of cases.
"Often a GP might initially consult with a patient remotely and then ask them to come into the practice if it's necessary to see them in person," she added.
The bigger picture: Face-to-face appointments remain dominant, accounting for 67% of consultations in the local area and 63% nationally. The shift towards digital care represents a permanent change from pre-pandemic patterns, when remote appointments were rare.
During the height of COVID-19 in June 2020, 48% of GP consultations nationally were conducted remotely, compared to today's 33%.
What's next: The Government has promised to transform the NHS app to make online healthcare "easy and flexible" while ensuring patients who prefer face-to-face appointments can access them.
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said the Government had recruited more than 2,000 GPs and was delivering additional GP appointments.
The bottom line: Digital healthcare is becoming normalised in Suffolk, but the county's below-average remote consultation rates suggest local patients still prefer traditional face-to-face care when possible.
