New Guest Article on Digital Inclusion in Healthcare

How Introducing Digital Healthcare in the UK is Affecting Older people?

Guest Report by Iqbal Tamimi

Age UK Bristol

The use of digital technologies in healthcare has grown significantly in recent years, by both patients and staff. However, while NHS workers and patients have experienced various benefits and challenges with the digital healthcare system, many still face barriers in accessing convenient solutions for healthcare.

Why do we need Digital healthcare?

Digital healthcare is essential for several key reasons, including such as digital tools in the field of telemedicine, online consultations, and patient portals that make healthcare services more accessible, especially for individuals in remote or underserved areas. These technologies help reduce the need for in-person visits, making healthcare more convenient and efficient.

Digital healthcare streamlines processes like appointment scheduling, prescription refills, and medical record management, reducing waiting times, minimizing paperwork and the administrative burden for both patients and healthcare providers.

Apps and online platforms empower patients to take control of their health by allowing them to actively monitor their well-being, track chronic conditions, manage care plans, and access test results.

Digital tools also enhance communication between healthcare providers, patients, and specialists, promoting collaboration and ensuring more comprehensive care. Features like secure messaging, electronic health records (EHRs), and video consultations help maintain continuity of care.

Digital health technologies facilitate the collection and analysis of health data, allowing for more personalized and effective treatment plans.

Predictive analytics and machine learning can identify health trends and offer valuable insights, supporting better decision-making in patient care.

Digital healthcare improves resource management by reducing unnecessary in-person visits and increasing efficiency. This can lower overall healthcare costs, optimize resource allocation, and allow healthcare providers to focus on more critical cases.

Digital healthcare tools can collect and analyse large datasets, providing valuable insights for public health initiatives and research. This helps identify trends and drives evidence-based policy decisions.

What about reality?

Theoretically, all of the above make sense, but in reality, there are other issues to consider. According to a report by Ofcom, published on March 29, 2023, approximately 7% of UK households still lack access to the internet at home, which can be seen as a form of digital exclusion. This particularly affects older individuals and those in lower socio-economic groups. The report also highlights that nearly one in five internet users only access the web via a smartphone. Since smartphones are not always ideal for certain online tasks, like filling out forms, those who rely solely on mobile devices may face a higher risk of digital exclusion.

Fortunately, about 82% of people aged 65 and older in the UK now own a smartphone, according to a 2024 survey—meaning more than eight in ten older people are using one.

Here's how that breaks down by age group (2024 data):

For more historical context, Statista reported about 80% smartphone penetration among those 65+ in 2023, and earlier data showed it was only 18% back in 2015 (inews.co.uk+1bbc.com+1). That’s a huge jump over the past decade!

So overall, roughly 8 out of 10 older adults (65+) in the UK now use smartphones.

But another report by Citizens Advice Medway found that around one million people cancelled their broadband packages in the last 12 months due to rising costs.

A YouGov survey commissioned by Independent Age in April–May 2023, focused on people aged 65+ on low incomes, not the entire older population, offers a clear snapshot:

• 9% of these older adults cancelled their broadband or phone services over the winter to save money, and a further 4% had already done so before winter began.

Combining these figures, about 13% of low-income older people (aged 65+) in the UK cut broadband services in a 12-month period due to rising living costs.

Research from The Good Things Foundation and Ipsos indicates that around 20% of UK adults lack foundational digital skills, meaning approximately 10 million people in the UK do not possess the basic digital skills required for everyday online activities.

The Good Things Foundation's statistics found that approximately 30% of people in the UK who lack consistent online access consider the NHS to be one of the most challenging organizations to interact with, highlighting the issue of digital exclusion within the healthcare system.

The King's Fund reported that groups facing a higher risk of digital exclusion—often overlapping with increased health inequalities—include: older adults (especially those over 75), people from lower socio-economic backgrounds, individuals with disabilities or life-impacting conditions, ethnic minorities, homeless individuals, and those living in rural areas. Essentially, these are groups experiencing socio-economic disadvantage, such as those with lower incomes or who are unemployed. Socially excluded groups, including individuals experiencing homelessness, asylum seekers, people in contact with the justice system, and those living in areas with inadequate broadband and mobile data coverage (more common in rural and coastal areas), are also at higher risk. Additionally, people who are less fluent in English may face further barriers.

Digital exclusion can exacerbate health inequalities by increasing challenges related to accessing healthcare, developing the skills and capabilities to navigate and use services, and acquiring the general resources needed to lead a healthy life.

While the NHS continues to improve its digital services, it is essential that the population can enjoy the benefits of digital healthcare while still having access to non-digital support.