Under the collaboration between Babylon and RWT, RWT and its clinicians provide the consultation services.
Babylon’s services consist of (a) the technology to enable these consultations and (b) the digital healthcare tools accessible through the Babylon app
RWT and Babylon are working together to provide digital healthcare to RWT primary care patients.
This will include convenient, remote access to GPs and hospital specialists at times that suit patients.
To start on this journey, over the coming months, the partnership will be launching a digital service for RWT primary care patients. This will form phase 1 of the partnership.
Technology has the potential to move the NHS from a system that predominantly looks after people when they fall ill to one that enables people to have more control over their health – to keep themselves well and better manage their conditions.
A digital model has many benefits, including:
This will not be the only way to access care from RWT. Patients will continue to be able to access care, without the use of technology, if they want to.
Babylon is working with partners across the globe to develop leading edge healthcare technology.
A key component of Babylon’s vision is to empower people to stay healthy as well as care for them when they are sick. This fully resonates with our vision for how we want to provide care to the people of Wolverhampton.
In January 2021, RWT and Babylon signed a 10 year Collaboration Agreement that established the intent to provide digital healthcare to RWT primary care patients.
Digital primary care will be a service that will enable patients to access their care online. This will be delivered through the web, using a laptop or desktop computer, or through a mobile app. Patients will be able to:
No, patients will be able to choose whether they wish to use a digital primary care service or not.
No, this is a completely free NHS provided service for patients, available to patients registered to any of the participating GP practices.
All RWT practices will be involved:
The new digital primary care services may not be rolled out to all of the practices at the same time, patients will be notified when their practice goes ‘live’ with digital first primary care.
When the digital primary care service is available at your GP practice, you will be notified and invited to sign-up.
Staff at your practice will be able to support you if you are struggling.
To be written when timelines are confirmed.
The clinicians available on the app are those already working in RWT PCNs practices. You will get to choose whether you have an appointment with a healthcare professional that you are familiar with, e.g. the GP you always see, or not.
Yes, the service enables more choice for patients. If the patient has an initial digital appointment, the clinician can book the patient into a face-to-face appointment in the practice if needed.
Babylon GP at Hand is a completely separate, digital NHS GP practice, run by Babylon. With RWT digital primary care, patients will stay with their usual GP practice and will see the same clinicians who work there.
This is being offered as an additional service to give greater choice and convenience to fit around each patient’s needs.
You will be able to use the Babylon app to have video or phone consultations with your GP or other healthcare professionals. You will also be able to use the digital tools to help you manage your health.
Repeat prescriptions will not be available through the app yet.
This system will be used in conjunction with EMIS – the existing medical record. The app provides the platform to conduct the consultation but EMIS will continue to be used to store all information about you and the care you receive.
We put you in charge of your data through our privacy control centre which can be accessed via our app. The app will give you quick access to your privacy preferences – you’ll be able to manage your personal information and opt out of Babylon learning from your data at any time.
Medical records storage will not be affected by RWT digital primary care, it will continue to be stored as before.
To sign-up with the Babylon app, patients will need to be registered to one of RWT’s 9 participating practices and will also be required to provide proof of identification, e.g. driver’s licence or passport, when registering.
Surveys will be sent out to patients within the RWT practices to gather views on the new proposals for digital first primary care. There will also be the opportunity to take part in 1:1 interviews to give their views on the new services being offered.
We understand that this may not be suitable for some of our patients and as such, you can opt out of your information being shared. Please let us know if you do not want your information shared with Babylon Health. This can be done via email: rwtprimarycare@nhs.net or via telephone: 07917 919755.
If you have children that you care for, under the age of 16, please contact us on the email or mobile number above if you do not want their information shared.
If you decide to opt out at this stage, please be assured that you will still be able to access appointments at your practice through the usual methods e.g. ringing the practice. If you change your mind or would like more information, please contact us via the email and mobile number provided above.
