Babylon GP at Hand well placed to be a primary care network

Babylon Health’s virtual GP service is in discussions to become its own primary care network.

Primary Care networks form a key part of the NHS long-term plan and consist of groups of general practices working together with a range of local providers, including across primary care, community services, social care and the voluntary sector, to offer more personalised, coordinated health and social care to their local populations.

A Babylon spokesperson has said that with the strong links already formed with community providers, and nearly 50,000 registered patients, ‘Babylon GP at Hand is well placed to be a primary care network.’

This primary care network may also include other practices that are not part of the Babylon group.

‘The NHS has called for primary care networks to make it easier for patients to see a GP and for GP practices to be open for longer,’ they continued, ‘this is exactly what Babylon GP at Hand does, patients can see a GP, often within 30 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, every day of the year.’

The spokesperson went onto say the NHS wants practices to share information and technology, make it easier to get advice from health professionals, book appointments online, have remote testing and use online consultations.

‘They want to ensure that whoever you see in your area, the health professional has access to your medical history so they can give the care you need. In short, primary care networks are about improving care for patients, not restricting them, and Babylon GP at Hand does all of these things very well,’ the spokesperson concluded.