Labour sets out plans to digitise children’s healthcare red book

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Labour will digitise the NHS red book mother and father use for his or her children’s medical information as a part of a collection of reforms to the NHS app.

Parents and the NHS would have the opportunity to see if kids are behind on jabs or check-ups via a brand new digital document, with automated notifications to immediate them to book appointments underneath the get together’s plans.

The red book has been handed out to new mother and father for the previous 30 years.

Previous well being secretaries have hoped to digitise it throughout their tenure, together with Jeremy Hunt and Matt Hancock, however to this point the plans haven’t borne out.

Labour hopes its plans will assist to increase MMR vaccination charges, which have fallen lately.

Measles outbreaks have on the identical time change into extra widespread.

Wes Streeting MP, Labour’s shadow well being secretary, mentioned: “A child born today will live to see the 22nd century and things we can’t begin to imagine. Labour wants them to be part of the healthiest generation that ever lived. That’s why we will digitise the red book, so children’s health records are on the NHS App.

“This major step will transform children’s healthcare and will mean more children protected against measles. Now measles is back. It’s hard to think of a clearer sign of Britain’s decline under the Tories.

“With the red book on the app, the NHS will be able to notify every parent of an unprotected child, give them accurate information about the MMR vaccine, and invite their child to get vaccinated. That’s how a modern health service would tackle this public health crisis.”

Labour may even commit to give sufferers larger management over their very own healthcare via the NHS app.

This would come with entry to their medical information on their cellphone, notifications about screenings and vaccines they’re eligible for, and being instructed what care they will count on when identified with long-term circumstances like bronchial asthma or diabetes.

Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer claimed his get together would “give power to the patient”, and that GPs might guarantee “time isn’t wasted on box-ticking”.

“In 2024, patients still wait on the phone at 8am, or even queue up in person, just to see a doctor. It’s no wonder so many people don’t bother or don’t have time, illness is caught too late, pressures on the NHS pile up, and lives are lost,” he mentioned.

Sir Keir added: “The app shouldn’t just be for healthcare, but healthier living too. When you reach the right age, you’ll receive notifications for jabs, tests and screening, to catch diseases like breast and bowel cancer early.”