This report, commissioned by NHS England East of England’s transformation and public health teams, explores the experiences of patients and carers using primary care services during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a particular focus on digital and remote access.

Between January and March 2021, 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with a diverse group of patients and carers from across the East of England.

Participants ranged in age from 20 to 95 and included people with disabilities, carers, and those with limited or no access to digital services.

The report finds that while many patients welcomed the convenience of phone and online consultations — particularly those with physical disabilities — significant barriers remained for others.

Key concerns included lengthy phone queues, inaccessible online booking systems, reduced choice in how to engage with services, and a growing reliance on family members to navigate digital systems on behalf of those who could not do so independently. Patients seeking mental health support faced particular difficulties.

The report concludes with four “opportunity spaces” for improving the inclusivity and accessibility of digital primary care:

• ensuring patients have genuine choice in how they access services;
• supporting staff to deliver high-quality remote care;
• involving patients in the design of new systems; and
• embedding access and inclusion principles into communications and service design from the outset.

You can read the report here.

A short animation, based on the key findings of the report, can be viewed here.