This site is intended for health professionals only


Animated ‘Egbot’ explains NHS England’s digital plans

NHS England has released an animation featuring a character called ‘Egbot’- who stumbles across NHS England’s ‘digital world’ after a gust of wind takes away his paper prescription – to set out the health service’s priorities.

The video is endorsed by NHS England, the Department of Health and the National Information Board (NIB) – chaired by NHS England director of patients and information Tim Kelsey – and summarises ambitions from the NIB’s Personalising health and care 2020 report.

The animation follows an unwell ‘Egbot’ through the grey reality of the NHS, as he calls to arrange a GP appointment – ‘usually during work hours’ – then waits an hour to be called.

Snaildon surgery sends him off with a paper prescription, but Egbot is left scratching his head at where to find a pharmacy before the archaic form is lost in a sudden gust of wind, at which point he stumbles across NHS England’s ‘digital world’.

Egbot then whizzes through the health service’s pathways using online booking to find health services of his choice and ‘open at hours to suit you’.

His GP appointment wait is cut to half an hour (with an intriguing poster of the internal skeleton of the egbot-folk) and the smartphone app lets him book repeat prescriptions, check test results and chat to doctors, as well as directing him straight to the elusive pharmacy.

He even pops in on mother Egbot, who gets herself a hospital appointment via her tablet and checks her £150 personal health budget as well, before opting to book a £4 relaxation class.

We even see Egbot get the ‘all clear’ form his doctor and go on to run a 5km race, uploading his step and heart rate information straight to his medical record.

Pulse has already shown how NHS England is looking to develop apps which can be prescribed by GPs, as well as free WiFi in every GP practice, and allowing patients to comment on their GP record.