The NHS must follow the lead of driverless cars and embrace technology - even if it doesn't work perfectly, the Health Secretary has said.

Matt Hancock urged GPs to do more to adopt innovations such as virtual consultations via video, and the use of artificial intelligence.

The minister, who became Health Secretary in July, personally uses an app called “GP at Hand” which uses artificial intelligence to assess symptoms and offers smartphone consultations.

Last month he criticised NHS attempts to block use of such schemes, saying every patient should be able to benefit from such services.

This fuelled a backlash from some GPs who said the service run by private healthcare firm Babylon has not been properly evaluated, with fears its systems could miss serious symptoms.