Justin Madders MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Minister, responding to Matt Hancock’s latest endorsement of the privately run GP at Hand health app, said:

“There is a huge threat to patient safety from the Health Secretary’s rush to endorse privately run, online GP services without proper mechanisms in place to protect patients

“What’s more he is openly endorsing the use of services from a private health firm where patients are encouraged to pay for a GP appointment.

“There are serious questions to be answered about why Matt Hanccok is going out his way to endorse this private service which has been so roundly criticised on safety grounds by actual doctors.

“Promoting pay-for-access health products with a questionable approach to patient safety is a shocking betrayal of the free at the point of use service we have all been celebrating in the 70th anniversary of the NHS.”