The Sickening Truth of the Digital Divide

The use of digital technology has become increasingly commonplace within the United Kingdom, with many public services, including healthcare, becoming ‘digital by default’ in response to COVID-19 pandemic and pledged government objectives. Digital healthcare delivery has shown to be a beneficial mode of delivery, yet it is unclear whether the benefits of digital healthcare are experienced evenly throughout society. Individuals from lower income households, individuals residing in areas with poor digital infrastructure, and individuals without adequate digital skills are at risk of being excluded from digital healthcare. It is imperative that the determinants of digital inequality are addressed to ensure that vulnerable members of society can assess healthcare that is increasingly being delivered digitally. To achieve this, stakeholders spanning many sectors should collaborate to understand and address the impact that digital inequality has upon health inequality.