The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, has effectively axed face-to-face doctor's appointments in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
He has said that in the future all GP consultations should be via phone or video unless there is 'compelling reason' for a face-to-face appointment.
The Health Secretary said people used to argue before the coronavirus crisis that “anyone over the age of 25 simply could not cope with anything other than a face-to-face to appointment”.
But the crisis had shown that that was not true, he said.
In the four weeks to 12 April, 71 per cent of routine GP consultations were delivered remotely, he added.
He went on: "We shouldn’t patronise older people by saying they don’t do tech.
"The feedback from this transformation has been hugely positive.
"And especially valued by doctors in rural areas, who saw how it could save long travel times for doctors and patients.
"So from now on, all consultations should be teleconsultations unless there’s a compelling clinical reason not to.
"Of course, if there’s an emergency, the NHS will be ready and waiting to see you in person - just as it always has been.
"But if they are able to, patients should get in contact first - via the web or by calling in advance.
"That way, care is easier to manage and the NHS can deliver a much better service."
His announcement comes as people with coronavirus, or symptoms, were told to no self-isolate for 10 days, not seven, and Health Secretary Matt Hancock warned of a “second wave starting to roll across Europe”.
The UK’s chief medical officers said on Thursday that the period must increase from the current rule of seven days because of the risk individuals may still be able to spread Covid-19.
In a joint statement, they said the change for those who experience the key symptoms of a new continuous cough, high temperature or loss of taste or smell is needed because of the “low but real possibility of infectiousness” up to 10 days.
Their move came as official analysis said England had the highest levels of excess mortality in Europe across the first half of 2020.
Mr Hancock earlier warned that a new spike in Covid-19 cases is “clearly” beginning to emerge in Europe as he said “we’ve got to do everything” to prevent it reaching the UK.
“I am worried about a second wave. I think you can see a second wave starting to roll across Europe and we’ve got to do everything we can to prevent it from reaching these shores and to tackle it,” Mr Hancock told Sky News.
He said 10-day isolation measure was “part of that, but so, too, are the measures we’re taking, for instance, to ensure that we don’t directly bring cases back to this country where there’s a big spike in cases”.
“So, absolutely, on a second wave it is something I worry about and I worry about it because we can see it happening,” he added.
