KEEP OUR NHS PUBLIC NORTH EAST believe that North Tyneside CCG should not renew the one-year pilot contract with the private Swedish Digital Healthcare company, Livi, for the provision of additional digital GP appointments in Primary Care because:
1. The service from Livi is no longer required because Covid-19 has led North Tyneside GPs to adapt the way services are delivered to provide locally-based, integrated and comprehensive, face to face and digital appointment services to patients, as appropriate to their needs.  
2. With a digital service, patients require access to and proficiency with the use of smart phones/laptops and also require adequate data and broadband. These factors are likely to increase inequalities in health provision and reduction in access to some GP services.
3. The patient preference is for continuity of care; Livi GPs are not based locally and it would be unusual for a given patient to encounter the same practitioner for repeat appointments.
4. Livi does not provide a full service as they cannot physically examine a patient, provide a full prescribing service or provide appointments to children under 2 years of age.
5. Livi GPs located across the country do not have the local knowledge of systems or historical links with collaborative organisations in contrast to our established North Tyneside GPs.
6. Livi and its shareholders are receiving UK taxpayer money which has been earmarked for the provision of their healthcare. All allocated monies should go directly to healthcare provision.

I believe that North Tyneside CCG should not be allocating taxpayers money to private, profit-making companies with shareholders, and I call upon North Tyneside CCG not to renew the current one-year pilot contract with the private Swedish digital healthcare company "Livi".
Investment should instead be made in developing our pre-existing services and employing additional practitioners for those services.