GPs in Darlington are thwarting a drive to use digital technology to enable long distance patient-clinician contact and care, a meeting has heard.

Darlington Borough Council’s health and partnerships scrutiny committee heard NHS bosses had been frustrated in their attempts to promote Telehealth, which can be used to remotely monitor patients with long term conditions such as chronic heart failure or diabetes.

Catherine McShane, of County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust, told members: “We are still having the barriers with the GPs about trying to engage them in Telehealth.

“We have got support from commissioners, we have got support from various people, but trying to move it forward within the individual practices has been a challenge.”

Karen Hawkins, of Darlington clinical commissioning group, said there had been some real success stories with GP practices in the area embracing some forms of digital technology.

She said: “You can’t put in a digital platform without the support structure to make sure it is being used properly and the teams supporting it.”