You can now ask Amazon's Alexa for official NHS health information, knowing that it comes from the official source. You're now able to ask Alexa details such as:
“Alexa, how do I treat a migraine?”
“Alexa, what are the symptoms of flu?”
“Alexa, what are the symptoms of chickenpox”
The Department of Health says that the tech has the potential to reduce strain on GPs by more easily enabling people to get hold of the simple advice they need. In other words, it should help more people to be able to avoid going to see the doctor for easily treatable conditions, leaving appointments free for those who are actually unwell.
The NHS website has long provided an official source of information about conditions, but the prevalence of information online means that it's not always easy to see the official guidance.
The NHS Long Term Plan is the blueprint for putting more health services online and making access easier.
"The public need to be able to get reliable information about their health easily and in ways they actually use," says Matthew Gould, chief executive of NHSX, the body looking at how the health service can better use readily-available technology to provide information to patients directly.
"By working closely with Amazon and other tech companies, big and small, we can ensure that the millions of users looking for health information every day can get simple, validated advice at the touch of a button or voice command.