Digital health service Babylon has announced the launch of its Sunday service, enabling users to access consultations with trained doctors seven days a week through their smartphones while the majority of surgeries remain closed on weekends.

The service, which launched last year, offers a doctor in your pocket with users able to book video consultations with GPs in a manner of minutes, or text questions or photos to clinicians to receive a free answer to simpler queries.

The subscription-based app has proved popular with both consumers and companies, with Aviva and Bupa securing partnerships to offer Babylon to employees alongside their healthcare products for corporate customers.

“Our mission is to give everyone everywhere access to healthcare and the launch of our seven-day service takes us one step closer to this,” said Ali Parsa, founder and CEO of Babylon. “It can be challenging at the best of times to see a doctor, let alone on Sundays when very few GP surgeries are open.

“By giving people access to primary healthcare from their phones, were making it much easier for patients to get the help they need, at a time and place that suits them.”