Facebook has supplied the UK's National Health Service with 2,050 of its Portal devices to help connect some of the country's most vulnerable patients during the coronvirus outbreak.

NHSX, the digital innovation arm of the NHS, announced  that the devices were being distributed free to hospitals, care homes and other settings including hospitals and in-patient learning disability and autism units, following a trial. They're being given to some of the most isolated people in the UK, to help them keep in touch with loved ones who'll be unable to visit them during the current public health crisis. 

"Technology has never been so important to providing one of life's most essential things -- the ability to communicate with the people we love regardless of where they are," NHSX Digital Transformation Director Iain O'Neil said in a statement.

 Facebook will donate up to 2,050 Portals starting with a pilot program in Surrey and expanding to Manchester, Newcastle, London, and other areas. They’re meant to let residents communicate with loved ones they can’t see during the pandemic, while also to letting on-site employees coordinate with people who are working remotely and support tele health efforts.

In a statement, Facebook health technology head Freddy Abnousi said the company built Portal to “give people an easy way to connect and be more present with their loved ones,” and “with the global pandemic and social distancing measures, the ability to stay connected is more important than ever.”

Portal, first released in 2018, is standalone display that makes video calls through Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. It can be more convenient than pulling out a phone to make a call, and it includes a wide-angle lens that can automatically zoom in on subjects. It’s one of Facebook’s first attempts at a mainstream hardware product.

The hospital setting could be less problematic than a home if it treats the Portal like a tool and not an always-on device. On the other hand, integrating Facebook into a government health service could produce unknown complications. NHSX says facilities will be selected based on how well their Wi-Fi connectivity can support the Portal, for example, which could exacerbate any kind of digital divide. In the long term, NHSX is “exploring connectivity options” for care homes without Wi-Fi, including hotspots or data-enabled tablets.