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Wednesday 23 May 2012

GPs encouraged to offer online consultations as part of '24-hour access' plans

By Laura Passi | 31 Aug 2011

The NHS will actively encourage GPs to offer patients online consultations in plans that ‘open the spectre' of 24/7 GP access, the medical director of the NHS has said.

Professor Sir Bruce Keogh said that ministers will be looking into how to offer patients online consultations in a move toward 24-hour GP access as part of the Government's IT revolution.

Speaking at en event last week to launch a call for smartphone apps for use in the NHS, Sir Bruce said: ‘I am looking at how we can put levers into the system to encourage doctors to do online consultations'

‘Once you have online consultations, it breaks down geographical boundaries. It opens up the spectre of 24/7 access.'

Dr Shaibal Roy, an adviser to the NHS Future Forum on the information strategy consultation, said: 'I have every expectation that the information and technology used by the public in their day to day life to make life easier and more convenient, will be an area of detailed discussion in the information workgroup for the NHS Future Forum. I can't imagine it not being if we are going to make realistic recommendations about how to make information more useful for the public.'

‘I really welcome that Sir Bruce has raised this question, it's the sort of issue that leads to open debate and challenge. If Doctors use Twitter or LinkedIn for example, for educational purposes, it is possible to learn about how colleagues think these services could be used.'

Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, warned online access of this type could leave patients frustrated.

‘There is scope for initiatives like this. But we would be concerned that it could translate to more frustration for patients. People are already concerned that they are spending less time with their GP and we wouldn't want this to be a way of reducing that further. It should always be the choice of the individual.'

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READERS' COMMENTS

Anonymous, Sessional/Locum GP,

30 Aug 2011

Excellent idea. Patients come first. Off course, they should have access 24/7.

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Bryan Moore, Private GP,

31 Aug 2011

Who says that patients' want "on line" consultations? What evidence do they have to support this - or is this just an expectation given the widespread use of e-mails, Facebook, Twitter and the like? We have conducted research into this within our own practice and the overwhelming preference is for face-to-face consultations with their preferred provider. I do not believe that this proposal is the way to deliver safe and effective care.
In response to anonymous: "somebody" still has to provide the access. Just who does this may make all the difference - both to the patient and to the provider. Not to mention the legal risks.

Average (0Votes)

Nicholas Down, GP Partner,

31 Aug 2011

Utter rubbish. Professor Sir Bruce hasn't the slightest idea what sort of medico-legal Pandora's box this would unleash. I suspect he's fallen in love with his iPad and forgotten what a proper face to face consultation involves.

Average (0Votes)

Vinci Ho, GP Partner,

31 Aug 2011

I suppose excellent GP e.g. David Cameron (as per Prof Field) will support this service . Awesome man!!

Average (0Votes)

Anonymous, Sessional/Locum GP,

31 Aug 2011

our patients deserve 24/7/365 access; In fact whatever they wish or desire should be provided immediately, without question and exception! 24 hour access so that they can connect with their GP at a moments notice should be mandatory. In fact why not make it compulsory for us to give our mobile telephone numbers and home addresses too, just in case our skype connections are disrupted??
Clearly those who make these wonderful policies have thought long and hard about how best to use our unlimited resources!

Average (0Votes)

Robert Koefman, GP,

31 Aug 2011

Surely we need to create less access points rather than more to save money in the NHS and let primary care do what it is meant to do which is to treat patients who have real illnesses !

Average (0Votes)

Simon Ruffle, GP Partner,

31 Aug 2011

Access to mobile consultations is easy, so I deal with the resulting trivia.
Take emails - it's so quick to bang one off, how many less would we get if a person had to write the letter and put it in the post? They'd make sure it was important first.
I'm no luddite, I enjoy my apples and blackberries etc, five a day if you include the missus' ipad but easy access promotes trivia.
Access should not be hard, but it should be appropriate.
OOHs handover has not led to the nations streets being littered with the dead and not being able to email your GP won't either. 24 hour access is desirable but unsustainable, keep OOHs for well triaged emergencies and I'll still have the energy to sweep the trivia up in the day. 3am pixolated telemedicine for an insomniac witha wart- no thanks

Average (0Votes)

Paul Joshi, GP,

31 Aug 2011

"It opens the spectre of 24/7 acccess" - It should be "Spectacle of 24/7 access". Then it will make sense.

Average (0Votes)

Anonymous, PCT,

31 Aug 2011

Silly me. And here was me thinking that opted in GP's already had an obligation to provide 24/7 access to a GP.

Average (0Votes)

Allan Stewart, Practice Manager,

31 Aug 2011

When people like Sir Bruce come out with these wild suggestions, they don't really mean it. They just do it to wind GPs up as if they needed any more winding up!

Average (0Votes)

Anonymous, GP registrar,

31 Aug 2011

Silly idea where do the government pick their advisor's from appears to be a serious problem in recruiting people with the correct skills at present.

As mentioned people need to take responsibility for their health. The more we differ responsibility the worse the problem becomes 24h access will mean the working population will be unable to see their GP as work will expect them to use an on-line approach in their own time.

Average (0Votes)

Anonymous, GP,

31 Aug 2011

Should be a doddle - we can already see and examine down telephones , getting the patients vibes through the ether is just the next step-for a government keen to have us all shoulder to shoulder in the offloading responsibility fest.

Average (0Votes)

Tim Southwood, GP Partner,

31 Aug 2011

To use email for consultaion will make it far easier to make mistakes ,at least a telephone consultation is in real time and is safe for dealing with simple problems such as cystitis .

Average (0Votes)

Manmohan Singh, GP Partner,

31 Aug 2011

Probably they have another dream, and they are trying to full fill it, just like their other dreams.

Average (0Votes)

David Iles, GP Partner,

01 Sep 2011

Same old story, the government ask "Theoreticians" ie theoretical practitioners that never actually do any significant face to face patient contact to advise on.....erm......face to face patient contact. Brilliant !!!

Average (0Votes)

Trefor Roscoe, GP Partner,

03 Sep 2011

What is wanted and what is needed and what is possible are three different things.

Average (0Votes)

Anonymous, GP Partner,

03 Sep 2011

"Simon Ruffle, GP Partner, 31 Aug 2011
Access to mobile consultations is easy, so I deal with the resulting trivia.
Take emails - it's so quick to bang one off, "

what sort of e-mails is he getting!

Average (0Votes)

Michele Cameron, Other GP,

11 Sep 2011

Eh?

Average (0Votes)

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