Health boards across Scotland are working to continue online consultations after virtual appointments soared during lockdown.

Over 100,000 virtual meetings have now taken place across Scotland between patients and health professionals using online consultation platform NHS Near Me.

In Lanarkshire, early stage trials of the remote technology were accelerated as services looked to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Near Me allows patients to use their own digital device to enter an ‘online waiting area’ for their booked appointment. The technology behind the service has been designed specifically for the healthcare sector and helps clinicians to speak to their patients remotely.

From 75 consultations in Lanarkshire in February, Near Me has rocketed to over 10,000 virtual consultations since early March.

Patients have spanned the generations, from first time mums, younger adults living with mental health conditions to care home residents in their nineties.

Mum-of-one Ashleigh from Viewpark, Lanarkshire, lives with acute anxiety and depression and links in regularly with her community psychiatric nurse, Claire. She says the Near Me service has been a “lifeline”:

“There can be times when I’m struggling and I can become quite panicky. The implications of lockdown and feeling isolated have meant those feelings have been magnified on various occasions.

“Claire’s presence is always very calming and reassuring. That’s always a massive help. Quite often she doesn’t need to say anything – I can take comfort from her demeanour.

“I was worried when the restrictions were set down that presence would be lost due to physical distance restrictions. But using Near Me has meant that connection has remained strong.

“Even out with any consultations we have, I can gain reassurance that Claire’s simply at the other side of the screen and I can arrange to talk to her when I need to. It’s a lifeline.

 “My daughter Brhianna is my world and the reason I get up in the morning. As every parent will know, lockdown is a busy time!

“Having that amazing support from Claire – with her continued presence – has allowed me to deal with the mental health challenges I face effectively. Most importantly, her support via Near Me has helped me to keep focusing on the most important thing; being a mum.”

Since the start of the covid-19 pandemic, over 25,000 clinical appointments have taken place over the phone or online in Tayside alone, up from the 1,160 remote consultations carried out in the area before the NHS moved to an emergency footing in March.

The majority so far have been urgent outpatient appointments and 51 departments across Tayside are now using the service, including physiotherapy, dermatology and speech and language therapy.

For now, 62 local GP surgeries are regularly using the software.

Laic Khalique, Director of Digital Technology for NHS Tayside, says 97.8% of patients surveyed said they would use the service again, particularly where it meant long journeys were avoided.

Meanwhile, where appropriate, patients across Greater Glasgow and Clyde will now be able to opt to have a telephone appointment as GP Out-of-Hours services move to a permanent appointment-only system. The move is part of broader efforts to prevent unnecessary face-to-face interactions and reduce the risk of virus transmission.

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