The eConsultant: Guiding Clients to Net Success

Product Information

Along with ‘online consultations’ you might also see the words ‘remote consultations’ being used. A remote consultation is sometimes what happens after the GP practice has reviewed the information you provided in your online consultation. Unlike a face-to-face appointment which would be a ‘normal’ consultation, a remote consultation is done without you and your doctor having to be in the same location (your GP surgery). Instead, it is a consultation carried out remotely, via phone or through a video call. What happens after an online consultation? You should follow the same process as you currently do to identify which patients on your clinical system are due a regular review. A practice in Cornwall sent 100 texts to their asthmatic patients during ‘QOF season’. In less than one week they received 96 completed asthma eConsult review questionnaires. This cohort of patients had previously been sent letters by the practice inviting them for their annual review but they had ignored them. Texting the direct link makes it much easier for patients to complete.

Once a condition is chosen, you can access self-help information, access local services and pharmacy advice, or get advice from your GP at the surgery. Once you have identified your group of patients, you can now send them an invitation to complete an online review via the appropriate eConsult questionnaire. Your practice will try to make sure your eConsult is dealt with by the GP you have requested – this means you will continue to be cared for by the doctor that knows you best. This will be possible because they will have time to better manage the needs of all their patients. You will be presented with an alert screen that says: ‘Do you want to allow this app from an unknown publisher to make changes to your device. Select ‘Yes’ At this point, you’ve provided your practice with information about your needs through your online consultation. They can now make a decision, based on this and what they already know about you, about what to do next. They also need to tell you what this is!So gp’s there’s no covid, patients need doctors to consult with not computers. So get your stethoscope’s out, open your doors and let the patients in. It’s pathetic!!!! You may be asked to submit a photo with your eConsult to help us diagnose you. However, please do not include photos of intimate areas – for example genitalia or breasts.(For children under the age of 2, you can submit photos of nappy rash). See video below for further information on how to upload photos.

You can submit your own eConsult once you are 16 years old. If you are below 16 and wish to discuss an issue that your parents are not aware of, please phone the surgery to speak to reception. If selecting ‘treatment and advice from my GP’ you will be directed to complete an online form about your symptoms. You will need to confirm that you do not have any symptoms that require immediate or urgent care. Please answer questions as accurately as you canso we can find the best way to help you.You are due an asthma review. Please complete the asthma questionnaire via eConsult https://bit.ly/33qnK5Y . Having your information upfront will allow us to understand how you are managing your condition and, if you need an appointment, what type of appointment this should be. Patients using NHS login will be marked as verified on their eConsult submission, and their NHS number will appear on the eConsult report. This will also make it easier for you to match patients’ eConsults to their record. Please note: Some eConsult features such as uploading photos or review templates as part of managing a long-term condition are not currently available via the NHS App. The service allows photographs to be attached and we encourage you to do so where helpful, for example for rash / acne / wounds etc. Please do not upload photo's of sensitive areas such as genitals. If these photo's are submitted, they will be deleted and you will be required to submit a new request.

We understand that the way GP practices work is changing and all the new language and ways to access your health can be confusing. We want to help make it clearer for you, and to show you that eConsult is not replacing face to face appointments. eConsult is just another method of putting in your request so that your GP practice can make sure you and other patients at your practice get the right care. This is called triage, and triaging patients is very important when you have lots of patients asking for your help, as is the case across all of the NHS. Triage also happens in other healthcare settings, such as in A&E where you are seen based on the urgency of your illness or injury. The same needs to happen at your doctor’s – they need to understand who needs help urgently, and who can wait a little longer. Registering for NHS login includes verification of patients’ identity, carried out by the NHS. This means that any patient using NHS login to complete an eConsult is verified, and you can be reassured that they are who they say they are. You may be directed to another health professional outside of the practice, as they may be best placed to offer you the advice or support you need. These may include local pharmacy support, a minor injuries unit or other services such as physiotherapy.

You can find these on any eConsult PDF you have been sent. They will both be in the top right of any report. If you don’t have a webcam on your PC, you can use the one on your smartphone by sending an invitation to your own phone You may be offered an appointment, either on the day or for a later date. This may not be with your GP, but may be with an Advanced Nurse Practitioner or other health professional at the practice, depending on your query.