• Remote consultations have now become a normal part of the NHS, whether in primary care, in the hospital, for medicine, dentistry and many other disciplines. The ongoing COVID19 pandemic had made it necessary to limit physical contact between patients and doctors to reduce the risk of spreading the virus.

• In April 2019, 80% of GP consultations in the UK were face to face. A year later, once the COVID19 pandemic had started, this figure had dropped to only 30% face to face by April 2020.

• This has now become a hot topic on medical school interviews, and you will need to be able answer questions relating remote consultations (this may also be referred to as telemedicine, or simply telephone consultations).

• We go over some of positives and negatives of remote consultations which you could use as part of your framework in formulating answers. Remember to also think about how remote working has affected the doctor and not just focus on the patient experience.

What are some of the positive points of remote consultations?

⏱ Convenient. There is no travelling time for patients. Patients can access from home and work which makes access to appointments more flexible.

🛏 Patients who are housebound able to access consultations. Without remote consultation, the patient may have to attend hospital in an ambulance with all the distress this can cause.

☣️ Available to patients who are at high risk of infection (shielding) or those that have active contagious disease such as COVID19. Patients do have have to risk getting an infection or spreading this to others, either other patients or NHS staff.

📱 There are now multiple apps that patients can use. Patients can access these using a smartphone with a microphone and camera. This makes it easier to access NHS services and also check their own records

👉 Patients are able to book appointments via an app – no more waiting on the telephone in the morning. This is not only much more convenient for the patient, but also saves NHS reception time.

What are some of the negative aspects of remote consultations?

📺 Resolution of videos and photos not good enough to make diagnosis especially with skin conditions. The patient may need to be seen in person if this is the case.

⚠️ May be a barrier to some patients, for example the elderly. Not all patients are tech savvy and can use a smartphone or laptop. Many elderly patients may also have problems with vision and hand eye coordination making use of such technology impossible.

💷 The cost and time to train health professionals. Clinical and administrative staff need training to use the new technology. In addition, doctors may need extra training to safely undertake telephone consultations. Additional costs for the NHS for the software and training.

⚠️ Not all patients can afford, or have access to a smartphone and high-speed internet. Many not be suitable for patients in rural areas.

⚠️ Not able to undertake a clinical examination. It may not be possible to diagnose some conditions safely without a clinical examinations. Video consultation may allow observation to some extent.

⚠️ Not suitable for all presentations and increases risk of incorrect diagnosis and management being made. There is an inherent higher risk with telephone consultations which the doctor needs to be aware of.

The topic of remote consultation is discussed in much more depth on our Medical School Interview Course, together with many NHS hot topics.

Preparing for your Medical School Interview

• ⏱ Medical school interviews are around the corner. Why not let us help you turn those interviews into offers, so come next Summer, you can focus on getting your A-level grades?

• 📚 Join us on our Medical School Interview Courses over the weekend and arm yourself with the knowledge, skills and confidence to approach anything the medical school throws at you.

• 🎓 We cram all our interview courses with a full day of live intensive teaching using a variety of engaging, interesting and entertaining learning methods – to ensure that you are prepared for the big day and have an advantage over other candidates.

• 📽 We also give you access to over 5 hours of video tutorials, and up to date question bank, all created for you with access right until the end of the interview season.