Video Consultation for GPs, nurses & other practice clinicians

General practice is embarking on a transformational journey – a journey that is re-evaluating:

• The People – the clinical and other practice resources,

• The Processes – how it deploys those resources, and;

• The Technology – the mechanisms by which it manages the engagement with the patients.

The key objective of Video Consultation is to help patients access the right care at the earliest opportunity – and in a way that provides them with flexibility, convenience, security, a sense of empowerment about engaging with clinicians and the stimulation to invest in their wellbeing.

There are numerous drivers for this patient centred approach and outcomes will include a more streamlined workload for GPs, ANPs and other members of the clinical teams. The aim to drive further practice efficiencies in terms of access to services and to deliver a more patient centred approach. It will achieve this by providing more efficient use of clinical time – which in turns provides patients with timely and personal access to the clinical team.

Objectives:  Video Consultation is an essential patient engagement technique that will further develop the skills of the clinical teams. There are different skills and abilities needed to undertake effective Video Consultation and the clinical diagnosis. After this web workshop, GPs, nurses and other clinical staff will be confident in handling the video consultation, in diagnosing, advising and where applicable referring patients to care providers who work either within the practice team or to external care providers.

Video Consultation can present a challenging cultural shift for some clinical teams members – and we will explore the mechanisms to help make the change as smooth as possible – some of this will build on the existing understanding, within the practice, of the need to change and a realisation of the benefits these changes can have.

Successful Video Consultation is reliant on 3 core principles:

1. Robust agreed practice protocols and patient confidentiality.
2. A full commitment from the whole clinical team to support staff in delivering video consultations.
3. Continuing audit of activity and outcomes including patient records, complaints and significant or serious incidents.

Training recommendations

All clinical team members wishing to be considered for Video Consultation training:

 Should be experienced GPs, nurses and other clinical staff.

• Should understand that their work will be audited and monitored back in the practice.
• Will be considered as the Video Consultation Champion in the practice and will be both the advocate back in the practice and will mentor other clinical and non-clinical team members.
• Practices must understand that implementation of Video Consultation must be continually monitored, audited and significant or critical events reported to appropriate bodies.

The PMA Video Consultation workshop has been created with an experienced practice team including Clinicians – GPs, practice nurses and experienced Practice Manager facilitators.