The NHS was created out of the ideal that good healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth. However, the services the NHS offers are under extreme pressure, and some users are choosing to pay for private online services in order to reduce their waiting times. Is the future of healthcare online? Can the NHS keep up with the private sector, or should we let those who can pay for healthcare foot the bill?

 

As winter hits we hear again of the intense pressure on the NHS to meet the needs of the people. Private healthcare services have often lied beyond the price range of most, but recently there has been an increase in users seeking paid-for alternatives to the NHS, particularly in the area of GP appointments. This is in part due to a growing number of software and apps that promise quick virtual access to health professionals.

 

The Video Doctor will see you now

If you have the money to pay, they are a number of ways you can see a registered GP from the comfort of your own home or on your lunch break in work. Video consultations have made private services more affordable and convenient.

Push Doctor provides video consultations with GPs from 8am – 8pm, 7 days a week. The application uses the camera on your device, stating that most medical conditions can be dealt with online, without the need for a physical examination. Prescriptions issued can be available within the hour. You pay for a one-off appointment at £30, or enjoy additional benefits as a member paying a monthly fee.

TheGPService.co.uk is similar, offering consultations for £25 via secure video chat, but you can also visit one of their 200 local walk-in centres. For common treatments, there is the option to complete an online questionnaire and collect medication within 90 minutes.

Now GP describes itself as ‘Europe’s largest virtual GP service, providing convenient healthcare and remote medical diagnosis to over 1 million people. Their app allows users to have on-the-go video consultations, with guaranteed next day delivery of medications to your home.  They also claim to be harnessing the power of data and wearable technology to transform the access of healthcare:

“We’re creating real-time, personalised patient profiles allowing our doctors to monitor health markers and spot signs of illness before the patient themselves are even aware they are unwell.”

Swedish service, KRY was named as one to watch in Wired’s: ‘These are the healthcare startups you need to know about’ post in March of this year. Free for children and adolescents under 20, users enter in their symptoms, answer a few questions and select a doctor who calls them back over video. Importantly, a user can speak to a healthcare professional in their native language. One cause of delay in the NHS is the need to bring in translators, and then the additional time it takes to translate, effectively doubling the consultation time. Since launching in 2016, Kry now provides nearly two per cent of all GP visits in Sweden.

All these services appeal to our need for convenience and the fact that often, time is more valuable to us than money. But should we be encouraging the NHS to move online, and should we expect 24/7 access to GPs?

 

Is the future of the NHS online?

When it was launched in 1948, the NHS was based on 3 core principles:

• that it meet the needs of everyone
• that it be free at the point of delivery
• that it be based on clinical need, not ability to pay.

The models we’ve looked at do not fit with these core principles. Video consultations cannot replicate a physical examination, so they cannot meet the needs of everyone. Currently these services come with a price tag; one that is not affordable to everyone, especially those with an ongoing condition who may require multiple appointments. But perhaps these models can feed into and support the NHS.

When the NHS 111 service was launched, it was hoped that the service would offer users advice, and reduce unnecessary A&E visits. This hasn’t proved to be the case. In fact, calling 111 will more likely lead to a visit to A&E. Offering a video consultation with a GP could be a far more effective way to establish whether patients then need a physical examination with a GP or if they should go to A&E.

 

Can we all work together?

There is surely a middle ground, where new applications and software can be used for the benefit of the NHS. We have seen this in part with Pharmacy2U. Its service is both cost cutting for the NHS and offers a better service for uses. Medication can be delivered to any address in the UK. Delivery is free and you can choose to have it posted through your letterbox, sent signed for or choose a safe place for Royal Mail to leave your parcel if you’re not home. The centralised dispensing service means the NHS saves rental and staff costs. Pharmacy2U does offer additional private services that are paid for, but it is an example of how companies can work with the NHS.

Another example is Babylon Health. With a range of services, including a cutting edge AI system, Babylon believes “it is possible to put an accessible and affordable health service in the hands of every person on earth.” Their AI provides health information only, not a diagnosis, and is not a substitute for seeing a doctor, but it does suggest a low cost way to deliver information. More interesting perhaps is their service ‘GP at Hand’. It’s in this service that the NHS and Babylon work together, providing a full NHS GP service with both digital and physical appointments at one of their five locations. GPs are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, and every session is free, no matter how long the appointment lasts.

 

Is it right to drive expectation for 24/7 GP services?

Who are these GPs willing to work 24/7? If we saw a huge uptake in these services (currently London based locations) would we encounter the same issues in recruiting enough staff? A large number of medical professionals choose to work as a GP because they want working hours that fit around their families. Will engaging with online services reduce the demand on GPs, or in fact, increase them?

Some GP surgeries already operate on the model where the patient receives a phone call from the doctor, before an appointment is issued. Perhaps upgrading these calls to video calls could provide a more effective solution for both practice and patient. But by driving services online, are we in fact discriminating against the most vulnerable and the most in need of our beloved NHS? It is one of the great jewels in Britain’s crown. If we can innovate to improve and support the institution of the NHS and its staff, surely we must!

 

Kaleida is a bespoke software development house based in Manchester. Our team are fascinated by the latest in technological developments – for more tech news and insights, be sure to visit the Kaleida blog. Or, to find out about how we can help your business get in touch.