NHS Wales is planning to expand its use of video consultations into virtual group clinics.
It has announced nationwide plans for clinician-run sessions on specific areas of care with 10-15 patients under the Attend Anywhere service.
These will be delivered to over 250 clinical teams in a programme with digital healthcare specialist Redmoor-ELC.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has already begun delivering therapy services virtually in a number of areas including dietetics, pulmonary rehabilitation and especially speech and language therapy.
NHS Wales said the early feedback has been positive, with staff and patients saying the technology has been easy to use and the latter reporting it had been more convenient than travelling to appointments.
The opportunity to share experiences with others has also been seen as a benefit.
Minister for Health and Social Services Vaughan Gething said: “During the pandemic, we have seen transformational changes and new ways of working to ensure the continuity of patient care from GPs, community health in the community and in hospital outpatient departments. Thousands of patients have already received excellent care via individual video consultations and we can now accelerate our plans for virtual group consultations.
“Wales is the first country to roll out this way of working across all three parts of our NHS. Our virtual group clinics will lead the way and ensure that people in Wales will be able to access the benefits of medical care and support, whichever clinician they need to see, in whatever setting, from the convenience of their own home.”
Image from iStock, Ridofranz
