Video consulting with your NHS: A quick guide for patients
Video consulting with your NHS
A quick guide for patients
Why choose it?
- You can still have NHS appointments if you are social distancing or isolating
- We can still see how you are
- It can save you stress, time and money
- Calls are safe and secure
What you need
- A charged up computer, tablet or smartphone with a built in camera and microphone
- A quiet, well-lit place where you won’t be disturbed
- A good internet connection
Setting up
1. We will send your appointment time and information you’ll need to access your appointment via email, text message or letter
2. We may send you a text message reminder
3. Make sure you’re familiar with the software before your appointment
4. Make a list of questions or issues before the call to help you get the most from your consultation
Starting the video call
5. Start the video call software a few minutes before your appointment, you may have been given a link to click on
6. You may be asked to confirm your date of birth and a phone number so we can call you if you get cut off
7. Your doctor or nurse will join you or call you when they are ready
8. Say hello or wave to your doctor or nurse
The consultation
9. Look at your doctor or nurse’s face on screen whilst you’re talking, there is no need to look directly at your camera
10. If all goes well, the call will feel like a face to face appointment
11. If you want to show us something, like where it hurts, you can try to use the screen camera
12. If something goes wrong and you get disconnected, we’ll phone you instead
Ending the video call
13. Ask us any questions you like before you go
14. We’ll arrange your next video appointment, prescription or a face to face visit
15. We’ll say goodbye before we go
16. You can leave your feedback to help us make future consultations better
Article photo by Beci Harmony on Unsplash
