Before Covid, many patients and healthcare staff found virtual consultations to be a convenient alternative to face-to-face assessments. Throughout the pandemic however, virtual consultations have been more than just convenient - they have been essential to help keep both patients and staff safe.
Virtual consultations have provided a way for healthcare staff to safely group patients, selecting the most appropriate method of consultation. It has allowed the practice of social distancing, adherence to national recommendations and avoidance of unnecessary travel to reduce infectious contacts, promoting population health.
Our outpatient teams across West Yorkshire and Harrogate are working together to find the best possible solution to optimise virtual consultations that are reliable and consistent across the region. This document Working together - Virtual Consultations gives a summary of the outcomes from a workshop held in December 2020 where attendees looked at some of the key barriers to virtual consultations, potential risks and the next steps.