The issues we face

Before we discuss the online GP consultation and why it is the most logical answer let us see the problems we are facing and why such technology is needed.

As a society, we are facing many issues regarding our National Health Service. The ageing population and growth of the general population, mixed with the declining number of GP’s is causing a shortage of available consultations. This increases pressure on our remaining GP’s.

This is not an unknown problem, but a developing one that the government and the NHS are trying to fix. In the meantime locum GP’s are the short term solution to plug the expanding holes in GP practices. General practice is facing an average increase in the workload of around 2.5% a year since 2007/8, taking into account both volume and acuity.

Possible solutions

With the increasing demand for consultations; there have been several solutions that are being speculated to help decrease the pressures of GP consultations in the UK.

Online Symptom Checker

The first is online symptom checkers. Some practices have already put systems in place for potencial patients to check their basic symptoms online. This can determine if they need to come in for a face to face consultation with their GP. The purpose of this is to decrease the number of patients a practice needs to deal with.

Sadly for patients, the online symptom checker has some key flaws. The online symptom checker can’t accurately diagnose patients without a detailed description of their symptoms. Patients can exaggerate or leave out symptoms depending on their perception. Without accurate information, a symptom checker can give the wrong diagnosis.

More GP’s

The second solution is increasing the workforce of General Practitioners to supply the amount of GP consultations required to satisfy demand.

This is another solution that has been taken on by the government to produce an extra 5,000 GP’s by 2020. Sadly, none of the milestones or short term targets have been hit yet and the rate in which GP’s are leaving the industry is overtaking the amount of GP’s being trained to fill the unfilled vacancies.

Online GP Consultation

The final solution is a combination of the two previously discussed “solutions”. The best of both worlds, combining technology with the knowledge of a GP. An online GP service is the most promising solution to the GP consultation crisis at the moment.

The concept is to book a time slot with a GP through an app or website. This will allow you to have a consultation from your home, work or anywhere of your choosing. This will cut out the need for home visits for GP’s freeing up more time for consultations. With more time to consult the need for an increased workforce is not as pressing. With the knowledge of a fully qualified and experienced GP performing the consultation, this is far more reliable than a symptom checker.

AllDayDr is such a service, providing effective and efficient face to face GP consultations upon the touch of an app from anywhere in the country. You can be prescribed medication that will be delivered to your doorstep or even prescribed a sick note. Get the full service of a GP practice from the AllDayDr app, for both Android and IOS