DOCTORS are assessing child patients via video link in a move designed to cut down on the rising number of parents clogging up A&E departments with children who do not require emergency treatment.
Four NHS health boards have taken part in a pilot project that saw GPs and doctors in rural and community hospitals contacting an on-call paediatric consultant via video conferencing who then assessed a child.
Medical experts say video conferencing can offer parents and GPs reassurance and cut down on unnecessary emergency department admissions, as well as offering a faster and improved quality of care for those that are seriously unwell and in need of urgent treatment.
The paediatric unscheduled care project, co-funded by the NHS and Scottish Government, saw dedicated on-call paediatric consultants provide 14 district general and community hospitals in rural Scotland, many of which are led by general practitioners, with access to a paediatric consultant 24 hours a day by video conference. NHS Grampian, Shetland, Orkney and Western Isles all took part.
Following the pilot, emergency admissions for children fell by 25 per cent in the areas using the scheme. A working group has been set up to look at expanding the scheme.
Professor James Ferguson, consultant surgeon in emergency medicine, NHS Grampian and National Clinical Lead, The Scottish Centre for Telehealth and Telecare, led the project.
He said: "This has been a test to see if it would work, and it did.
"For many patients, it is not always necessary to see them face to face. If you were able send a picture of a rash or Facetime with a nurse or doctor, I think the general pubic would be happy to be offered advice and reassurance, without the need to travel in to A and E.
"It also means that we would improve the care of patients that are very seriously unwell by starting treatment earlier."
Ferguson said that during the pilot, at least, a quarter of patients avoided unnecessary hospital transfers.
He added: "We can apply this model to adults, and improve the care of elderly people. We are looking at the moment at the best ways to get the most out of such a service."
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "This is an example of how appropriate use of technology can improve access to health services."
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