They have become a mainstay of the pandemic and according to Scotland's biggest health board many patients prefer the convenience of a virtual GP appointment.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said "nearly all" the patients who accessed online consultations would use the service again.

The health board surveyed patients involved in 3,481 virtual consultations in GP practices and clinics and said 98%  reported that they would repeat the experience.

More than four out of five (83%) described not having to travel for an appointment as the biggest benefit, with just under two-thirds (61%) pointing to the increased convenience while 58% said the consultations represented a more efficient use of their time overall. The board did not disclose the age of the survey participants.

In October alone almost 12,000 ‘Near Me’ appointments were carried out across more than 970 services in the board area.

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Health leaders say the shift to online and telephone consultations played a key role in the pandemic in reducing Covid risks and helping clinicians manage the volume of patients.

They say virtual consultations last an average of 31 minutes, and for the majority of patients, fulfil the same requirement as an in person appointment would but stress that decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and those who require it, will be seen in person.

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Brian Sloan, of Age Scotland, said it was important to recognise that virtual appointments are not suitable for everyone.

He said GPs were often able to pick up medical issues in person that the patient was not aware of themselves.

"There are huge numbers of older people in Scotland without access to the internet, who face communication barriers and find it very difficult to explain their medical concerns without examination. 

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“Even with more video and phone consultations, people had difficulty accessing medical help, especially during the midst of the pandemic. 

"We know from calls to our helpline that older people struggled to make GP appointments in the first place, with the only option to do so being via a website.

“During an in-person appointment, GPs are often able to pick up on a range of factors about a patient’s wellbeing, such as their mobility, malnourishment, and mental health issues even if it’s something they have not noticed themselves. 

"This is particularly important for older people who live alone and may not see many other people on a regular basis."

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NHS GGC say virtual appointments are particularly useful for patients who are isolating or unable to leave the house due to caring commitments or for mental health concerns.

Dr Kerri Neylon, deputy medical director for primary care services, said the pandemic had forced a much more rapid implementation than planned but said patients are now getting used to the change.

She said:  “Remote consultations are allowing our GPs to manage extremely high patient numbers, and providing a valuable service to patients where it’s not essential to be seen in person. 

"Feedback overall is very positive, and our patients are getting used to it. 

"However, we are not taking a blanket approach with Near Me, and would stress that there are still thousands of telephone and face to face patient appointments taking place across GP practices in within Greater Glasgow and Clyde. If you need to be seen in person, you will be.”