GPs switching to phone and internet appointments to stop virus spreading

GPs across Nottinghamshire are using telephone and internet consultations to see patients without putting them at risk of spreading coronavirus.

Routine face to face appointments have now been cancelled for most patients, except the most vulnerable or urgent cases after being triage assessed by GPs.

Instead, patients are required to describe their healthcare issues online or to a call handler, so that GPs can make a clinical decision about how to safely provide advice and treatment.

The local NHS wants to ensure that the most vulnerable patients attending practices for urgent issues are not exposed to large groups of patients who could be carrying the virus without knowing.

The move also aims to help GPs prioritise patients with the most urgent illnesses and injuries while other parts of the NHS are under extreme pressure with coronavirus cases.

Dr Nicole Atkinson, who is a GP in Eastwood and clinical lead in the local NHS system, said: “Practices are changing the way they work to ensure they can safely provide care without bringing people to surgeries unless it’s absolutely necessary.

“It’s important to recognise, however, that this is a rapidly developing situation and we will need to continually change and develop the way we work as the situation evolves.

People can help the local NHS and prevent the spread of infection by taking simple steps such as ordering prescriptions online, using the NHS.uk service for the latest advice about coronavirus and not attending their GPs without a booked appointment.