The rapid implementation of video consultations has been one of the standout stories of NHS innovation during the early stages of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with promising signs for how video can be used to deliver health and care long term. But there is a lot more to do to build on where we’ve got to.
Through fortnightly learning logs and reflective webinars from March to July 2020, the Q team heard from 50 participants, all of whom were implementing video consultations in response to COVID-19. In our short interactive infographic, we share what we’ve learned.
Insights from participants highlighted four factors that enabled such rapid progress in the first few months of the pandemic and six areas for action to build on that progress. Download the summary findings to explore these ten areas in more detail.
This project is part of a series of collective insight projects, harnessing perspectives and knowledge from across sectors, systems and roles to support you to undertake improvement and change.
This infographic shares a synthesis of what we heard from participants who self-selected to take part in this insight project. Participants’ views may not represent the majority experiences or perspectives of those in their organisations and teams, and there were no patients involved. We hope that these insights will help to inform wider conversations about the implementation of video consultations. You can also see a review of the wider evidence base and some priorities for future research in this Health Foundation blog or find out more about the project methodology.
What next?
See the links below to find out more about the project methodology and what we heard from participants as the work was unfolding in the fortnightly blogs. We’ve also included a list of further reading on the topic.
As you act on the findings, Q can support you:
- Use Q’s member directory to contact a community of almost 4000 improvers across the UK and Ireland – find members in your area, gather insight and solutions and tap into expertise that will support you to embed changes that meet your long-term priorities.
- Connect with people who are continuing to work on video consultations by joining the dedicated Special Interest Group.
- If you’re looking for opportunities and support to learn, build skills and collaborate, why not join Q?
Read the fortnightly blogs
- Initial insights from implementing virtual consultations
- Building for the long term: emerging insights about video consultations
- Continued progress but growing concerns about the future: emerging insights about video consultations
- Improving quality and tackling inequalities: emerging insights about video consultations
- Shifting gears and risking losing momentum: emerging insights about video consultations
- Hard won progress and priorities for the future: emerging insights about video consultations
Find out more about the project
- Find out more about the scope and methodology used in the project description and information sheet.
- You can contact the team for additional information by emailing Matthew Hill or Jo Scott.
Read more about video consultations
From the Health Foundation
- Building the evidence base on video consultations: three priorities for further research (26 August 2020)
- Three key quality considerations for remote consultations (4 June 2020)
Primary and community care based interventions
Skype
- Depressed lower income housebound older adults in the US
- Young people with spina bifida in the US
- Chronic knee pain management in Australia
Attend Anywhere
- General practice in Lothian, Scotland, UK
- Pharmaceutical care, Scottish Highlands, UK
Secondary care based interventions
Skype
- Diabetes outpatients in Newham, UK
- Paediatric Chronic Fatigue therapy in the West of England, UK
- Orthopaedic procedures follow up in the US
- Families with new born children in Sweden
Attend Anywhere
- Oculoplastic outpatients at Moorfields, UK
- Triage of dermatology referrals in Portsmouth, UK
- Plastic surgery trauma service in Salisbury, UK
- Scar clinics in Lincolnshire, UK
Unspecified applications
- Men post radical prostatectomy in the US
Interventions applied in multiple settings / through multiple professionals
Skype
- Breathlessness management in COPD patients in the US (setting and role of professional unspecified)
- Acceptance based behaviour therapy for people with social anxiety disorder in the US (therapist-led, participants recruited from college anxiety clinic)
- Psychotherapy for people with medically unexplained pain in Iran
Unspecified applications
- Adolescents with poorly controlled Type 1 diabetes in the US (setting and role of professional unclear)
- People with poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes in Denmark (Nurse led, patients recruited from both hospitals and health centres)
- Specialised palliative care in Denmark (Involved community nurses and a specialised palliative care team)