Why have I been offered this type of appointment?
This service will allow us to keep you and our staff safe by delivering what care we can remotely as part of the trust response to COVID-19.
Is it secure?
Yes. The video link service is provided by Attend Anywhere, who has been accredited the same high data security standards as NHS. This platform is currently securely used in Scotland and numerous other NHS organisations in England.
Will you need any information about me?
Yes. You will be asked to verify who you are when the video consultation starts by entering your name and date of birth.
Is there any cost?
Video calling can use a significant amount of data so if you have a monthly data plan you may wish to check that you have sufficient data available. We cannot give an exact amount. However as an estimate, a one hour video call may use around 200mb of data.
What sort of computer or device do I need?
You will need a desktop or laptop computer with webcam, a smartphone, or a tablet and a broadband internet connection. If you have used the device for services such as Skype or FaceTime then it will be suitable. Most devices will have a built in camera and microphone, but if you have an older device you may need external ones.
How do I set up the virtual clinic on my device?
The clinic is accessed through your web browser using a laptop, desktop computer, smartphone or tablet device and a link to the virtual clinic waiting area that you will be supplied with.
What do I do at my appointment time?
- Ideally you should go somewhere suitably quiet and private for your consultation, for example in your own home.
- As with a face to face appointment you can have someone with you if you wish. Please make your doctor/nurse aware of who is present when you have your video consultation.
- When it is time for your appointment:
- click on/copy the link to the virtual clinic you have been given.
- this will open your own private virtual clinic space where you will be joined by your doctor/nurse etc.
- If you join first then you will see and hear the message “you are the only participant in the conference”. If your doctor/nurse has not yet joined or is running late then don’t worry, they will join you as soon as they can.
- When the consultation starts, your doctor/nurse will:
- introduce themselves and confirm your identity as with any other appointment.
- confirm that you are happy to proceed and that you can see and hear clearly.
- At the end of your consultation, your clinician will agree the next appointment or step with you.
What happens if I am having difficulty seeing or hearing my doctor through the video link?
- Let your doctor know straight away if you are experiencing any technical problems with the virtual clinic.
- Firstly, check your device has access to your camera and microphone.
- Video and audio quality can be affected by the speed of your internet connection. Normally the minimum requirement would be 3G speed (about 5Mbps download and 2Mbps upload). Therefore the faster your internet connection the clearer your consultation should be.
- If you are still having difficulty, your consultation may continue by telephone. Otherwise you will be offered a rescheduled video appointment. Please be aware that during the current Covid-19 pandemic, it may not be possible to be offered a face to face appointment.
Recording of my appointment?
We will not record your appointment. We politely ask that you also do not record your consultation. However you can discuss this with your clinician when you start your appointment if you need to.
Which web browsers can be used?
We recommend the use of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox as they have been proven to provide the best experience when connecting to the virtual clinic. Other web browsers are supported but they may not provide full functionality.
The following browser versions are supported (however we recommend you use the latest publicly-released version of that browser):
- Google Chrome version 43 and later
- Mozilla Firefox version 39 and later
- Apple Safari version 6 and later (Mac OS X only). Safari versions 6 to 10 require Adobe Flash Player 11 and later plug-in. Safari version 11 on wards uses WebRTC
- Opera version 23 and later
- Microsoft Internet Explorer version 11 and later on Windows 7 (requires Flash Player 11 and later ActiveX® plug-in and must not be in Compatibility View).
PC or laptop hardware requirements:
As a minimum we recommend that your PC or laptop has:
- 4GB of RAM
- Intel Core i5 processor or equivalent