Virtual video clinics

Attend Anywhere is digital software which allows virtual video consultations to take place between clinicians and patients. Attend Anywhere has been in place at University Hospital Southampton (UHS) since August 2019. Person at computer

The Trust knew during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic that patients would need to continue to see their doctor without travelling into hospital. In response to this need Attend Anywhere was rapidly scaled up.

Virtual clinics at University Hospital Southampton

Over a short space of time the Trust went from 3 virtual clinics, to over 90 clinics running virtual doctor and patient video consultations. Now, every month, 1,000’s of patients receive virtual clinical care, without the need leave their home or place of work to travel into the hospital.

Benefits for patients and the community 

This way of seeing your doctor has many benefits. With this is mind, patients do not need to take journeys to get into hospital, either by car or public transport. This helps to reduce air pollution which is an important part of our digital work at the Trust, and across the whole of the NHS. Using virtual doctor and patient video consultations means there is less disruption to the patient’s day to day life. For example, a patient may need to take time off work to physically travel into hospital. Again, having a virtual doctor and patient video consultation means the patient would not need to take as much time off work, if any.

Another example of a benefit having a doctor and patient video consultation is that a patient may need someone to give them a lift to come into hospital. Arranging this journey into hospital, not to mention parking, can be stressful for both the patient and their carer. 

The future

The digital team is looking to incorporate virtual doctor and patient video consultations into My Medical Record. My Medical Record is a secure digital platform where patients can see their results, doctors letters and future appointments. You can find out more about My Medical Record here. 

If you are a patient and have a video appointment; read guidance about your video consultation 

"My patients have said that they have found our video consultations useful as they do not have to attend the hospital. They prefer it to a telephone call." Occupational Health Clinician