News, Primary Care News

Boots pilots new instore video GP service

Boots UK is to pilot an innovative new video GP service provided by LIVI to help make access to healthcare even easier.

The pilots will take place in North West Surry and a private service in the London Liverpool Street store.

LIVI allows patients to see a GP by video consultation in a Boots store, using a confidential pharmacy consultation room and instore tablet computer. A LIVI GP can provide patients with trusted medical advice, diagnostics, referrals and prescriptions.

In England, GP contracts state that all patients should have access to online and video consultations by 2021 as part of the NHS Long Term Plan. All LIVI GPs are GMC registered, UK-qualified, and trained in ‘web-side manner’ to offer the best medical advice.

The new service also means for people who don’t have a smartphones can still benefit from the convenience of using technology to see a GP, increasing equitable access to digital healthcare.

Paul Dunne, Transformation Director, Boots UK “Technology is changing the face of pharmacy and in this digital age, we know our patients, and their carers, want convenient, simple and accessible solutions to manage and take control of their health. Our collaboration helps make this new, digital model of care a more mainstream part of the NHS and has huge potential to alleviate the growing pressure on our healthcare system.”

Luke Buhl-Nielsen, LIVI UK, Country Director “We are delighted to be partnering with Boots to help more patients access quality healthcare at a time and place that suits them best. We believe that the health system should be more responsive to the needs of patients; digital health tech, such as LIVI, is the key to unlocking a more responsive and flexible health service. LIVI lessens the burden on the NHS – using technology to reduce missed appointments, lower costs, and improve care.”

This pilot is part of Boots UK’s larger plans to create a market-leading omni-channel pharmacy experience. Earlier this year, Boots introduced a Free Online NHS Repeat Prescription Service, a Cystitis Test and Treat Service in almost 300 stores, and VOYCE, an innovative interpretation service for non-English speaking pharmacy patients.