Video
consultations

We offer an outpatient video consultation appointment service called NHSVideoConsult. You may be asked by a clinician if you would like to use our video consultation service for a new or follow-up outpatient appointment. This is as an alternative to visiting the hospital for a face to face appointment.

Our video waiting rooms

How does it work?

This video will give you an idea of how your video consultation will work.

A quick guide for patients

This leaflet explains the process of an online consultation.

FAQs

Below are some frequently asked questions from our patents.

Accessing our video clinic

You will have received a letter or email, and also a text message if we have your mobile number, with details of your appointment, including the date and time and the name of your virtual clinic.

I have an appointment but I cannot connect. What should I do?

During office hours 8.30am-4.30pm please call 01342 414489 and one of the team will try and help you.

Can I change my appointment?

If you need to change your appointment date or time, or would prefer not to have a video consultation, please contact our appointments team on 01342 414141 who will be able to amend this for you.

Before your appointment – accessing our test area

If this is the first time you are having a video consultation, we recommend you check and test your equipment in advance. You can test your video connection prior to your appointment using our test waiting area during the times below. A member of the QVH team will log on to the test call to help check the connection with you:

Monday 3.30-4.30pm; Tuesday 8.45-9.45am; Wednesday 3.30-4.30pm; Thursday 12-1pm; and Friday 8.45-9.45am. Please note this service is not available on bank holidays.

Click this link to access the test waiting area.

What do I need to make a video call?
  • You will need a good connection to the internet. If you can watch a video online (e.g. YouTube) you can make a video call.
  • A private, well-lit area where you will not be disturbed during the consultation
  • An internet browser: Google Chrome on a desktop or laptop, or on an Android tablet or smartphone; or Safari on an Apple iMac, MacBook, iPad, or iPhone. We recommend when using Apple devices to use Safari 12.4 or later, for all other devices use Google Chrome 80 or later or Microsoft Edge 83 or later, for both video consultations and uploading photographs.
  • Web-camera, speakers, and microphone already built into laptops or mobile devices

Please note the video consultations do not work on Internet Explorer.

Is it secure?

Video calls are secure; your privacy is protected. You have your own private video room that only authorised clinicians can enter. Personal details entered at the start of video consultation will be deleted at the end of the call. You may be asked for permission to upload photos just for the purposes of your consultation, for example a skin lesion. Read our privacy statement here.

How much does a video call cost?

The video call is free (except for your internet usage).

How much internet data will I use?

You don’t use any data while waiting for a clinician to join you. A video call uses a similar amount of data to Skype or FaceTime (roughly 500 MB for 20 minutes).

Getting started

When you open the link to access the video consultation, you will be asked to enter your first name, last name, date of birth and phone number. This information will help us to identify you. Occasionally your appointment might not run at the planned time. When this happens the consultant will aim to send you a message via the application.

During the video consultation, your clinician may share their computer screen with you, to display test results, or other important information.