1st February 2019, London This month Q doctor has announced the launch of their Q health product; a video consultation platform specifically customised for use in a non-GP healthcare setting. During late 2018 Q doctor have been working with Hospital Trusts in Lincoln and London to run two successful pilots, to provide a solid evidence base for the safe and effective care and cost savings the technology helps bring about.
The digital service currently works with 75 GP practices across England, but this latest product announcement marks an expansion beyond Primary Care to other areas that are in need of modernisation. It comes in the context of the recently released NHS Long Term Plan, which promises digital GP appointments for all by 2023/24, and a recognition by the Royal College of Physicians that digital solutions are a key part of future hospital outpatient care provision (‘Outpatients - The future’).
Founded by Dr Chris Whittle, an NHS England ‘Clinical Entrepreneur’, Q doctor and its sister product Q health support existing clinicians in NHS healthcare settings to deliver care more flexibly and conveniently than traditional face-to-face interactions. Platform approval by NHS Digital in a certification process ahead of use in Lincoln meant the technology design - with clinician input - has been validated pre-deployment and has good engagement by clinicians who can trust that it has been designed with safety in mind.
In addition to recent national contracts with NHS organisations, the Care Quality Commission has also recently inspected Q doctor, deeming it Safe, Effective, Caring, Responsive and Well-led. This recognition is crucial in assuring patient safety and clinical efficacy, giving patients and clinicians firm confidence in Q doctor’s services and technology, whilst also setting it apart from a large number of other healthtech innovations that have yet to achieve such status .
**Dr Chris Whittle, Q doctor’s Founder and CEO, said:** “We’re delighted to announce the launch of Q health, which has come about through collaborative work with forward-thinking hospital trusts keen to provide the best modernised care for their patients.”
“We had some fantastic feedback during pilots in Lincoln and London, from patients who had time and inconvenience saved, to clinicians excited and reassured by the robustness and safety-led design of the platform. We’ve also been able to show significant savings to trusts, so are excited to see where we can support other hospitals nationwide with our offering.”
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NOTES TO EDITORS
For more information, further comment or to arrange an interview, contact:
Dr Chris Whittle, Q doctor founder & CEO E: [email protected] T: 07704 765536
About Q Doctor
Dr Chris Whittle is a trained anaesthetist with a special interest in using healthtech innovation to improve patient care in the NHS. As recognition of his work to drive and facilitate innovation in healthcare, Chris was accepted on to NHS England’s prestigious Clinical Entrepreneur training programme. With the support of NHS England he launched Q doctor in 2016 after realising the challenges associated with how people are able to access the care they need. Q Doctor is also a member of HS. accelerator and Digital Health.London accelerator.