DIY doctor promises to slash GP waiting times in Bedfordshire by charging for digital consultations

Medicspot plans to roll out the digital clinics in selected pharmacies next year. But patients will have to pay £39 for the privilege.

The doctor can listen to the patient’s heart and lungs, look into their ears and throat, and check their vitals including blood pressure, oxygen levels and body temperature – all without needing to be in the same room.

Medicspot is already available in Goldharts Pharmacy in Bedford, where patients can book online and pay £39 for a same-day GP consultation. The company plans to bring the service to many more pharmacies across Bedfordshire early next year.

It comes after NHS figures revealed 22 per cent of people in in the county are waiting longer than two weeks to get seen by a GP – with tens of thousands waiting over a month for an appointment.

Figures also suggest 64 per cent of residents were not offered a choice of time or date for their appointment, six in 10 did not get a same-day appointment with a GP and 36 per cent of people in Bedfordshire find it difficult to get through to their practice by phone.

Dr Zubair Ahmed, co-founder of Medicspot, said: “In light of these figures, we hope our service will offer a convenient alternative for people in Bedfordshire and help ease some of the pressures the NHS is facing."

A national survey of patients who have used the new service revealed 40 per cent of respondents would have gone to accident and emergency if they didn’t use Medicspot – generating a £1.2million saving for the NHS, said Dr Ahmed.

To see the full Medicspot GP Report 2019, click here