The doctor will see you now — but only if you’re on Skype

AT MY GP practice, you can wait up to three weeks for a face-to face appointment. If you want a phone consultation, that can take up to four weeks. So, I fail to see how arranging appointments using Skype (Mail) can result in any meaningful improvement for patients. Surely it’s the same amount of time for the GP, whichever way he sees you. ROY DILCOCK, Leeds. tHe plan to undertake some outpatient consultations by video-link is a welcome innovation that should relieve the pressure on overworked hospital consultants. What it mustn’t be used for is to disadvantage a patient who should be ‘seen’ by a doctor. However, just as it would be absurd to suggest that every outpatient appointment requires the patient to be seen by a consultant or registrar, the proposed system must not reduce the chance for junior doctors to deal directly with patients. My stoma and diabetes teams are accessible over the phone and their help has been

invaluable in reducing my need to visit my local hospital or GP. DES MORgAN, Swindon, Wilts. DON’T be condescending about Skype consultations and older people. Many grandparents are tech savvy and communicate daily with their family by Skype. Certainly some would prefer to ‘see’ their doctor without the hassle of organising transport to the surgery or hospital. DOUg ELLIOT, Ormskirk, Lancs. I FoNDLY remember The Two Ronnies sketch where Corbett was a patient consulting the doctor, Barker, via a TV screen. We roared with laughter at the improbability of it all, especially me, as I was working in general practice. Little did we think it would or could ever happen. What next, I wonder: DIY diagnosis on Google? Nothing can replace human contact. AUDRIE BURTON, Bromsgrove, Worcs. THE idea of a digital doctor, a phrase I associate with prostate checks, seems to be a simplistic approach. A personal visit allows the doctor to gauge your mental health, take your blood pressure, see how well you are moving and assess your appearance to get a fuller picture of your health. Is the next step a computer-generated doctor? Though they might diagnose ailments, they would lack the bedside manner of a good doctor. DENNIS FITZgERALD, Melbourne, Australia.