Push Doctor races to raise cash after innovative deal with NHS

A VIDEO doctor start-up that works with the NHS is racing to raise millions of pounds after securing a landmark contract to provide consultations to 12m patients.

Push Doctor, a British company that offers video GP appointments, is chasing a raise of £6.4m over the coming months to stave off a cash crunch after burning through funding.

Accounts for the Manchester-based business revealed that it secured £3m last month and would need to raise further funding in February and April.

It said the business only had a “sufficient cash runway” for six months and would need to raise additional capital by June 2020. It recently secured funding from private equity firm Celeres

Capital.

Push Doctor’s auditors, EY, warned in its accounts that a £12.2m loss in the 12 months to June 2018, its last financial year, suggested “material uncertainty” unless planned funding was secured.

Last week, Push Doctor announced it had won a contract with the NHS to provide video appointments to 12m patients over the next year, up from 3m.

Founded in 2013, Push Doctor lets users book an appointment via smartphone, see a doctor by video chat and get advice or prescriptions.

It recently became the first video consultation app to integrate with NHS GP data, giving its doctors access to patient records. It is ending private consultations to focus on its NHS service. Push Doctor has previously received about $37m (£28m) in venture funding from investors including Draper Esprit and ADV. Draper Esprit declined to comment on the funding round but said: “Push Doctor is a key part of future healthcare delivery in the UK.”

Wais Shaifta, Push Doctor chief executive, said the start-up had the backing of investors in 2020 and planned to “focus fully on supporting the NHS to deliver world-class care with our exciting digital innovations”.

In 2017, Push Doctor was criticised by the Care Quality Commission over its prescription practices for high-risk medicines and how it identified children using its app. It has since been rated “good” by the CQC.