Mums-to-be welcome video appointments

Attend Anywhere scheme will save patients time and money

Mums-to-be in Oban and on the islands can now see consultants without having to travel miles.

NHS Highland is offering pregnant women living in remote areas of Argyll the chance to use its Attend Anywhere service.

The video link maternity service came about after the NHS listened to women saying that travelling for consultant appointments can be a real challenge.

It will save families time, money and bring their care closer to home.

Attend Anywhere means women can chat to their consultant from their own home or anywhere else as long as they have a computer, smartphone, iPad or iPhone with the free Attend Anywhere app downloaded, an internet connection and a webcam.

To use the video call service, which is free apart from the internet use cost, an appointment has to be made first with the midwife on 01631 788911.

If women prefer to travel to see their consultant in person, that is still an option. For some appointments it might still be necessary to travel anyway, especially if specialist input is needed.

Midwives still carry out usual checks, such as blood pressure, and Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban and the hospital on Islay have Attend Anywhere clinics where women can use the video link but have their midwife with them and have results from check-ups and some scans fed through to the consultant as part of the appointment.

Oban hospital has its Attend Anywhere clinics on a Wednesday.

Liz Blair, consultant obstetrician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, said it is an incredibly ‘simple and straight-forward’ process, where consultants log on and their patients are waiting for them in a virtual waiting room.

She said: ‘Our population are all young women and they are used to Skype and things like that so it’s no different to that. Feedback has been positive so far.’

Mum Oonagh Fielden, who was pregnant with her third child when she featured in an NHS video promoting the service, said in her second pregnancy when she lived in Oban she had to make a round trip of around 200 miles for a scan or consultancy appointment that would only last about 10 minutes.

This time, the Attend Anywhere clinic was making a huge difference.

‘I didn’t have any reservations,’ she said. ‘I felt comfortable knowing what the set up was about.

‘It was discussed with me fully beforehand.

‘Compared to last time, when I didn’t know who I was going to see or how long I would be and was tired after making the journey, this has been a huge benefit.’