Date published: 15 January, 2024
Date last updated: 28 March, 2025
Digital, General practice

Video consultation tools

Version 1.3, 28 March 2025

This guidance is part of the Online patient facing services section of the Good practice guidelines for GP electronic patient records.

Video consultation tools form part of  the Digital first online consultation and video consultation (DFOCVC) framework and the core digital offer for primary care. 

Amendments to the GMS and PMS regulations mean that all practices within England must offer video consultations to their patients.

Video consultations (VC) provide patients with greater choice and flexibility, offering remote and secure appointment options in real-time, through the use of a smartphone, tablet, or computer. VCs can be a separate tool from the online consultation (OC) tool or be a feature offered as part of the OC tool.

Features

Patients and clinicians can connect to each other using a secure link generated by the VC tool and sent to the patient via SMS (text) or email. 

In their simplest form, VC tools allow a:

  • secure video conference platform for the clinician and the patient
  • secure voice communication pathway for the clinician and the patient

The ability to hear or see the patient will, however, depend on the equipment used by the patient and the consulting clinician.  VC tools can also provide some advanced features to help with this, for example a chat function.

The Modern General Practice Model pages provide links to some related helpful resources to support video consultations.

Advantages and pitfalls

Advantages

The advantages of VC tools over telephone consultations include:

  • noticing visual cues unavailable over the telephone
  • improved rapport with patients
  • potential for multi-disciplinary team (MDT) or multi-stakeholder video consultations
  • use of virtual ward rounds for nursing homes
  • ability to carry out video-specific examinations and assessments
  • potential for video group consultations for chronic disease management and health promotion
  • improving the consultation experience for housebound patients
  • improving access for certain patient groups who struggle with face to face consultations but want a more personal approach beyond telephony
  • helping to pick up extra information during the consultation process

Potential pitfalls

The potential pitfalls include:

  • dependency on the hardware set up for the patient and the practices
  • dependence on a good internet connection
  • digital exclusion for groups that find the use of technology daunting or financially prohibitive
  • reduced examination potential compared to face-to-face consultations.
  • technical issues that stop the flow of the consultation
  • lack of confidence by clinicians in carrying out video consultations
  • perceived lack of value of video consultations over telephone consultations

The British Journal of General Practice: Video Consultations article provides further information on the benefits versus disadvantages of video consultations.

Preparation for video consulting

Practices will need to ensure the correct hardware and software is tested and reliably working for video consultations to support ongoing use.  Equipment can be procured directly from suppliers or by working closely with local commissioners/supply frameworks. 

Clinicians may also decide to work from home.  Practices using VC tools for consulting should check the following when staff carry out video consultations from home:

  • Do they have the correct equipment and hardware?
  • Does their equipment meet the risk assurance standards of the practice and wider NHS standard?
  • Can they connect to the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) and NHS identity service to securely carry out video consultations?
  • Do they have a space to carry out video consultations confidentially?
  • Do they have a stable and fast internet connection to support video consultations from home?
  • Has the practice provided a policy on home working?
  • Do clinicians have a clear understanding of emergency management protocols and escalation procedures during an emergency?
  • Do their contracts require amendment for regular remote working?
  • Have they carried safe working practice assessments for home working?

Security and confidentiality

Information governance is covered in these NHS England pages on using video conferencing and consultation tools.

Empowering patients

Patients will have varying levels of understanding and confidence with video consulting.  Using engagement channels directly through the practice, social media, or via targeted messaging campaigns can be helpful.  

The Nuffield Department of Primary Care and Health Science has created useful guides for patients including a quick guide for patients including a section on frequently asked questions.   There is also guidance for service users on the NHS England website.

Empowering clinicians and staff

Where possible, practices should create or share training guides on video consulting with their staff.  This includes information explaining the limitations of video consulting and its safe use.  

Video consultations work best when they are integrated into the overall practice approach to consulting with patients.  

NHS England has published a set of graphical guides to video conferencing for staff and for patients.

Related GPG content

Other helpful resources

Date published: 15 January, 2024
Date last updated: 28 March, 2025