Manx Care seeks to reassure patients over remote GP appointments

More practices take on remote services provided by Tekihealth

Manx Care insists it's not trying to 'replace' face-to-face GP appointments with the introduction of telephone consultations.

More practices across the Island are adopting remote services which the health body says will help expand the availability of appointments.

What started with a trial at Ramsey Group Practice has now been taken on by Peel Group Practice and Kensington Group Practice as of today (4 September).

Over the next two weeks, Snaefell Surgery, Finch Hill Medical Centre, and Palatine Group Practice will also follow suit.

Patients will contact their practice as normal and, if the receptionist feels they're suitable, they will be offered the option of a telephone consultation.

The remote appointments are being carried out by a company called Tekihealth, with a group of off-Island doctors fielding the calls from Manx patients.

Dr Omobolaji Iji is the Director & Co-founder, while Annmarie Cubbon is Manx Care's Divisional General Manager of Primary, Community & Therapy Services:

As well as those surgeries already set to take on telephone services, Manx Care says Hailwood Medical Centre also now has the option - and that will complete all the surgeries from the north, the east and the west.

So, what happens if the telephone line goes down? And are patient records, which will be accessed by overseas GPs, cyber secure?

Listen to the full interview via the Manx Radio Newscast below: