Consultant Connect partners with NHS Scotland in nationwide teledermatology roll out
Consultant Connect has been commissioned to provide its digital image capture solution across NHS Scotland, integrating with Scotland’s referral platform. It is now rolling out its market-leading PhotoSAF teledermatology app and integration software across Scotland’s 14 Health Boards.
Teledermatology technology allows clinicians to take, store and share patient photos and files directly with specialists for advice and record-keeping purposes. Consultant Connect’s “PhotoSAF” software is already the most used teledermatology software in the UK, being commissioned across the whole of Wales and much of England.
PhotoSAF is most commonly used to take photos of a patient’s skin. The photos are stored securely and sharing them with specialists allows a decision on whether a face-to-face hospital appointment is necessary. If the patient does not need to be seen in person, the specialist can provide detailed management and treatment advice for the patient’s condition to be safely managed in primary care. This reduces waiting lists and improves patient care.
More than 3 million photos have been taken through Consultant Connect to date, with two thirds of teledermatology queries resulting in patients avoiding an unnecessary hospital appointment. Those that do need an appointment are seen at the right place with the right degree of urgency. The service works across adult and children dermatology services as well as the “two-week wait” skin cancer pathway.
PhotoSAF was first released in 2017. Usage of the tech has increased by 3,000% in 2024 compared to 2019.
Jonathan Patrick, CEO of Consultant Connect, said:
“We are incredibly excited to be working with NHS Scotland, our second whole-country rollout after Wales in 2020. PhotoSAF was the first teledermatology app to be rolled out at scale across the UK.
Since 2017 over 3 million dermatology photos have been taken using the app and it’s continuing to grow quickly. This technology can significantly speed up diagnosis and improve waiting times. We’re thrilled to be supporting clinicians in Scotland to provide better, faster care for patients.”
GP Locum and Primary Care Clinical Lead for the programme, Dr Beth Kerr, said:
“This tool has been designed with primary care needs as a priority, which has been very welcome. This pathway helps us to best help our patients with dermatology problems.
The app is intuitive and easy to use and gives the opportunity to quickly take images which are then seamlessly added to our SCI gateway dermatology referrals with a few clicks.
The process is safe and secure, allowing us to use the app with confidence. Adding an image ensures referrals are as informative as possible for secondary care enabling them to triage patient referrals effectively and efficiently.”
For more information:
If you’d like to find out more about how our services could help your NHS area, email info@consultantconnect.org.uk or call the team on 01865 261 467.
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