Video Consultations at South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Video Consultations are one way that your Clinician may choose to see you going forward. To perform video consultations, we are using secure video platforms that allow you to have a consultation from your home or own private space. You will need to have access to a smartphone or a computer with a webcam and have a good internet connection.
There are currently two ways in which you may be offered a Video Consultation with a Clinician at SWFT; either with AccuRx or Microsoft Teams (both are secure web-based systems).
Video Consultations are for patients with pre-arranged appointment times only. Patients due for appointments that can be carried out by Video Consultation will be invited to do so.
On this webpage you’ll find information on:
- Video Consultations on AccuRx
- Video Consultations on Microsoft Teams
- Patient Feedback
If the Video Consultation is to be held on AccuRx, the Service will contact you directly or this will be outlined in your appointment letter. AccuRx Video Consultation Invitations are sent via SMS text message from ‘NHS No Reply’. You will receive a text message when your clinician is ready to see you with a link to join the consultation.
What you will need:
- A charged-up computer, tablet or smartphone with a built-in camera and microphone
- A quiet, well-lit place where you won't be disturbed
- A good internet connection
It is recommended that you use WIFI connection where possible. If unable to use WIFI, on average an AccuRx consultation would use 5-8MB of data per minute – AccuRx have configured this to be on ‘low data mode’ by default. In comparison to other Video Tools you may be familiar with, it is a little more than FaceTime which used about 3MB per minute but a lot less than Zoom which used 13.5MB to 40MB.
Starting the Video Call on AccuRx:
- When your clinician is ready to see you, you’ll receive an SMS Text Message from NHS-NoReply with a link in it.
(By default, Video Consultation Invitations will be sent via text message. It is possible to receive AccuRx Video Consultations via email but you will need to speak to the Service Booking Team to arrange this.) - If you are using a smartphone, please tap the link which will open in your smartphone browser.
- You'll need to run through some Technical Checks before joining to make sure your microphone and camera work.
- If you would prefer to have your consultation on a Desktop, Laptop, Tablet or iPad which has a webcam and microphone, please type the link into your browser.
- AccuRx is compatible with Safari on iOS, Chrome on Android, Chrome or Firefox on desktop.
(Please note, this does not work with Internet Explorer.) - Your clinician will be waiting for you in the consultation.
- Should you experience any technical issues during your Video Call, please let your clinician know as soon as possible and the Clinician may revert to a Telephone Call.
If the Video Consultation is to be held on Microsoft Teams, the Service will contact you directly via email with a unique link to attend the consultation which will be sent to your chosen email address.
- We recommend clicking the link and accessing your Microsoft Teams Consultation at least 10 minutes before the Consultation
- When you click the link, Microsoft Teams will open in your browser. Make sure you 'Join as Guest'.
- You'll need to run through some Technical Checks before joining to make sure your microphone and camera work.
- You will enter a waiting room. Your clinician will let you in when they are ready to see you.
Please contact the number at the bottom of your Appointment Letter if you need to speak with a member of our team about your Microsoft Teams Appointment. Should you experience any technical issues during your Video Call, please let your clinician know as soon as possible and the Clinician may revert to a Telephone Call.
If you have had a Video Consultation recently, we would value your feedback and would appreciate it if you could complete a short questionnaire on your experience. All responses are anonymous.