LIVI, which is the UK division of European digital healthcare provider KRY, has announced a collaboration with Our Health Partnership Northampton General Practice Alliance, Alliance for Better Care, as well as other partners across the South East.
The goal of the partnership is to “bring access to app-based video GP consultations for over 1.85 million NHS patients”, enabling local GPs to treat digitally patients in their area.
The company is already operating in North-West Surrey, with the service available to over 360,000 patients. The service will now be extended to Birmingham, Shropshire, Northamptonshire, and parts of the South-East, as well as extending services to more practices in Surrey.
The partnership comes on the heels of significant pressure for the UK’s Primary Care Networks, with the NHS struggling to recruit and retain doctors, particularly in crucial areas such as pediatrics.
Video consultations promise to take the strain off GPs while offering them greater flexibility allowing them to focus their time on the patients who need it most.
LIVI’s mission is to improve access to primary care for every patient while relieving pressure on GP surgeries.
“Our first partnership in North-West Surrey highlighted within the first six months the positive impact that LIVI can have — offering GPs greater workplace flexibility, decreasing attendance at A+E or Urgent Care Centres, while delivering excellent care for every patient,” Luke Buhl-Nielsen, LIVI’s UK country manager, said in a statement. “We’re excited to see the future impact of our new partnerships for both patients and care providers.”
NHS England’s recently published GP Patient Survey revealed a 28% drop in the number of patients reporting that they went directly to A&E after being unable to get a suitable GP appointment in the year since August 2018.