Remote consultations
Remote consultations (over the phone, via video link or online) have increased. So when is it safe to prescribe without meeting a patient face to face?
The flow chart below may help doctors apply our ethical guidance to manage patient safety risks and decide when it’s usually safe to treat patients remotely. For the latest guidance on remote consultations in a pandemic see our COVID-19 FAQs.
Is a remote consultation appropriate?
"We welcome innovations in medical practice that enable good care for patients, and support the use of remote prescribing that follows our clear prescribing guidance used in consultation with a patient in person or online."
Charlie Massey - Chief Executive and Registrar of the General Medical Council
Good practice – key issues
Ensure that the medium you are using does not affect your ability to follow the law and our guidance. Consent and continuity of care are key issues to remember when you are advising or prescribing treatment for a patient via remote consultation.
Consent
- Give patients information about all the options available to them (including the option not treat) in a way they can understand.
- Tailor the information you give, and the way you give it, to patients’ individual needs, and check that they’ve understood it.
- If you’re not sure a patient has all the information they want and need, or that they’ve understood it, consider whether it is safe to provide treatment and whether you have valid consent
- You must ensure you can assess a patient's capacity. If a patient lacks capacity to make a decision, consider whether remote consultation is appropriate, including whether you can meet the requirements of mental capacity law.
Continuity of care
- If you’re not the patient’s GP, ask the patient for consent to get information and a history from their GP and to send details of any treatment you’ve arranged.
- If the patient refuses, explore their reasons and explain the potential impact of their decision on their continuing care.
- If the patient continues to refuse, consider whether it is safe to provide treatment.
- Make record of your decision and be prepared to explain and justify it if asked to do so.
- Follow our guidance on consent and good practice in prescribing
- Work within your competence
- Check you have adequate indemnity cover for your remote consultation activities
- Discuss this element of your practice with your responsible officer at appraisal
High level principles
Related guidance
Decision making and consent
Paragraphs 8 - 49 - The Dialogue leading to a decision
Paragraphs 76 - 86 - If you patient may lack capacity to make the decision
Good medical practice
Paragraphs 44 – 45 – Continuity and coordination of careGood practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices
Paragraphs 60 – 66 – Remote prescribing via telephone, video-link or online
Raising and acting on concerns
Paragraphs 1 – 17 – Raising a concern
Paragraphs 19 – 26 – Acting on a concern