Medefer

We’re all aware the NHS is under an extreme amount of pressure, and that load doesn’t seem to be lightening anytime soon. An immediate concern for this platform may be that there is a deterrence to virtual appointments, as many don’t feel they’ve actually been “seen” properly if not in person. Though with 90% patient satisfaction, maybe we’re wrong. The shorter wait time after GP referral is possibly more comforting than the average 4-month wait for a lot of current NHS referrals. After several seed funding rounds in their startup years, it may not be a surprise that, with the demand for virtual services, it was granted Series A funding (£10M) in 2020.

There is still a fair bit of controversy around the importance of being seen in person and whether even telephone consultations with your GP (rather than the good old appointment at your doctor's surgery) are the right choice. Though the statistics are on Medefer’s side, it may not be a perfect system, but it most definitely is helping with the issue of the NHS being understaffed. Medefer is supporting smaller hospitals that do not have the man-power to see as many patients as have been referred to them.