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 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) is the right choice. Though the statistics are on Medefer’s side, it may not be a perfect system but it most definitely is helping the issue of the NHS being understaffed and it is supporting smaller hospitals that do not have the man-power to see as many patients as they have being referred to them.