Care on Demand: ‘absolutely invaluable’
22 September 2020
A member has praised the Care on Demand service provided for members of the West Midlands Police Federation Group Insurance Scheme (GIS) saying he found it ‘absolutely invaluable’ during the pandemic.
Care on Demand gives subscribers to our GIS access to an appointment with a GMC licensed GP 24/7 whether in the UK or on holiday.
And the member contacted the Federation after using the service when they were concerned they had coronavirus.
“I wanted to thank the Fed for the extra Care on Demand service, included with Group Insurance, which has been absolutely invaluable during the Covid-19 situation as both my wife and I have been quite ill and required antibiotics. As a result of the service, we did not need to put ourselves at risk by going to the GP... superb service,” he wrote.
The 35-year-old man had called the service with a potential throat infection and was concerned he had coronavirus, particularly since his wife was pregnant.
The doctor noted that the patient had developed a sore throat with chills and sweats. He was also experiencing photosensitivity in his eyes which he was treating with topical antibiotic drops.
On examination, the doctor saw that his throat looked very red and inflamed but he had no cough or difficulty breathing.
The doctor reassured the patient that it was likely a bacterial throat infection, however, in case it was a Covid presentation and as his wife fell into the high-risk group, he was advised to self-isolate for seven days, sleep in a separate room and use a separate bathroom if possible.
The doctor prescribed a course of penicillin and advised, if his symptoms improved, it was unlikely to be Covid-19 and he could cease isolation.
West Midlands Police Federation has recently extended the existing contract with the Care on Demand service until 1 April 2021.
Through Care on Demand, for any non-emergency case, whether physical or mental, GIS members can discuss health concerns with a GP, via phone or video consultation. Calls can normally be arranged within two hours of your request.
And, unlike a GP visit, there is no time limit on the consultation (video consultations are up to 30 minutes) and more than one question can be asked.
Furthermore, the Care on Demand GP can arrange for a private referral to be sent to the patient or a private prescription* to be sent to a pharmacy of a member’s choice if they are in the UK.
It’s a service that is not designed to replace people’s own GP but to work in conjunction with them, entirely in line with the Secretary of Health’s strategy of introducing digital solutions to the NHS.
* Within safe online prescribing guidelines
The West Midlands Police Federation GIS is open to police officers, police staff, retired officers and their partners.
If you are not a member but would like to sign-up either individually or for your partner too, please visit our Group Insurance Scheme page or contact the office by emailing the Federation office.
