Doctaly Assisst – Remote Patient Monitoring

The NHS Remote Patient Monitoring Service

The service has been created by the NHS and Doctaly to help monitor patients at home who have certain longterm conditions such as asthma, diabetes and hypertension.

It is designed to help NHS healthcare professionals safely manage and monitor these patients without the patients needing to physically visit a GP practice.

Many of these patients are particularly at risk from COVID-19, therefore home monitoring can help keep them safe.

What is Doctaly Assist?

Doctaly Assist is the technology platform that the above Service uses; the platform has been developed in partnership with the NHS, Kings College London and Imperial College.

Below you will find some questions asked regarding the service, click each heading to expand the item and view the answer.


FAQs

How does it work and how can it help me?

If your doctor feels that you should be monitored, with your consent you will be invited to use the service.

You will receive clinical assessment reminders via WhatsApp, asking you a series of questions about your condition and how you are feeling.

Your responses will always be reviewed by a healthcare professional and if necessary, you may be contacted directly via chat, phone or video.

Will this change how I book appointments with my GP?

No, you will continue to access your GP as normal for booking appointments etc.

This service is in addition to the existing services your GP provides.

What if I cannot access WhatsApp?

You can still use the service.

Please ensure your doctor is aware that you do not use WhatsApp when you are registered and alternative arrangements will be made.

Where does the information I provide go?

The information that you provide will be shared with your registered GP practice who are monitoring your condition.

It will not be shared with anyone else without your explicit permission.

Do I have to pay to use this service?

No, Doctaly Assist and the Monitoring Service are an NHS-funded service, therefore there is no charge for patients.

Please note, at the moment the Doctaly Assist Platform is only funded in certain regions.

How often will I have clinical assessments?

Based on your condition, your doctor will decide how often you should complete your clinical assessments.

The frequency of assessment can vary from daily, to annually depending on your situation. In addition, if you are feel that your symptoms have worsened, you can message the service and take an assessment immediately.

What if I’m too ill to complete an assessment?

If your condition deteriorates to the point that you feel too unwell to complete your assessment, you should call 999.

If you do not respond to your assessment prompts, you will be contacted by your GP Practice to check up on you.

Do I need any equipment to use the service?

You do not require diagnostic equipment in order to use Doctaly Assist. It is helpful to have as much information as possible but not absolutely necessary. Please let the referring doctor know if you have any of the following equipment already:

  • Blood Pressure Monitor
  • Thermometer
  • Peak Flow Meter

In some instances, you may be prescribed equipment to help with the monitoring, or alternatively you can purchase these online or from a pharmacy.

How long will I need to use the service for?

Your doctor will decide when it is appropriate for you to be discharged from the service.

What if I have multiple long-term conditions?

The monitoring service can assess more than one condition at the same time. You will be invited to complete different assessments for each condition and your doctor will evaluate each assessment separately.

Can I register my friends and family?

Unfortunately you cannot register friends and family on Doctaly Assist – the registration process is completed by a doctor, who makes decisions based on your condition, such as how frequently you should complete your clinical assessments.

This service is currently available in certain regions but we hope will be available to all patients in the near future.

What happens if I lose my phone or cannot access WhatsApp for some reason?

Please don’t panic if you lose your phone or are unable to access WhatsApp for any reason.

If you send an email to [email protected] with your details (full name/DOB/previous phone number), we will get you transferred over to a new number as quickly as possible.


Doctaly Assist – Privacy Policy

If you would like to read the Doctaly Assist Privacy notice to find out more about why Doctaly collects your information, what information they collect and how they use it, feel free to click the link below.