In late March 2020, Seaside View Child Development Centre in Brighton converted all appointments to video or telephone formats. The centre, which specialises in children with special needs, primarily neurodevelopmental and complex disabilities, sought service user and staff experiences of video consultations.
All families who had AccuRx video consultations within a five-week period were sent anonymised qualitative questionnaires. All staff members who had either performed or observed video consultations were asked for qualitative responses. Seventy-four families and 29 staff members (40% and 62% response rates, respectively) were sent surveys.
Families highlighted the convenience of video consultations compared with face-to-face appointments. Two-thirds mentioned less travel time and missing less work or school. Families also remarked on the opportunity for both parents to attend the consultation despite differing geographical locations. Some felt more relaxed in their home environment. More than half said there was nothing they did not like about the consultation.
Staff experienced more challenging situations, with 94 per cent having technological difficulties. Staff also referred to the limited scope for examination and difficulty in assessing non-verbal cues and building rapport. Many appointments lasted greater than an hour, which was “demanding” and “tiring.”
There was a disparity in initial opinions of staff and families, with the majority of families finding video consultations acceptable to delivering health care within the current climate. The authors say the difference in opinions may indicate that professionals were asked to adapt to working environments, while families were “grateful that the appointment was going ahead”.
