Europe’s largest GP video consultation provider, LIVI, launches in the NHS

• LIVI aims to reduce NHS waiting time pressures and unnecessary A&E visits
• Latest NHS survey found nearly 1 in 4 people across the country must wait over a week to see a local GP[1]
• The same survey found that 11% of patients who did not take the GP appointment they were offered went to A&E instead[2]
• Across Europe, the online service has delivered over half a million digital GP consultations, with a 4.7 out of 5 patient rating

Online GP consultation provider LIVI, which is taking part in the DigitalHealth.London Accelerator programme, is launching today to patients across the UK through a new NHS partnership. The CQC-registered service that offers patients a safe, fast and easy way to book GP consultations via smartphone or tablet.

As the largest digital primary care provider in Europe, LIVI has already delivered over half a million GP consultations for patients. It is now available via the NHS to patients registered with GP practices in North West Surrey and the North West of England. Once signed up to LIVI, patients can speak to experienced GPs who can provide medical advice, prescriptions, fit notes and referrals.

Patients will be able to book an appointment at a range of times that suit them, including during evenings, weekends and on bank holidays, without having to re-register with a new practice.

Dr Caroline Baker, CEO of NICS GP Federation in North West Surrey said:

“GPs in NW Surrey, just like GPs all around the country, are struggling with an increased work load from a growing and ageing population, tight budgets and a workforce crisis. The GP federation for NW Surrey (NICS), is running extended access clinics to help relieve this pressure. As part of this we are partnering with LIVI to offer our patients a high quality video GP service that is a true collaboration between NICS and 40 practices in the area. LIVI offers a fast, safe and effective alternative for our NHS patients, which will benefit many patients of all ages, whilst helping to support and relieve pressure on our local GP practices.”

Johannes Schildt, CEO and co-founder of LIVI said:

“Primary care systems across Europe are under immense pressure and we need to find new, innovative ways of delivering care. At LIVI we believe in improving access and equality of primary care for every patient, whilst helping reduce pressures on our primary care systems. As Europe’s largest provider of digital primary care we are excited to be pioneering new ways of delivering care and helping patients. That is why we are pleased to be partnering with the national health service to make this a reality in a way that preserves NHS finances, supports under-pressure GPs, and delivers excellent care for every patient.”

Available for download on both iOS and Android, LIVI is designed to be quick and easy for patients to use, integrating with existing NHS systems so that minimal set-up and effort is required.

An NHS survey published in August found that close to 1 in 4 people across the country must wait over a week to see a GP in their local area^[3]. The same survey found that 11% of patients who did not take the GP appointment they were offered went to A&E, creating significant strain on under pressure A&E systems and unnecessary financial burdens on the NHS. LIVI’s online service wants to ease the burden on primary care services by offering accessible appointments for a wide range of patients with a variety of conditions and needs.

LIVI also supports the ambition of parity of esteem between physical and mental health and is the largest provider of online CBT treatments in Sweden. In the near future, LIVI aims to extend its mental health offering to the UK, ensuring patients can receive safe, fast and easy access to professional mental health services at a time and place most suitable for them.

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Notes to editors

• For more information please contact LIVI@portland-communications.com / +44 20 7554 1780
• About LIVI: Founded in Sweden in 2015, LIVI has a global vision for more equal and accessible healthcare. LIVI makes it possible for patients to see a GP by video consultation on their smartphone or tablet device. Experienced GPs can provide medical advice, prescriptions, fit notes and referrals to further NHS services. LIVI will be the brand name used by the digital healthcare provider in all markets outside the Nordics. KRY will still be used in the existing Nordic markets. The word for life is “liv” in Swedish. LIVI is operated by the Swedish company Webbhälsa AB (556967-0820)
• About LIVI’s GPs: The doctors working through LIVI are GMC-registered, UK-based GPs with years of experience in providing excellent care. LIVI’s doctors all adhere to stringent selection criteria and undergo a rigorous onboarding process once employed, using LIVI’s proprietary medical guidelines developed internally using best practice and understanding of video consultation based on over half a million patient appointments. Prior to any public consultation, each GP will be required to attend one to one meetings with LIVI account managers and undertake a test consultation in a private, controlled environment.
• About NICS: NICS (North West Surrey Integrated Care Services) is a GP Federation in North West Surrey representing 40 GP practices across the region. Its aim is to support its member practices, enabling them to work at scale and to be sustainable in the long term. NICS aims to deliver high quality, innovative patient services that complement those provided by the patient’s own practice. It also provides leadership for practices across the region, giving them a voice and influencing future strategic and operational decision making around workforce and patient care.
• About extended access: From 1 October 2018, the NHS requires doctors’ surgeries to provide extended access to GP services, including at weekends, evenings and bank holidays. LIVI is working in partnership with NICS to provide this extended access service via the online consultation application.
• Patients can sign up to use LIVI by:
  • Downloading the app and signing up as a patient (if you’re a patient at one of our local partner GP surgeries, you can do this in minutes to receive free NHS care).
  • Seeing a qualified GP whenever it suits you (book an appointment and your GP will call you directly in the app to start the video consultation).
  • Getting medical advice, prescriptions and referrals (if you need a prescription, it will be ready the same day at any pharmacy of your choice)
• Whilst LIVI continues to work with the NHS to make its model available to patients nationally, a paid for on-demand service is also being launched via the app. In areas where patients are not eligible to use LIVI through the NHS, LIVI is offering every patient a free first appointment during a promotional period (ending at midnight on Friday 30 November). T&Cs apply. After your first appointment, the price will be as stated on the www.livi.co.uk website.
• [1] Source: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/09/doubling-long-waits-see-gp-record-pressures-ae-revealed/
• [2] Source – https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/2018/08/09/gp-patient-survey-2018/?filter-keyword=&filter-category=gp-patient-survey
• [3] Source – https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/08/09/doubling-long-waits-see-gp-record-pressures-ae-revealed