PocDoc

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NHS problem

The NHS Long Term Plan targets include achieving a reduction in footfall to GPs and hospitals and increased equality of healthcare (BAME communities and communities with high levels of deprivation).

By increasing the ability to offer remote / at-home testing the aim is to achieve a reduction in “do not attends” and missed appointment costs, and a reduction in staff and administration costs

The solution

The PocDoc digital platform and associated tests allow individuals to test themselves for major diseases using their smartphone, with results available immediately in the PocDoc app, see a full health assessment and have access to follow-on care where required.

Impact

Key cost savings as based on a health economic case prepared in collaboration with Dr Neil Paul and Howbeck Healthcare Consultancy include:

  • Primary Care in England and Wales could save in excess of 20,000 hours per week of employee costs by implementation of PocDoc
  • Using the Agenda for Change banding, assuming band 2, this equates to a total annual saving of £9.4million
  • This does not take into account the value of reduced footfall in surgery, reduced strain on car parking and increased patient compliance
  • The NHS tariff price for the tests on the PocDoc platform is estimated at between £3 and £10 per test, excluding the huge costs to the system around facilitating lab-based testing. PocDoc estimates it could save £75million per year on screening costs for cardiovascular and cardiometabolic disease pathways via its cholesterol and HbA1c tests
  • Wherever tests can be performed as self-tests, this removes the cost of the health care assistant or nurse completely
  • Areas with high deprivation, e.g. Liverpool, Greater Manchester, have been highlighted recently in the Nuffield Trust Quality Watch report (Jan 2020) as requiring innovative, low-cost ways to implement Universal Personalised Care and Widening Digital Participation programmes, which PocDoc can provide.