Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Near Me Video Consulting Service: Evaluation 2020 - Main Report

This document describes a summary of the evaluation of the Near Me video consulting service in Scotland, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. Near Me was implemented to facilitate remote healthcare due to restrictions on in-person visits. The evaluation, led by Dr. Joseph Wherton and Professor Trisha Greenhalgh, employed interviews, surveys, and data analysis within the NASSS framework to assess the service's effectiveness, patient satisfaction, and the challenges faced by healthcare providers. The findings revealed a substantial increase in video consultations, high satisfaction levels among patients and professionals, and benefits such as improved service capacity and reduced infection risk. However, issues like digital inequality, health disparities, and concerns about the rapid scale-up's sustainability were identified. The evaluation recommends addressing these inequalities, continuing peer support, and investing in IT infrastructure to ensure the ongoing success and sustainability of the service. It emphasizes the importance of learning from the experience to overcome barriers and enable effective implementation of remote consultations in healthcare. **This summary was written by an AI model and therefore should not be considered a definitive summary of the report. If you are aware of inaccuracies, please email evaluation.registry@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.**

Description

• Lead department: The Scottish Government (The Scottish Government)
• Evaluation stage: A complete evaluation report
• Other departments: No other departments listed
• Evaluation types: Process evaluation
• Process methods: Individual interviews; Output or performance modelling
• Grant information: This intervention is not distributing funding via a grant
• Government Major Project information: This intervention is not a major project
• Policies: No policies provided

Event Dates

• Event Name: Publication of final results
• Event date: March 2021

Evaluation Costs

• Cost: Not provided

Evaluation sharing

• Link(s) to published report(s): Yes
• Links to evaluation plans: No link provided
• Findings: Not provided
• Permission to share confirmed: Yes