Please note this page is primarily aimed at NHS staff and will be regularly updated as we release new features. Updates include links to help centre articles or specific items in our roadmap where you can provide feedback, indicated by π
July - September 2022
New
Several new clinical review templates:
Heart failure review
Epilepsy review
Rheumatoid Arthritis review
Cancer care review
Coronary heart disease review
Peripheral Arterial Disease review
Learning Disability review
All clinical conditions now allow certain questions to be hidden from patient view if they are not clinically relevant or appropriate; this covers questions to do with:
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Allergies
Two templates added to 'General Symptoms' grouping: Lumps template and Swelling template.
New Men's Health template: Testicle or Groin Problem
Updated
Fungal Nail Infection has been replaced with 'Nail Problems' and now includes a photo upload option.
Patients can now submit clinical review questionnaires or respond to practice messages even if the practice is not accepting new clinical or administrative submissions.
Sleep Problems has had language improvements as part of its yearly review.
Hypertension review has been updated to allow up to 24 BP readings, following clinical feedback, and has had a yearly review.
Paediatric conditions will always ask child safeguarding questions
All clinical review conditions now wonβt ask COVID questions
Adult Abdominal Pain, Leg Problems, Headache, Migraine and HRT review have been updated to reduce urgent warnings and/or time to complete
April - June 2022
New
Integration between eConsult toolbar and SystmOne clinical system: recognise and pull contact details from the active patient record for email, SMS, telephony and video calls and the ability to save the response back to the patient record.
New condition grouping called 'General Symptoms' with a new template for 'Tiredness'.
Updated
Adult Hand and Wrist Problem templates - yearly review and NICE Guidance updates.
General Advice template - several updates in response to both a clinical incident and feedback.
Administrative Help - removed the βAbout Youβ section including smoking & drinking questions
Mental Health questions - guidance text used in all instances of the suicide checking question has been moved into the main question text. The report will now show the full text of this question alongside the patient answer.
We have improved the time delay that occurs when there are issues with the ITK interoperability system that sends patient reports directly into the EMIS and Vision clinical systems via MESH. Previously, there was a delay of around 4 hours between an eConsult being resent via email delivery where MESH had issues, we have now reduced this to 60-90 minutes.
Updates to the Privacy Policy and disclaimer, including strengthening the message around eConsult not being used outside of the UK.
January - March 2022
New
NHS Inform self-help content π available as part of the Healthinote search engine for Scottish practices.
Multiple new paediatric MSK templates.
Paediatric Behaviour Concerns template - introduced in response to a clinical incident, more appropriate for younger children.
New eConsult toolbar onboarding screens.
Proxy access - patients are able to submit an eConsult on behalf of someone else.
Improved pharmacy highlight π for condition landing pages.
We have introduced a new capability for practices, PCNs, STPs and CCGs to access advanced reporting functionality π. This is a premium feature, please contact your Account Manager for more detail.
Batch SMS sending functionality is now available π. This is a premium feature, please contact your Account Manager for more detail.
Updated
Improvement to the patient-facing wording πwhen a practice has a temporary closure of eConsults.
Changes to the text at the end of an eConsult to manage patient expectations π about the next steps.
Adult MSK templates - addition of weight-loss questions in response to a clinical incident.
Clarified on the landing page what a child means in terms of the age range for paediatrics π.
Changes to the COVID-19 information to reflect current guidance.
Fit note duration increasing from 7 days to 28 days and subsequently reversing (January 2022).
Primary Care Adult Mastitis (Breast Problems in Men & Women; Mastitis) - annual review, review of flagging, language updates.
General Advice template - updated in response to a clinical incident.
Diabetes Review - updated as part of a yearly review of content.
Adult Sore Throat - updated as part of a yearly review of content and in response to clinical feedback.
Edits to the language and grammar in several templates.
Privacy policy, in line with Proxy access.
October - December 2021
New
Improved messaging to patients after submission of an eConsult to set expectations and increase signposting π.
NHS 111 Online integrated as symptom checker - message to patients on eConsult page says 'Before contacting your GP practice, please consider using NHS 111 Online to check your symptoms.'
NHS Inform link is now present in self-help for Scottish patients π before submission of an eConsult
All 16 and 17-year-olds πcan access any of the previously 18+ adult templates
Primary Care patients in England are now redirected to Primary Care Gambling Service instead of GamCare for self-help.
Patient phone number pulled from the patient record π for video and telephone calls via the toolbar (currently for EMIS only).
SMS responses can now be up to 1,000 characters long π.
Updated information screen for patients advising them to contact national COVID vaccination or booking services instead of the practice.
Updated
Adult: Leg Problem; Urine Problem; Bites & Stings - updated in response to clinical feedback.
Asthma Review - yearly review and inclusion of paediatric content.
Hypertension review: Allow an increased number of blood pressure readings to be given, from 20 to 24.
Fit notes via Administrative template updated to reflect an increase to 28 days based on Government guidelines.
Various Accessibility and bug fixes.
Cookie placement, description and options improved to match NHS England guidance.
July - September 2021
New
Make eConsult available only during practice hours (08:00 to 18:30, Monday to Friday).
Ability to turn off eConsults for the rest of the day or temporarily.
Toolbar features
One way SMS via eConsult Toolbar.
Save post-consult message (email or SMS) to the patient record in EMIS.
Ability to call patients from your own number via Click to Call.
Ability to switch between video and telephone calls (or vice versa).
Enable eConsult toolbar integration with EMIS Web instances.
Introduced a waiting room for video consultations π with appropriate messaging for patients, letting them know the healthcare professional will be joining shortly.
Updated
Inclusion of reference to poison, anaphylactic shock and seizures in the emergency disclaimer.
Paediatric Rash, Spots & Skin Problems; temperature question & burn update following clinical feedback and improved photo-taking instructions.
The adult body map was updated to include additional clinical templates.
Adult and Paediatric contraception templates.
Unwell Child and Unwell Baby had their temperature and burn questions updated following clinical feedback.
Amendment to BMI min. and max. range to match NHS guidelines.
Adult Bites and Stings - updated flagging.
Paediatric: Vomiting and Diarrhoea; Sore Throat; Cold or Flue; Testicular Problem; Eye Problems - updated temperature questions in response to clinical feedback.
Paediatric Mental Health - updated in response to clinical feedback.
Adult Breathing Problems - updated in response to clinical feedback.
April - June 2021
New
Adult Skin Moles template.
Ability to show different self-help content based on the nation (initially for Scotland).
All Review conditions are now available on the NHS App.
Ability to call patients from your computer, over the internet, via Click to Call on the eConsult Toolbar.
Updated
Added a 'prefer not to say' option for the gambling question in Adult Administrative Care.
Post Consult Messaging look and feel.
Structure of all Primary Care questions.
MOD - Adult and Paediatric administrative questionnaires.
Self-help call to action changed to βI want to read self-help adviceβ.
Adult and Paediatric Ear Problems - NICE guidelines; clinical feedback.
Adult Rash, Spots and Skin problems - updated flagging.
January - March 2021
New
Limb and Joint Problems condition grouping.
Long Term Condition Depression and/or Anxiety Review.
Paediatric Contraception - accessible to 16 and 17-year-olds completing for themselves, or for parents completing on behalf of a child (6 months up to 18 years of age).
Paediatric Mental Health questionnaire (6 months up to 18 years of age).
Updated
Adult General Advice - improved the patient journey; NICE guidelines.
Adult Back Problems - includes STarT scoring.
Questionnaires under Limb and Joint Problems - pain score revised to reduce inappropriate redirects and introduced photo upload functionality.
Adult and Paediatric Administrative Advice - improved pathways.
eConsult toolbar installer is now 'signed', meaning that its source is now noted as a verified and safe provider, no longer triggering warning alerts on your system.
Video calls now have a 'blur background' option.
Replacements
Adult Abdominal Pain replaces Irritable Bowel Syndrome.
Adult Heartburn and Indigestion replaces separate Heartburn and Indigestion questionnaires.
Adult Urine Problems replaces several urine problem-related questionnaires for both men and women.
Adult Vaginal Problems replaces several women's health questionnaires to improve the patient experience.
If you have any questions or you feel that this article could be improved, please feel free to give us some feedback by emailing us, pressing the emojis below or using the chat button on the bottom right-hand side of this page to speak to one of the eConsult team.