Scottish National Users' Group (SNUG) Podcast snughealth

In this episode, we meet Emma Lynas and Dr Satya Raghuvanshi, to discuss how Accurx has evolved from a clinical decision support tool for antibiotic prescribing into a comprehensive communication platform for healthcare professionals and patients, facilitating various communication needs, such as sending SMS messages, conducting remote consultations, and managing patient enquiries. It is in 98% practices in England, and has been integrated with the new Vision system for Scotland, and can be used as a tool for total triage as well as for messaging.
Accurx’s features include SMS messaging, structured data capture for patient consultations, and collaboration tools for healthcare teams. The platform is able to adapt to different care settings and patient preferences, offering a digital-first approach while supporting traditional communication methods. We discussed potential concerns about overwhelming healthcare practices with increased demand, how to minimise this, emphasizing Accurx's focus on supporting practices in managing their capacity effectively, and also a phased implementation approach, tailored to each practice's readiness and needs, along with the support provided by implementation and support teams.
Accurx for Primary Care   Accurx on X.
Accurx YouTube channel
How to send a pathway to a patient
How to send a Florey questionnaire to a patient
Accurx: a quick summary of total triage
Ivy Medical Group: How an Accurx total triage model has helped staff and patients
Register for the SNUG Virtual Members’ Day 2024
Any feedback or comments are welcome via email: andrew.mcelhinney2@nhs.scot or alex.defranco@phs.scot
You can subscribe to the SNUG podcast on the following platforms:
SNUG podcast on Apple podcasts    SNUG podcast on Google podcasts   SNUG podcast on Spotify

Welcome to 2024! Dr David Cooper, @davidcooper1975,  co-chair of SNUG and GP in Old Machar Practice in Aberdeen, discusses the progress of GPIT Re-provisioning, challenges faced, especially by EMIS practices, and the broader landscape which includes a number of upcoming projects and technological advancements expected over the next 12 months.  David hopes for efficiency savings through smarter use of IT, including DACS systems, AI, Power Automate, Microsoft Forms, and the new SharePoint environment.
No new year would be complete without meeting up with Dr Chris Weatherburn, @ChrisWeatherbu1, to discuss his reading recommendations for the new year. We also, unexpectedly, tap into some of the wisdom of Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Unstoppable by Dave Anderson. Dealing with changes in life is inevitable, and we have to be ready for both wins and losses. You have the power to change your own attitudes and how you respond to challenges.
Chris Weatherburn review on YouTube.
How to find a black cat in a dark room by Jacob Burak. Will power is a finite resource – use it wisely and focus on intention rather than outcome for personal goals and projects.
Chris Weatherburn review on YouTube.
Be useful – seven tools for life by Arnold Schwarzenegger. There is nothing more energizing than chasing a vision. Make sure others know about your dream and act as if it had already happened. However, rest is not just for babies and relaxation is not just for retired people!
Arnold Schwarzenegger discusses origin of “Be Useful” book title on YouTube.
SNUG is holding a Migrations Training Day on Wednesday 24th of April 2023 in the Westerwood Hotel Cumbernauld. Contact alex.defranco@phs.scot for more details.
Microsoft Power Automate
Cegedim Vision demo videos.

Could video consultations have the potential to be a game changer in medical education? In this SNUG podcast interview, Dr. Richard Darnton @DrDarnton discusses his role in running the GP part of the Medical course at the University of Cambridge, and his role as director of the GP Education Group (GPEG), focusing on the emphasis on hands-on experience for medical students in general practice. He highlights the topic of video consultations in medical education, particularly in general practice. Dr. Darnton discusses the challenges faced by GPs in adopting video consultations, including issues of complexity, logistics, and the perception of limited benefits. He suggests the use of structured video clinics in general practice, and explores the benefits of video consultations for medical education, such as overcoming space constraints and providing valuable insights into patients' environments.
We discuss the experiences of students during the pandemic, where remote consultations became more prevalent. Study findings indicate that non-face-to-face consultations, including telephone and video, provide unique learning opportunities for students, improving their consultation skills and clinical reasoning.
We consider the infrastructure challenges of implementing video consultations in medical education, including the need for waiting rooms, access to patient notes, and integrated consent functionalities. Dr. Darnton expresses optimism about the potential for innovative platforms to address these challenges and enhance medical education. He encourages a shift in mindset and embracing technology for the benefit of both education and clinical care.
Any feedback or comments are welcome via email: andrew.mcelhinney2@nhs.scot or alex.defranco@phs.scot.
Why do GPs rarely do video consultations? Qualitative study in UK general practice BJGP paper
Primary care placements in the post-COVID era: A qualitative evaluation of a final year undergraduate clerkship
Medical students consulting from home: A qualitative evaluation of a tool for maintaining student exposure to patients during lockdown
Medical students remote consulting from home and from the health centre: A survey of prevalence and supervisor perspectives
Let’s face the music and dance!

GPs in England and Scotland are trying to do a broadly similar job - they both work within the NHS, yet they have different contracts, different organisational and digital infrastructures and different GP clinical systems. They both face similar challenges in terms of workload, prescribing, sustainability and increased demand. Additional team members like pharmacists, physiotherapists, mental health nurses and ANPs are reshaping the way we organise care. The digital health and social care strategies in both countries are broadly similar with a focus on digital transformation and giving patients increased access to their own records. Today we discuss all of this and more with the Digital and Tech GP Dr Gandalf @drgandalf52 who gives us some advice on meeting all of these challenges and how to use some new tech tools which can help us work more efficiently, like a new tool called Nabla co-pilot which can transcribe and summarise consultations! Don’t miss it.
Any feedback or comments are welcome via email: andrew.mcelhinney2@nhs.scot or alex.defranco@phs.scot.
What is the NHS Spine?  The NHS app
What is eGPlearning?    eGPlearning website   Youtube eGPlearning site
Video consultations in General Practice
SCA essential tech tips to pass
Quick clinician notes in healthcare with AI by Nabla Copilot
Nabla copilot website
You are not a frog
Agenda and Registration for November 29 SNUG Conference at Westerwood Hotel, Cumbernauld

The National Digital Platform (NDP) is an open technology platform developed by NES (NHS Education for Scotland) in collaboration with multiple partners from across health and social care. It aims to make it simpler to deliver technology that improves the care and well-being of people in Scotland. The platform brings together cloud-based digital components and services to provide technology solutions for the public sector in Scotland. It offers a range of technology services, including an identity management service, application programming interfaces (APIs), and an application development framework.
In this episode, we find out more from Dr Paul Miller, who is the Clinical Informatics Lead at NHS Education for Scotland Technology Service, a working GP, and also the Co-chair of the openEHR Clinical Program Board. Paul has been a long-term member of the National Vision Users’ group and Primary Care Informatics / SCIMP, before working for the NES Technology Service. We discuss the changes in general practice, the concept and development of the National Digital Platform (NDP), the electronic ReSPECT application, what the migration challenges are, the need for coexistence with commercial systems, and the importance of incremental change in transforming healthcare systems. The shift toward separating data from applications and adopting digital health platforms will be a long-term, iterative process and require strong clinical leadership.
The ultimate goal is to design services around patients rather than around healthcare systems, allowing patients to access and manage their own data.
Any feedback or comments are welcome via email: andrew.mcelhinney2@nhs.scot or alex.defranco@phs.scot . Paul Miller on X/Twitter: @docpaulmiller.
National Digital Platform - The open technology platform for Scotland
Video explainer on the Digital Platform from Digifest 2022
ReSPECT and Open EHR video from Digifest 2022
The ReSPECT process
Scotland’s Digital Health and Care Strategy
SNUG Annual Conference and AGM November 2023

We are delighted to welcome Professor Bob Wachter in this episode of the SNUG podcast.
He  is Professor and Chair of the Department of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), a highly influential voice in the worlds of medicine and Health IT, renowned for his book "The Digital Doctor"and the 2016 Wachter Report on NHS digitalization. He joins us to discuss a wide range of current topics, including the future prospects for healthcare, with a particular focus on the impact of digitalization, consumer expectations, and the balance between technology and human interaction in medicine.
We discuss the trends in both US and UK in terms of digitalisation, increasing demand for health care, and the impact of technology on doctor-patient interactions, as well as the rapid advancements in AI, and how healthcare delivery may be reshaped in the future.
We look at issues of trust, bias, and the potential consequences of over-reliance on machines, including “automation complacency”. And finally, we explore the dynamic use of social media, particularly X/Twitter, in combating misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Professor Wachter discusses his social media journey, emphasizing the role of trusted voices in providing reliable information during crises.
Any feedback or comments are welcome via email: andrew.mcelhinney2@nhs.scot or alex.defranco@phs.scot
You can subscribe to the SNUG podcast on the following platforms:
SNUG podcast on Apple podcasts     SNUG podcast on Google podcasts    SNUG podcast on Spotify
NHS Digital Academy
Robert Wachter on The Digital Doctor
Bob Wachter's Viral Tweet and Thoughts on AI in Medicine
A Fireside Chat with Eric Topol
ChatGPT: Will It Transform the World of Health Care?
UCSF Department of medicine videos on Youtube
In the Bubble podcast - The Doctor Can't See You Now (with Dr. Christine Sinsky)
Prof Bob Wachter on X /Twitter @Bob_Wachter     SNUG on X /Twitter @SNUsersGroup