"Virtual GP consultation avoided us taking time off work and school"

“My son had a swollen eye. We went to a local Pharmacy at the start of the week, and by the end of the week, I noticed the swelling was still very much present.

I knew it might be challenging to get a GP appointment, and we had already taken time off school to see the Pharmacist.

I decided to use the Virtual GP service from Teladoc Health UK, which I can access thanks to my employer’s insurance. When I booked the appointment, I was asked to upload photos of my son’s eye for the doctor to view.

Shortly after, within 10-15 minutes, I got a call from a doctor. She was very reassuring. I loved her tone of voice. One of my concerns was that if it wasn’t an infection, why were we given the antibiotic cream from the pharmacy? The swelling wasn’t going down with the antibiotics. The doctor explained that the antibiotics were only helpful if there was an infection so that they wouldn’t affect the swelling. She took the time to listen and provide guidance; I wasn’t rushed over the phone. I really liked the reassurance that it wasn’t anything serious. The doctor recommended a hot water compress on the eye. By the following day, the swelling had gone.

If I hadn’t called Teladoc Health and the swelling hadn’t gone down, I would have gone to a GP on Monday, which would have meant being late for school/work.

I’m very happy I can access this high-quality care for myself, my husband, and my children. It’s especially good that it’s 24/7, and I can call even over the weekend. I recommend people register for the service now to set up and be ready when they need advice, as there is an initial admin process.

This service means we can see (video) or talk to a doctor in our own home. If you have any niggling health issues, rather than sitting there worrying about it, you can get it sorted quickly. And even if you need to go and see a doctor, that first conversation with a Teladoc Health GP is very helpful.”