Thousands of patients needing urgent medical treatment could have their conditions diagnosed remotely by doctors using Skype video calls under proposals to close and downgrade Accident and Emergency departments.
Under plans seen by The Mail on Sunday, patients suffering from potentially serious symptoms such as chest and abdominal pains, pneumonia and fractures will be sent to walk-in centres to see GPs rather than go to casualty wards.
But because the centres are staffed by less qualified medics, advice could come from specialist colleagues at a separate A&E ward using Skype calls. The astonishing proposal is among those being considered by the Shropshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), which is planning to centralise emergency services in the region
