Online service helps GPs in Gosport, Fareham and Havant save on appointments

It comes as 80 GP practices in Fareham, Gosport and Havant are now live with the eConsult scheme, which gives adults 24/7 medical advice via their surgery’s website.

This means patients often receive help, advice or support more quickly than they would if they had to wait for an appointment.

The project is being used by 2,000 patients a week and more than 885,000 people are registered at the 80 GP practices using the scheme. Portsmouth is not involved with eConsult.

Dr Tom Bertram, a Titchfield GP and the project’s clinical lead, said: ‘At the simple touch of a button or two on their home or other computer, eConsult is greatly speeding up access to health advice.

‘This is not only freeing up a great many GP appointments which might not have been necessary – but is also has the big added advantage of potentially reducing appointment waiting times for those patients who do need to see a doctor.’