A DIGITAL health company says remote examinations could be the answer to long doctors' surgery wait times in Wyre Forest.

Medicspot has announced plans to roll out its new initiative, which allows doctors to assess patients without being in the same room, across Kidderminster in the new year.

The announcement comes after recent NHS figures showed 15 per cent of people in Wyre Forest were waiting longer than two weeks to be seen by a GP.

The statistics, from September this year, also suggested that 75 per cent of residents were not offered a choice of time or date for their appointment, while half did not get a same-day appointment with a GP. Around 25 per cent found it difficult the get through to their practice by phone.

Kidderminster Shuttle:

Medicspot's DIY appointments involve doctors performing remote examinations using equipment operated by the patient, and hopes to ease pressures on local practices.

It is already available in 250 pharmacies across the UK, and sees patients pay £39 for a same-day GP consultation.

Doctors can listen to a patient's heart and lungs, look into their ears and throat, and take their vitals including blood pressure, oxygen levels and body temperature - all without needing to be in the room.

Dr Zubair Ahmed, co-founder of Medicspot, said: "In light of these figures, we hope our service will offer a convenient alternative for people in Kidderminster and help ease some of the pressures the NHS is facing.

“Longer wait times lead to more strain on an already struggling NHS. When patients are forced to wait weeks to see a GP, they often end up waiting for hours at A&E."

The company plans to bring the service to pharmacies across Kidderminster early next year.

Lynda Dando, director of primary care for the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Groups, the NHS body behind Wyre Forest's doctors' surgeries, said: “GP appointments are available to all registered Wyre Forest patients between the hours of 8am and 8pm from Monday to Friday and at specific times on the weekends.

"The GP Patient Survey indicates that for same day and next day appointments Wyre Forest are above the national average.”