Remote Consulting, Remote Images and Consent
The GMC have produced guidance withing their Ethical Hub regarding Remote Consultations: Remote consultations – GMC and Making and using visual and audio recordings of patients
RCGP and NHS England have also produced helpful guidance:
Top 10 tips for successful GP video consultations
NHS England » Remote consulting
NHS England » Using online consultations in primary care: implementation toolkit
See also:
MDU: Conducting remote consultations
Key issues of confidentiality and consent apply, and additional guidance is available from the DoH Reference Guide to consent for examination or treatment (2nd edition, 2009).
As with all consent, GPs are advised to provide adequate explanation to their patient of the purpose and benefit of taking the photograph, taking account of capacity, and to ensure that there is no pressure placed on the patient to give their permission. Appropriate secure arrangements should be made for storage of the image. These details, along with a written statement of verbal consent, should be entered in the patient’s medical record. If the photograph is subsequently used or shared for a different purpose to that consented by the patient, the patient must be contacted to update the consent accordingly.
When the photograph is used for secondary purposes, (such as teaching), although not a legal requirement, it is good practice to obtain written consent by asking the patient to sign a form, and keep this with the photograph. Please click here for a sample consent form.