STATE of the art technology is set to allow patients to attend a virtual out of hours GP appointment instead of making a 46 mile journey to hospital.

Residents in Millom currently have to travel to Furness General Hospital for an appointment with Cumbria Health on Call on Saturday mornings.

But the 70 mile round trip for a face to face appointment is set to become a thing of the past with consultations via video link now up and running.

Patients will be able to go to Millom Community Hospital for their allotted time and speak to a GP at CHOC's Carlisle headquarters via a screen.

RELATED ARTICLE: Millom hospital supporters applaud MP

Dr Neil Margerison, medical director for CHOC, said the move should prevent people having to make an arduous car journey when they feel unwell.

"Using the telehealth technology a CHOC clinician can assess various health conditions that are seen in primary care.

"Sore throats, eye conditions, skin conditions and joint problems are

all examples of what has been dealt with so far.

"The service enables patients to be managed safely without them having to make the journey from Millom to Barrow and back."

The high definition telehealth equipment was installed at Millom Community Hospital earlier this year as part of the area's Better Care Together scheme.

It is used to allow patients to see a hospital-based specialist without the inconvenience and expense of travelling to Barrow while increasing the number of people the doctor can see in a day.

It is estimated it could save residents of the town from making 22,900 journeys every year.

RELATED ARTICLE: Leaked email sparks fears for future of maternity service

The out of hours appointments are available between 9am and 1.30pm every Saturday - times chosen to coincide with the opening hours of local pharmacies.

With the help of a qualified healthcare technician, the GP can assess the patient without being in the same room as them and issue a prescription directly to the chemists for collection.

Some patients may still be advised to travel to hospital for further assessment or treatment.

Suzanne Cameron, a health assistant based at Millom Community Hospital, said: "My job is to welcome patients on their arrival at the hospital and to make the video consultation as comfortable as possible for them.

"I am available to collect information for the GP including the patient’s blood pressure and temperature."

Susan Blakemore, CHOC chief executive, said: "CHOC is leading technology enabled care during the out of hours period.

"This innovation is to ensure safe care can be provided to patients in remote and rural locations."