LONDON, October 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ --

Nuffield Health, the UK's largest independent not-for-profit healthcare organisation, today expanded into virtual general practice through a partnership with Doctor Care Anywhere, a leading online primary care provider. The partnership will allow Nuffield Health's corporate clients to offer their employees 20 minute virtual GP appointments, seven days a week, 365 days a year, whether in the UK or abroad.

The appointments can be accessed via a smartphone app, website or telephone from 8am to 10pm with the option to extend consultations beyond 20 minutes based on individual case needs. The service is to be expanded to a 24 hour operation before the end of the year, giving patients flexible access to UK qualified GPs at a time that suits them.

The partnership is the first of its kind in the UK as patients will be able to access GPs both online through Doctor Care Anywhere and in-person through GP consultations with Nuffield Health professionals, providing Nuffield Health's corporate clients with a unique, fully end-to-end primary care service.

The Nuffield Health Virtual GP platform delivers prescriptions electronically and provides a seamless service between in-person and virtual GP consultations as patient notes are securely stored online. To help people manage their health conditions the platform also provides integrated health tracking and medication reminders.

"Many workers put off seeing a GP because they are too busy, which in some cases can have a detrimental impact on their health. At Nuffield Health, we believe offering people the flexibility to see a GP at a time and place that suits them. This new service, with consultations that are around double the length of standard practice, will offer greater control over their health and wellbeing," said Ian Lloyd, Director of Innovation at Nuffield Health.

Kate Newhouse, CEO of Doctor Care Anywhere said: "This partnership will deliver the best healthcare experience for patients by providing fast and convenient access to online and in-person GP appointments whenever they are needed. Customers at home and abroad will have the peace of mind of knowing that world-class primary healthcare expertise is always just a click away. Nuffield Health shares our core company values of putting the patient at the heart of all that we do and designing the service around them and we are looking forward to working together to deliver this service."

SOURCE Doctor Care Anywhere