First Scottish patients to benefit from new national Digital Dermatology pathway

Using a secure mobile phone app, the new national Digital Dermatology Pathway will allow Primary Care clinicians to make use of phone cameras to easily, and safely, take images of a patient’s skin condition at the point of referral to Dermatology, with the potential to significantly speed up diagnosis and improve waiting times.

Following the initial roll out in the launch Boards, the aim is for the technology to be deployed nationally by Spring 2025.

How it works

These images are then securely stored centrally on the National Digital Platform for Health & Social Care before being attached to their GP referral on the national SCI Gateway referral system. No images are stored on the device itself.

The use of digital images as part of the referral allows senior Dermatology decision-makers to triage, diagnose and assess skin conditions without the patient being physically present.

The pathway:

• Provides the same level of access to high quality care.
• Helps Dermatologists to carry out robust referral triage without the patient being present – speeding up diagnosis.
• Ensures that the most urgent cases can be prioritised and provides quicker reassurance and advice for those who do not require a face-to-face appointment.

Following triage, the patient may be:

• Offered a face-to-face outpatient clinic appointment.
• Directed to a more suitable service.
• Discharged from the Dermatology service with advice on how to manage their skin concern.

GP Locum and Primary Care Clinical Lead for the programme, Dr Beth Kerr, said: “This tool has been designed with primary care needs as a priority, which has been very welcome.

“This pathway is to help us to best help our patients with dermatology problems. The app is intuitive and easy to use and gives the opportunity to quickly take images which are then seamlessly added to our SCI gateway dermatology referrals with a few clicks. 

“The process is safe and secure allowing us to use the app with confidence. Adding an image ensures referrals are as informative as possible for secondary care enabling them to triage patient referrals effectively and efficiently. This in turn will bring benefit back to ourselves and improve our patients’ journey, which I look forward to seeing realised soon.”

The national pathway is backed by £1.8 million of funding from the Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office and is one of the first innovations to be approved for national rollout through the Accelerated National Innovation Adoption (ANIA) Pathway. 

ANIA is a collaborative venture that is coordinated by the national Centre for Sustainable Delivery (CfSD) and involves NHS National Services Scotland, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Public Health Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland.

Dr Fiona Macdonald, Consultant Dermatologist and CfSD Clinical Lead for Dermatology Specialty Delivery Group said: “Teledermatology provides the same level of access to high quality care and helps dermatologists to carry out robust referral triage without the patient being present – speeding up diagnosis.  

“The new system will help support the referral process where appropriate, and patients will still have the choice of whether or not to include an image, if they choose not to then the referral will be processed efficiently in the usual way.

“Once fully implemented, the new national digital dermatology pathway will help ensure that the most urgent cases can be prioritised and provides quicker reassurance and advice for those who do not require a face-to-face appointment.

CfSD is a national unit designed to sustainably improve and transform Scotland’s health care system through innovation, collaboration and clinical leadership.

Hosted by NHS Golden Jubilee and commissioned by the Scottish Government, CfSD brings together existing transformation programmes with an innovation team to support the rapid rollout of new techniques, innovations and clinically safe, fast and efficient pathways for Scotland’s patients.

CfSD will work with experts and patients across Scotland to make our healthcare system the best in the world and ensure that people receive the right care, from the right people, at the right time. To achieve this, there is a focus on sustainability, value, innovation and listening to patients.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The national adoption of innovations, such as the Digital Dermatology pathway, will be critical to delivering our vision of a Scotland where people live longer, healthy and fulfilling lives.

“This is an important first step to rolling out a new service which has the potential to significantly reduce waiting times and improve patient outcomes in a specialty that we know is one of the busiest with demand for outpatient appointments.”

ENDS