New technology has enabled University Hospitals Dorset’s dermatology team to be praised by a prestigious publication.

The hospital has been highly commended by the British Medical Journal (BMJ), coming in second place at its national award ceremony.

The team was praised for creating a system for patients to electronically add photographs to their medical records, which were then examined by a consultant without the need to come in to hospital. The service was set up at the start of the pandemic and ensured all patients who needed to be ‘seen’ within the two week target were seen, with 66 per cent being managed completely remotely.

The team worked closely with the IT department to create the solution and the image transfer service was set up in just three weeks. Once the images were uploaded by the patient, a consultant would then determine whether the patient needed to come in for a follow up appointment, or be booked directly in for surgery.

Dr Anjnee Shah, dermatology registrar said: “At the start of the pandemic the dermatology service was already incredibly busy, and the team foresaw social distancing measures and an apprehension around coming into hospital would cause further strain.

“The service meant that patients didn’t have to be physically seen unless it was necessary, but we still ensured our patients received high quality care.”

As well as meeting the two-week referral target, 56 per cent of the patients seen virtually were directly listed for surgery, reducing the need for multiple appointments and added footfall in the hospitals.

The service also benefited trainee doctors who would have been missing out on training opportunities due to the pandemic. Trainees were able to review cases alongside consultants without breaking social distancing guidelines, allowing for valuable learning to continue within the department.

Dr Shah said: “Being recognised by the BMJ for our work throughout the pandemic is truly something to be proud of.

“We are so grateful to have the opportunity to celebrate the hard work and dedication the whole dermatology team has put in over the past 18 months to maintain the service, meet increasing demand and support local dermatology services.”