Thurso library to take part in trial as a location for Near Me NHS appointments
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Thurso's public library will this week start to play a key role in a new trial service to help people access health and social care services.
A number of libraries in Scotland have already begun to test the Near Me in Libraries scheme, which gives people without access to the internet a safe space from which to access digital services.
High Life Highland’s Thurso Library will provide a private location for video appointments for people who cannot log on from home.
Building on the existing Near Me video consulting service, which is already widely used across Scotland for health and social care appointments with around 45,000 consultations being held every month, Near Me in Libraries is being piloted across a range of libraries.
Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC) chief executive Pamela Tulloch welcomed the opportunity to further expand the role local libraries play in the community.
She said: “Local libraries provide a safe alternative to home and are ideally positioned to support people at risk of digital exclusion, especially in terms of health and care services. Networked with free public wi-fi, users have access to private and confidential spaces, with trained staff available to support with their digital literacy needs.
“By using public libraries as a venue for Near Me, clients and patients can access the help they need without having to travel a significant distance from home. Our libraries are free and accessible safe spaces that can provide convenient and confidential online access.”
The new initiative is not a walk-in service, but individuals are able to schedule a Near Me appointment with dedicated space booked in the library.
Dr Ann Wales, programme director, knowledge and decision support, Digital Health and Care Innovation Centre, said: “The Near Me initiative is a great example of how libraries are becoming active partners in the delivery of health and care. It shows how libraries are ideally positioned to provide a go-to place for health information and support in their communities and confirms the key role of libraries in addressing digital inequalities.
“This project is the first in a series of pathfinder projects being progressed through the Collective Force for Health and Wellbeing action plan, all focused on libraries empowering citizens and communities to take more control over their health and wellbeing.”
The Near Me service was introduced in public libraries in Orkney, East Lothian, Edinburgh, North Ayrshire and Moray in August, with further services in Dumfries and Galloway, Midlothian, Renfrewshire and South Lanarkshire expected to join the pilot in the coming months.
Rosie Cooper, national improvement lead for the Near Me programme, added: “Scaling up video consultations is a key national priority as use of video will help to allow greater and more convenient access to both routine appointments and specialist support from anywhere in the country.
“The libraries selected cover a diverse range of settings and population types and will be used to test the feasibility. This will include creating confidential booking systems and establishing communication and partnership with local services.”
