As the weather gets colder and people face longer waits to see their doctor, it can be tempting to book a video appointment. We look at how Babylon Health, Push Doctor, Vitality GP, LIVI and Doctor Care Anywhere work.
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Video GPs: overview of prices
It can be frustrating trying to get a doctor’s appointment when the temperature drops, so getting a video appointment may be an attractive solution.
But how do these apps work, how much do they cost and do you have to deregister?
We explore how some of the most popular apps work, including Babylon Health and Push Doctor.
If you want a quick overview of costs, a handy table has been included below.
|
Company |
Monthly/annual cost |
One-off appointment |
Do you have to sign off from your local GP surgery? |
|
Babylon GP at Hand |
Free |
Free |
Yes |
|
Babylon Private |
£9.99* / £89.99 |
£49** |
No |
|
Push Doctor |
£3 a month + £20 appointment / N/A |
£30 |
No |
|
Vitality GP |
N/A |
N/A |
No |
|
LIVI |
Free |
Free |
No*** |
|
Doctor Care Anywhere**** |
£12* / £130 |
£60 |
No |
*Minimum three months
**One-off appointments available for therapists/specialists
***Your existing GP needs to be partnered with LIVI to book an appointment
****Overseas online appointments available at higher prices
Babylon Health
Push Doctor
Vitality GP
LIVI
Doctor Care Anywhere
You can book appointments with a private GP between 8am and 10pm every day using Doctor Care Anywhere, which means you can still make appointments with your usual NHS GP, so you won't be de-registered.
On top of this, you can share consultation notes with your current GP, so your medical records are up to date.
Similar to other companies, you can speak to a doctor on over the phone, online or via a tablet and get access to your patient records during the call.
If you need a prescription, these can be delivered to your home or a nearby pharmacy, while private referrals or fit notes can be uploaded post-consultation.
Doctor Care Anywhere costs £12 a month for a minimum of three months or £130 for an annual plan, the latter of which promises to save you £14 per year.
Both of these plans include:
- Unlimited online appointments;
- Health tracking;
- NHS repeat prescriptions;
- Two free international appointments;
- Annual membership includes discounts for family members.
You can buy individual appointments although this will cost you £60 every time, making it the most expensive of all the providers for one-off appointments listed in this article.
If you travel overseas a lot, you can choose to get the same features with unlimited online appointments anywhere in the world.
Worldwide appointments can be eye-wateringly expensive, with a monthly plan (of at least three months) setting you back £20 per month, or £210 a year.
Even a single (worldwide) appointment is costly at £80, which costs nearly as much as an annual Babylon Private membership.
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*This article contains affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission on any sales of products or services we write about. This article was written completely independently.