During renewal discussions with clients, I usually go through what’s included in their policy and what they’re missing out on. And time after time, we stumble across the so-called “extras” that insurers apparently give you “for free”… which somehow people don’t tend to ever use. One of those gems is Virtual GP. Let’s talk about what it is, why it’s not as useless as you think — and how to actually use it properly.
Quick History
Back in 2015, UK insurers decided to copy the Americans and started rolling out Virtual GP services into their health plans (USA had Teladoc running since 2002). At first, it was all a bit “clunky”, mainly because service providers didn’t have proper relationships with local GP’s, and from a regulatory standpoint, things were very difficult due to GDPR rules. In essence, your medical history (same as your banking transactions) is among the most sensitive types of information, which can only be accessed at certain scenarios and obviously on the back of your consent. Obtaining these was an absolute pain and took quite a few days, but without direct access to your medical records, even if a Virtual GP wrote a referral or prescription, many insurers simply wouldn’t recognise it, insisting the client see an NHS GP for a “proper” referral.
Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but from the insurer’s point of view, you can sort of understand it: A Virtual GP without full access to your records don’t know if you might have, say, a penicillin allergy (that you have accidentally forgot to mention to the doctor). If they prescribe you something unsafe and you react badly, who’s at fault? I guess you see the point now.
Fast forward to now — things have been sorted. Platforms are better. Processes are smoother. And yes, Virtual GP services actually became worth using.
So, What Is Virtual GP?
If you’ve never heard of Virtual GP, essentially it’s a platform where you can book an online consultation with a real GP instead of spending time and affords visiting a clinic. More often than not, your insurer already has a contract with one of the big platform providers (such as Teladoc, Babylon, Doctor at Hand and so forth). All you need to do is download their app or visit their website, register, and schedule a consultation with a GP in their system.
Quick heads-up: You won’t be choosing a specific doctor. Instead, you’ll be assigned the first available GP who has a free slot for a phone or video call. Because thousands of doctors have now signed up to these platforms, getting an appointment for today or tomorrow usually isn’t difficult.
Does it replace your private GP or NHS doctor?
No, of course not. With international policies, you don’t even need a GP referral to see a specialist (massive win compared to UK policies, by the way). Still, I always recommend starting with a GP for a few very good reasons:
1. Not every consultant will see you without a referral (even on a self-paying basis).
2. You’re not a doctor. I mean, unless you are (and funnily enough I have quite a few NHS and private doctors in my list of clients) . But let’s face it — pain in your back doesn’t mean it’s your kidneys. Could be nerves, could be indigestion. You need someone with a calm head and a medical degree to figure out what’s wrong with you and send you to the right specialist.
3. Some people think they know best. I had a client with stomach pain who went straight to an osteopath because they were convinced it was a trapped nerve in the neck… radiating to their gut. Yeah. Guess how the insurer reacted to that claim?
To conclude - referrals simplify the process, reduce potential headaches with insurer, and get you where you really need to be.
For which health issues you can/should use Virtual GP?
Short answer: not all of them.
Let’s be honest — you’re probably not gonna flash your camera for gynaecological issues (unless you're also starring on a well-known subscription-based platform, but even then, I reckon they still go in person).
In my own experience, I once tried to get medication for an ear infection (I was doing a lot of swimming and was certain that’s what it was), but the Virtual GP refused to prescribe anything, insisting I see an ENT specialist first for a proper examination (however they did give me a referral, so I booked in with a local clinic and seen a specialist in a few days from that call).
In other words, if your problem is too serious for a video call or you simply prefer a specific doctor, an in-person visit to your usual GP might still be best. But if you’ve got a minor day-to-day issue - something’s a bit off but not urgent, you need to extend a prescription quickly, or your child’s come down with a mild cough—Virtual GP can save you loads of time and hassle.
What Else Is Included?
Beyond the GP calls, you usually get access to:
• Second Opinions (because sometimes one diagnosis just doesn’t cut it, so you might well check everything with another doctor to make sure that the treatment plan is correct)
• Mental Health Support (big one)
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. My clients usually fall into two camps here:
1. “Yes, this is incredibly important, especially with the stress levels these days.”
2. “Stress? Anxiety? Nah, mate, I’m fine.” Fun fact - did you know there’s no exact translation for “anxiety” in Russian? Explains a lot.
Anyway, the key point here is - If your policy doesn’t cover mental health, this is a cheeky way to still get access to someone you can talk to. And that can make a world of difference.
Some insurers go the extra mile and throw in nutritional and physio advice too via the same platform. Don’t expect meal plans, extensive blood tests or rehab sessions — it’s advice only. But still, better than googling “why does my knee click when I walk up the stairs.”
What does it cost?
The actual Virtual GP is most likely already included in your policy. If, however, you will be given a referral to a specialist, then this will fall under general policy terms (so before going ahead with “physical consultations”, check whether you have full or limited outpatient cover and are there are any exclusion applied ect.). But at the very least, that initial consultation, i.e. figuring out “What’s on earth is wrong with me?”- comes at no extra cost and generally doesn’t count against your policy limits.
To conclude Pros and Cons:
Pros: Convenient, quick and no queues, ideal for most day-to-day health concerns. Some extras may be included here that aren’t in your main policy cover.
Cons: You can’t choose a specific doctor, and not everything can be solved remotely (you may still need an in-person exam).
Virtual GP isn’t a magic solution, but it’s a brilliant perk that many people don’t even realise they have. If it’s included in your policy, give it a shot for basic issues. For more serious situations, of course, go and see a private GP in person (if you’re on an international policy, where private GP’s are usually included in your plan. Unfortunately, UK policies don’t tend to cover private GP’s).
So — be honest — did you even know this was sitting in your policy all this time? No judgment if you didn’t. But now you do.
Got questions? Pop me a message or drop them in the comments. Let’s make sure you’re actually using what you’re paying for. After all, isn’t that the whole point?
Quick History
Back in 2015, UK insurers decided to copy the Americans and started rolling out Virtual GP services into their health plans (USA had Teladoc running since 2002). At first, it was all a bit “clunky”, mainly because service providers didn’t have proper relationships with local GP’s, and from a regulatory standpoint, things were very difficult due to GDPR rules. In essence, your medical history (same as your banking transactions) is among the most sensitive types of information, which can only be accessed at certain scenarios and obviously on the back of your consent. Obtaining these was an absolute pain and took quite a few days, but without direct access to your medical records, even if a Virtual GP wrote a referral or prescription, many insurers simply wouldn’t recognise it, insisting the client see an NHS GP for a “proper” referral.
Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but from the insurer’s point of view, you can sort of understand it: A Virtual GP without full access to your records don’t know if you might have, say, a penicillin allergy (that you have accidentally forgot to mention to the doctor). If they prescribe you something unsafe and you react badly, who’s at fault? I guess you see the point now.
Fast forward to now — things have been sorted. Platforms are better. Processes are smoother. And yes, Virtual GP services actually became worth using.
So, What Is Virtual GP?
If you’ve never heard of Virtual GP, essentially it’s a platform where you can book an online consultation with a real GP instead of spending time and affords visiting a clinic. More often than not, your insurer already has a contract with one of the big platform providers (such as Teladoc, Babylon, Doctor at Hand and so forth). All you need to do is download their app or visit their website, register, and schedule a consultation with a GP in their system.
Quick heads-up: You won’t be choosing a specific doctor. Instead, you’ll be assigned the first available GP who has a free slot for a phone or video call. Because thousands of doctors have now signed up to these platforms, getting an appointment for today or tomorrow usually isn’t difficult.
Does it replace your private GP or NHS doctor?
No, of course not. With international policies, you don’t even need a GP referral to see a specialist (massive win compared to UK policies, by the way). Still, I always recommend starting with a GP for a few very good reasons:
1. Not every consultant will see you without a referral (even on a self-paying basis).
2. You’re not a doctor. I mean, unless you are (and funnily enough I have quite a few NHS and private doctors in my list of clients) . But let’s face it — pain in your back doesn’t mean it’s your kidneys. Could be nerves, could be indigestion. You need someone with a calm head and a medical degree to figure out what’s wrong with you and send you to the right specialist.
3. Some people think they know best. I had a client with stomach pain who went straight to an osteopath because they were convinced it was a trapped nerve in the neck… radiating to their gut. Yeah. Guess how the insurer reacted to that claim?
To conclude - referrals simplify the process, reduce potential headaches with insurer, and get you where you really need to be.
For which health issues you can/should use Virtual GP?
Short answer: not all of them.
Let’s be honest — you’re probably not gonna flash your camera for gynaecological issues (unless you're also starring on a well-known subscription-based platform, but even then, I reckon they still go in person).
In my own experience, I once tried to get medication for an ear infection (I was doing a lot of swimming and was certain that’s what it was), but the Virtual GP refused to prescribe anything, insisting I see an ENT specialist first for a proper examination (however they did give me a referral, so I booked in with a local clinic and seen a specialist in a few days from that call).
In other words, if your problem is too serious for a video call or you simply prefer a specific doctor, an in-person visit to your usual GP might still be best. But if you’ve got a minor day-to-day issue - something’s a bit off but not urgent, you need to extend a prescription quickly, or your child’s come down with a mild cough—Virtual GP can save you loads of time and hassle.
What Else Is Included?
Beyond the GP calls, you usually get access to:
• Second Opinions (because sometimes one diagnosis just doesn’t cut it, so you might well check everything with another doctor to make sure that the treatment plan is correct)
• Mental Health Support (big one)
Now, let’s address the elephant in the room. My clients usually fall into two camps here:
1. “Yes, this is incredibly important, especially with the stress levels these days.”
2. “Stress? Anxiety? Nah, mate, I’m fine.” Fun fact - did you know there’s no exact translation for “anxiety” in Russian? Explains a lot.
Anyway, the key point here is - If your policy doesn’t cover mental health, this is a cheeky way to still get access to someone you can talk to. And that can make a world of difference.
Some insurers go the extra mile and throw in nutritional and physio advice too via the same platform. Don’t expect meal plans, extensive blood tests or rehab sessions — it’s advice only. But still, better than googling “why does my knee click when I walk up the stairs.”
What does it cost?
The actual Virtual GP is most likely already included in your policy. If, however, you will be given a referral to a specialist, then this will fall under general policy terms (so before going ahead with “physical consultations”, check whether you have full or limited outpatient cover and are there are any exclusion applied ect.). But at the very least, that initial consultation, i.e. figuring out “What’s on earth is wrong with me?”- comes at no extra cost and generally doesn’t count against your policy limits.
To conclude Pros and Cons:
Pros: Convenient, quick and no queues, ideal for most day-to-day health concerns. Some extras may be included here that aren’t in your main policy cover.
Cons: You can’t choose a specific doctor, and not everything can be solved remotely (you may still need an in-person exam).
Virtual GP isn’t a magic solution, but it’s a brilliant perk that many people don’t even realise they have. If it’s included in your policy, give it a shot for basic issues. For more serious situations, of course, go and see a private GP in person (if you’re on an international policy, where private GP’s are usually included in your plan. Unfortunately, UK policies don’t tend to cover private GP’s).
So — be honest — did you even know this was sitting in your policy all this time? No judgment if you didn’t. But now you do.
Got questions? Pop me a message or drop them in the comments. Let’s make sure you’re actually using what you’re paying for. After all, isn’t that the whole point?