Video appointments

You can be seen by video for your outpatient appointments in some of our services.

Video appointments (also sometimes referred to as 'video consultations') are an easy way for you to have your appointment with the care team, without the need for you to travel to the hospital. This can save you time, money, and the difficulty of getting to the hospital.    

If you're booked a video appointment, we will send you a text message or email with the URL link to join your video appointment a few hours before your appointment, all you need to do is click this to join your video appointment.    

Text messages about your video appointments will come from the number 07860 039 092

If you would prefer an in-person or telephone appointment, you can request one by calling the phone number on your appointment letter.  

About our video appointment provider

DrDoctor logo
 

We have partnered with  DrDoctor to deliver this service to you.  

DrDoctor is a web-based service that provides the platform for our video appointments.

It also sends appointment reminders via text, and allows you to view and manage upcoming appointments, you can read more about using DrDoctor to manage your outpatient appointments on our main outpatients page. 

We will be launching this new service on 24 March 2025. If you have a video appointment booked after this date, you'll be sent a link to join your appointment from the new system. 

Video appointments - how they work

Step 1 — appointment notification

You will receive an appointment notification by text or email.
Your text message or email notification will tell you that your appointment will be a video appointment. It will also state the date and time of your appointment. Click the  link on your text message or email to login to your patient portal on DrDoctor website and view information about your appointment.  

Step 2 — c heck you have what you will need for your video appointment.   

 For the appointment, you will need:  

  • a smartphone, tablet or computer with a camera and speaker (these are often built into your device, but cameras and microphones/headphones that plug into your device or computer can also be used). We recommend using a laptop or desktop computer for the best experience
  • a good connection to the Internet. We recommend using Wi-Fi where possible which may have a better connection and will not use up your mobile data allowance
  • a quiet, well-lit room where you will not be disturbed
    • If you are by a bright light, like a window, sit so the light is on your face, and not behind you
    • Using headphones will make it easier to hear your clinician and will help to cancel out any background noise
  • a table or surface to prop your device on, so your camera stays steady during the call 

Please note : DrDoctor video does not work in Internet Explorer 11 , and you will have to use another browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Microsoft Edge.  

Step 3 — text reminder

We will send you a text message reminder one to two hours before your appointment with a secure link to your video appointment.  

Step 4 — join your video appointment

Click the secure link a few minutes before your appointment to launch your private video appointment waiting room.
We recommend that you join a few minutes before so you can test your audio and video before your clinician joins.  

Step 5 - wait for clinician to join

Please wait for your clinician to join you in the video appointment room.
Occasionally there might be a short delay, and your appointment might not run at the planned time. This might be because the clinician needs to spend a little longer with another patient. If this happens, the clinician will try to let you know as soon as possible (this may be through a pop-up chat message while you are in the waiting room. If there are significant delays, we will contact you by telephone). You will see a 'You are in the waiting room' message when you are in the waiting room.  

If you have any issues

If  there are any problems with the video platform your clinician will contact you b y telephone. Please ensure you have provided us with your number so we can contact you if we need to.  

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - Video Appointments

Below you will find answers to frequentlly asked questions or issues you may experience for video appointments

How can I get to my video appointment from a computer or tablet? 

If you have received the link to your video appointment in a text mesage and want to join from a computer, tablet, or different device to the one you received the text on there are two ways you can do this. 

Option 1: Copy and paste the link in your text message  

You can copy-and-paste the video link from your text message into an email and send it to yourself. Open the email on the other computer and the link will still work. This may be a quick and easy option if you are familiar with copy-and-pasting links.  

Option 2: Sign into the patient portal on your computer  or tablet

  1. Go to the Homerton Healthcare DrDoctor portal
  2. Enter your last name, date of birth and postcode 
  3. Choose the phone number where you would like to receive your one-time code  
  4. Enter your one-time code into the portal 
  5. Choose the ‘Appointments’ tab and select the appointment you want to join 
  6. Click the "Join video room" button  

You will then be in your video appointment, please wait here for your clinician to join.

My camera and microphone aren’t working

Step 1: Check the onscreen button to see if your camera and microphone are turned on  

If you are muted and your camera is off, the camera and microphone button will be red. Click the icons to turn your camera and video on.  

Step 2: Update your browser  

Check if your browser is up to date. The two most recent versions of the browsers are supported. Video appointments work best when using Chrome, Firefox Opera and Microsoft Edge. Internet explorer is not supported. 

Step 3: Check if you’ve accidentally blocked permissions 

When you first join your video appointment, we ask permission to access your camera and microphone. If you chose “Block” instead of “Allow” this will be stopping your audio and video from working.  

In this case, refresh the page and follow the instructions which appear on screen, choosing “Allow” when prompted.  
  
You can click the camera icon in the URL bar. Depending on your browser the camera icon may be on the left or right of the bar. Choose “Allow” and then try again. You may need to refresh your page.  

Step 4: Check the microphone and camera settings on your computer  

Go to your computer settings page and check that your browser is allowed access to your Camera and Microphone. Check the tick boxes next to your browser and refresh the video appointment URL. 

If you cannot get your camera and microphone to work your clinician will call you on your mobile number.  

I have poor video/audio quality

Poor Wi-Fi connections often cause quality and connectivity problems with video appointments. The following options may help improve your connection. 

Have your appointment in a private place with a stable internet connection

Please do not try and have your video appointment on the move as the quality of the video is much more likely to be poor, or the call may break up completely.

Move closer to your router, and ask other people to stop using the Wi-i temporarily   

Your internet connection can be influenced by other people using the same connection (for example, streaming shows or making other video calls).  

Try moving closer to the Wi-Fi router or asking other users to temporarily stop using it while you have your appointment.

Check your internet speed  

You can check your internet speed online using Speedtest.   Minimun speeds required:

  • One on one appointments require at least 2.0 Mbps upload, 2.5Mbps download speeds, and a Ping score of less than 100ms .
  • Four or more participants in a appointment require at least 3.2 Mbps upload, 3.2 Mbps download speeds, and a Ping score of less than 100ms  

Will video appointments work on my phone, tablet, or computer?  

Video consultations are compatible with most devices. However, they may not work with some older devices.   

On a Windows laptop or desktop computer you will need Windows 7 or later. W e recommend using Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox for your consultation. Please note, your video call will not work if you're using Internet Explorer 11. 

On a laptop or desktop computer using the Linux  you will need any x64 based system  

On an Apple Mac laptop or desktop computer you will need MacOS 10.10 or later. Your video consultation will work on recent versions of the Safari browser. Video consultations may not work on Chrome or Firefox.

On Apple devices such as iPhones and iPads you will need iOS version 13.1 and later  for your video consultation to work using the Safari browser. Yo will need iOS 14.5 and later  for it work using the Chrome browser

If there are any issues with the video consultation your clinician will phone you on your mobile number.

I cannot login to the patient portal with my details

To access the online portal, we need your correct details on our system. Please contact the phone number on your appointment letter and check we have your correct:  

  • Full name  
  • Date of Birth  
  • Postcode  
  • Mobile phone number  

Can I invite a family member or carer into the video appointment? 

If you would like a family member or carer who you do not live with to join your video appointment, you can forward your text message or email notification containing the joining link to them. You can also copy this link into an email and send it across. This will allow them to join the video appointment with you. 

Although the link you receive is private to your video appointment, you can share it with family members or friends if you would like them to join the call. 

Will my appointment be recorded? 

No, your appointment will not be recorded. If you use the chat message function whilst in your call this will not be recorded or stored. 

If you would like to record the video call with a separate device, please discuss this with your clinician at the start of the appointment. 

 

How do I opt out? 

If you would like to opt out of using the DrDoctor portal you can do so by texting 'STOP' to text messages they receive, by logging into the portal and opting out via the settings, or by contacting the Trust’s Booking team using details on your appointment letters. 

We will maintain a record of patients who have chosen to opt out. Their information will no longer be passed to DrDoctor. Please note that if patients opt out of the DrDoctor service they will not be able to have video appointments with the Trust. 

Why does my screen look smaller when joining from a mobile device? 

If you’re joining your video call from a mobile device, you may notice that your camera screen tile appears smaller. If you switch your auto-rotate to off and turn your camera horizontally this will enlarge the tile. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) - about DrDoctor (the patient portal)

Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions about the DrDoctor patient portal in general, and solutions to issues you may experience. 

What is DrDoctor?

DrDoctor is a digital health company. They provide a convenient way for patients to manage appointments while reducing costs, saving time, and developing better overall experiences for patients. 

We have partnered with them to deliver messages and services to you about your appointments and your care and treatment. It also provides the platform for our video appointments. Text messages from them about your appointments at Homerton Healthcare are sent on our behalf. 

How is my data handled?

To enable us to deliver this service, DrDoctor will have access to your contact information but will not have detailed information about your health.

DrDoctor is accredited to the highest standards set by the NHS for protecting the healthcare information of UK citizens, see their certification. 

For more information, please see DrDoctor’s privacy policy.

Your video appointments will not be recorded. If you use the chat message function whilst in your call this will not be recorded or stored. 

What are the benefits of the DrDoctor patient portal?

The patient portal ensures that appointment information is never lost and is easily accessible wherever you are and whenever you need it. Going paperless means that you are supporting the NHS to be more environmentally friendly.