Online Treatment Service For Male Impotence To Be Launched By Chelsea And Westminster And DrThom, UK

Main Category: Erectile Dysfunction / Premature Ejaculation
Article Date: 14 Sep 2007 - 13:00 PDT

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Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust becomes the first NHS body to venture into online treatment by launching a remote treatment service for erectile dysfunction in partnership with DrThom (http://www.drthom.com), the UK's leading online healthcare provider.

Chelsea and Westminster and DrThom will make it easier for the 2.3 million UK men who suffer from erectile dysfunction to access treatment by offering a properly regulated, safe and affordable online treatment service. Only 10% of UK men who suffer from erectile dysfunction currently seek treatment for the condition.

Chelsea and Westminster is one of the UK's leading providers of sexual health services. The Trust already has a proven track record of innovation by, for example, sending sexual health test results to patients by text message and enabling patients to request clinic appointments online. Revenue generated by this new service will be reinvested in NHS care.

By working with DrThom to launch a new online treatment service for erectile dysfunction, Chelsea and Westminster hopes to help more men seek treatment for the condition which can be an early symptom of wider health needs including generalised cardiovascular problems.

Dr Simon Barton, Clinical Director for HIV and sexual health services at Chelsea and Westminster, says: "We hope that the launch of this service will be an important step in helping to improve standards of online healthcare in the UK. All clinical aspects of this new service are overseen by Chelsea and Westminster and all the doctors who prescribe treatment online are NHS specialists in sexual health."

Dr Thomas Van Every, Medical Director at DrThom, says "In an ideal world, all men who suffer from erectile dysfunction would go to their GP for help. The reality is that embarrassment often prevents men from seeking treatment. By partnering with Chelsea and Westminster, DrThom will be able to offer a specialist, trustworthy and regulatory compliant online service that we see as a major step forward in men's healthcare."

Facts about erectile dysfunction

According to the Sexual Dysfunction Association, 2.3 million men in the UK are estimated to suffer from erectile dysfunction. Only 10% of sufferers seek treatment. 9 out of 10 men who suffer from erectile dysfunction don't tell their GP and 6 out of 10 don't even tell their partners. 2 out of 10 sufferers said erectile dysfunction was the cause of their relationship break-up.

Facts about the new service

A patient using the service will register on the DrThom website and complete a free online questionnaire. The questionnaire and subsequent dialogue allow a doctor to assess a patient's suitability for treatment. To answer the questionnaire, a patient will need to know their blood pressure. If a doctor judges that treatment is suitable, the patient has the opportunity to trial the treatment service for £45. Patients pay online using a debit or credit card. A doctor will be able to prescribe all common treatments such as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra. DrThom will send treatment as first class recorded delivery. To receive follow-up and ongoing treatment, a patient will need to contact DrThom via their online patient record and tell a doctor whether they suffered any side-effects and whether initial treatment was effective. To comply with General Medical Council (GMC) guidelines on remote prescribing, a patient will be given the name and GMC number of the doctor who prescribed treatment.

Facts about the regulatory environment for online prescribing

The GMC sets clear requirements that have to be met when a doctor prescribes treatment without meeting a patient face to face.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) regulates how medicines are promoted. The MHRA's publication 'The Blue Guide' gives clear guidelines that govern how one can advertise services that may result in patients being prescribed prescription-only medicines.

The Healthcare Commission regulates and inspects private healthcare providers to ensure that they meet national minimum standards of healthcare. Online healthcare providers are not exempt from the rules that govern who has to 'register' with the Healthcare Commission.

Facts about Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Chelsea and Westminster is a leading NHS Foundation Trust and was one of 5 trusts highlighted by Monitor, the Foundation Trust regulator, for achieving strong financial performance, meeting all healthcare targets and national core standards in 2006/07.

Facts about Dr Thom

DrThom is the only medical service formally regulated by the Healthcare Commission to prescribe treatment remotely. DrThom was set up and is overseen by Dr Thomas Van Every, a doctor working at Chelsea and Westminster's Victoria Clinic for HIV and Sexual Health.

http://www.drthom.com