Sarah HallImagine a situation where you go to your GP with a problem and instead of being referred to a specialist at hospital a consultant can assess your condition over a video screen.Sarah Hall

Imagine a situation where you go to your GP with a problem and instead of being referred to a specialist at hospital a consultant can assess your condition over a video screen.

That's exactly the bold vision of the future which was showcased at the UEA yesterday where patients will have online video and data link-ups with GP surgeries, hospitals, clinics, care homes and dentists.

Thanks to advancing technology, remote monitoring of patients

via networks of specialist medical-grade laptops, cameras, video

screens and medical equipment, this could be the norm in a few years' time.

The 'Telemedicine 2015' conference brought together the world's leading medical technology companies to show how 'next generation' networks could help improve services and health care for patients.

The event has been organised by Professor Sam Leinster, dean of the School of Medicine at the UEA. He said: 'At the moment a patient might go and see their doctor in Cromer for example and then be referred to a consultant in Norwich.

'This telemedicine technology would allow the GP to call the consultant and he could examine the patient thoroughly over the screen. We want to make clinicians aware of how important this interactive, two-way technology is and how much time and money it will save across the health service.'

Vital signs such as heart rate, blood pressure and lung function could all be measured and monitored remotely for long term conditions. Skin conditions and wound care could also be monitored using specialist cameras.

It is hoped the new technology would save travel costs and time for patients, be beneficial for those being rehabilitated after hospital treatment, and could prove vital in emergencies in rural remote settings.

The technology would also offer better data links between hospitals, surgeries and other care providers. And a compatible and integrated patient records system would eliminate barriers to the flow

of patient information.

Steven Lawrence, health sector account manager for Polycom, was exhibiting what the company can offer patients with its technology.

He said operations can be shown on screens anywhere in the world for training purposes and patients would not have to travel to hospitals for certain types of treatment if this technology was used. Polycom currently manages 400 sites in Wales.

He said: 'There are so many benefits to this type of system. Some people who go to their GP may be in a lot of pain and do not want to travel to hospital.

'And they could be clogging up accident and emergency departments and blocking beds when they

don't need to. If primary care trusts invest in this kind of technology their money would be paid back in just one year. It is totally worth the investment and it really is a time for change.'

Video conferences between hospitals, universities, local surgeries, and other remote

locations would also become common place. And the networks could pave the way for 'teleteaching' transmissions from the operating theatre to lecture halls, and seminar rooms.