MORE than 8,000 video appointments for patients were carried out by the county’s hospitals during the first 14 weeks of the coronavirus pandemic.

The scale of digital consultation has been revealed in the new strategic plan for Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH), which will guide the organisation’s priorities and decisions across over the next five years.

It received input from more than 2,000 people – including from more than 50 clinical and corporate teams at the trust which runs the John Radcliffe, more than 500 patients, and community groups, as well as health and social care and university partners.

ALSO READ: Doctors reveal fears over growing backlog in survey

A joint introduction by Dr Bruno Holthof, chief executive at the trust, and chairman Professor Sir Jonathan Montgomery, said the plan was in its final stages when the pandemic hit and praised the 'amazing' adaptability of services to meet the challenge.

They added: "As the weeks went on, it became clear that across the trust we had in fact started to put in place many of the longer term strategic shifts that we had hoped to achieve as part of the next five years."

Oxford Mail:

Dr Bruno Holthof. Picture: Richard Cave

Examples included the 8,300 video appointments carried out, which aligned with the trust's goal of being 'digital by default'.

Others were the hundreds of diabetes, maternity and cystic fibrosis patients who were able to monitor their condition at home during the pandemic, with Oxford Hospitals Charity funding 120 lung function monitors.

This fulfilled the trust's aim of supporting patients to manage their own health if possible.

ALSO READ: JR nurse picked to be face of M&S campaign

Dr Holthof said: “We are delighted to share the new OUH Strategy for 2020-2025, which will help deliver the best possible services for patients in Oxfordshire and beyond.

“Refreshing this strategy gives us the opportunity to take stock, reflect on our journey so far, and look ahead to what we want to achieve together.

“The context that we work within is changing, with a new long term vision for the NHS nationally set out in the NHS Long Term Plan and a growing and ageing local population, alongside research and digital advances creating new opportunities to improve care.”

ALSO READ: Oxford paramedics to star in TV show

He added: “We were in the final stages of pulling this work together when the Covid-19 pandemic meant we had to put it on hold.

"As a result, we are including in the strategy some of the numerous ideas and changes from teams following on from the Covid-19 response and recovery.

"It is therefore the right time to set a new strategic framework so that across every team and part of the organisation we are focusing on the right priorities to move us forward."