Library to pilot ‘Near Me’ online health appointment help

The Council’s Library team is helping pilot an initiative aimed at helping more people tap into ‘Near Me’ for their online health-related appointments, through their local library.

It’s part of a wider project that’s been running since 2018 which has seen Libraries and the health, care, and third sectors working collaboratively to address barriers to care, called Collective Force for Health & Wellbeing.

Near Me is NHS Scotland’s free online video consulting service. It is safe, secure, and easy to use with nothing to download. There is no need to create an account and no information is stored.

The Near Me public library pilot has been developed through collaboration between the Scottish Library Information Council, Digital Health & Care Innovation Centre (DHI), local authorities, health and care partnerships and the Scottish Government.

The Council’s Orkney Library and Archive in Kirkwall is one of ten public libraries in Scotland about to pilot the programme.

Gwenda Shearer is Chair of the Council’s Education, Leisure and Housing Committee: “I’m pleased to once again see our library service be part of a national pilot which could lead to benefits for communities here and further afield in Scotland, as we have for example with the COVID Sense Signage Scheme. By helping test the feasibility of libraries starting to deliver Near Me access as part of their everyday service we can provide valuable feedback for future rollout.”

Vikki Kerr is Team Leader, Orkney Library & Archive: “The strength of this pilot is that it taps into the 500+ strong network of local libraries up and down the country already providing trusted access to the information within the community.

“Here in the library, we are ideally positioned to support people at risk of digital exclusion from health and care services - we provide free public Wi-Fi, have access to private and confidential spaces, offer a safe alternative to home, and have trained staff who can support users with their digital and health literacy needs.

“People using us as a venue for Near Me during the pilot will be able to book a free, confidential safe space that is accessible. Library staff will be on hand to assist people to log on to Near Me and enable them to participate in their video consultations.”

It’s hoped the Near Me programme will be ready to launch in Orkney around mid August.

For more information, or to find out how to book a Near Me space, please contact the Orkney Library and Archive at 01856 873166 or by email.

Near Me is a secure video consulting service approved for use by NHS Scotland and the Scottish Government that enables people to attend appointments from home or wherever is convenient. The service is already widely used across NHS Scotland for health and care appointments with around 20,000 consultation being held every week.

What are the benefits of Near Me?

• Reduced travel to appointments: time, cost, convenience
• Reduced time away from work, school or home
• Easier to attend if you usually need someone to take you to appointments
• Enables you to have someone with you for support at your appointment (either with you or joining the consultation by video from another location, even from abroad)
• Better for the environment
• Reduces spread of infectious diseases

To find out more about Near Me visit https://www.nearme.scot/