Virtual assessment, what to expect?

[ElsieW]

My mum has had an appointment with the GP and another over the phone with the Memory Clinic, both have been really good.
Now I've got an virtual assessment for her next week using a video link on my phone, does anyone know what I can expect to happen, will we get a diagnosis there and then, or will that come later? Or does it vary region by region?

Thank you for reading.

 

[MartinWL]

In my view having watched a memory assessment by phone, and another in person, you might want to consider demanding that the assessment be done face to face. The telephone has its uses but this isn't one of them. It is far too easy to mislead the assessor by phone and a practical test cannot be done.

 

[MartinWL]

On a more general point about remote diagnosis this may be useful for rapid attention to problems but with the level of community infection of coronavirus now very low too many professionals are using it as an excuse for laziness, with GPs possibly the worst offenders. In a remote consultation body language as well as physical examination are absent and the professional doesn't know what he/she isn't being told or shown. Carers need to thump the table sometimes and demand that lazy doctors do their job. With honourable exceptions of course!

 

[ElsieW]

So far I have been impressed with the doctor, who did in fact see my mum at the surgery, after another GP and OT friends of mine and the receptionist at the doctors, all told that he wouldn't see her. The memory clinic have also been great.
I'm afraid that this carer is too exhausted caring for both mum and dad on my own to thump any tables.