Getting a doctor’s appointment can be a nightmare, but women could soon find out if they have a urinary tract infection (UTI) by using their phone – without seeing a GP.
NHS England is trialling a smartphone app that allows women to test for UTIs. Women will be offered a Dip UTI test – a standard dipstick urine test used by GPs – with a smartphone app that can accurately scan the sample.
Once the dipstick has been dipped in urine, it is placed on a colour board which is used as a reference point for the camera to detect colour changes that may indicate a bacterial infection.
Researchers say the home-use kit, developed by Healthy.io, provides lab-quality analysis and is more accurate than a visual read by healthcare professionals.
The NHS England pilot scheme is being trialled in 38 Pharmacy First branches across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.
The test will allow women to swiftly access treatment without waiting for a doctor’s appointment. Women who do not test positive will have a follow-up consultation with a pharmacist to discuss treatment or a GP referral.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) recommends women with UTIs are given antibiotics immediately.
One in three women develop a UTI before the age of 24, and one in two experience at least one infection in their lifetime. Suspected UTIs account for up to 3% of all GP visits. In England alone this could mean around 10.2 million consultations, costing the NHS more than £316m in GP time.
Samantha Travis, clinical leadership adviser for NHS England in the Midlands, said: “This pilot scheme forms part of a wider project to improve community health care by making greater use of pharmacists’ skills.”