PATIENTS AT a family doctor practice on the outskirts of Dundee were amongst the first to benefit from snap decisions, writes Marjory Inglis, health reporter.

GPs at Muirhead Medical Centre take digital photographs of worrying moles and other skin problems that are then sent via computer to specialists in Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital who can quickly decide whether a patient needs to come in to hospital for treatment or not.

Dr David Wallace, at Muirhead, said introduction of the system had been “extremely successful” and reduced waiting times considerably.

One patient with “a nasty, suspicious growth” on his face was in hospital within days of presenting himself at the Muirhead surgery.

Dr Wallace took a photograph and sent it to a specialist who assessed the image on screen, arranged an “urgent admission” and removed the growth.

“It was a very successful outcome,” said Dr Wallace.

“Had this been left for any length of time, it would have been much more complicated and difficult surgery to perform.”

Muirhead was one of a few local practices that began using digital cameras two years ago and testing the referral system.

Yesterday a team led by plastic surgeon Howard Stevenson marked the successful introduction of the Tayside Digital Image Referral Project to surgeries across the region.

NHS Tayside’s chief operating officer Gerry Marr formally opened refurbished facilities in the plastic surgery department at the hospital.

Patients across Tayside with skin cancer are now getting speedier diagnosis and treatment thanks to the digital revolution.

Mr Stevenson said that over 1200 patients had been treated since the start of the project and the results were now being reviewed and put forward for publication.

He hopes the Tayside project will be a blueprint for other health board areas.

Mr Stevenson said that two years ago the Scottish Executive gave his team £100,000 to establish the system in Tayside.

“Many people have tried this and it has not worked out.

“Because of the electronic systems in Tayside being as good as they are, we have been able to make it work.

“There are still a few practices waiting to get cameras into the surgery but hopefully they will all have them within the next few months.”