A Digital Revolution in Dermatology and Skin Cancer Awareness.

MySkinDoctor and the UK’s largest dermatology practice are at the forefront of a digital revolution and proud to announce an exclusive charity partnership with the UK’s leading skin cancer charity, Skcin.

The healthcare landscape is changing exponentially with far reaching implications in terms of diagnostics, treatments and delivery of care - and non more so right now than in the world of dermatology.

MySkinDoctor is a patient-led App which allows people to access dermatology services remotely without the need to visit a clinic. It was launched in January 2019 following two years of development with key stakeholders including patients, CCGs, dermatologists and software developers. Now fully approved and in use within the NHS across Southern England, MySkinDoctor allows patients to take and upload photographs of their skin condition to a team of experienced Consultant Dermatologists while at home or anywhere else convenient.

The current GP referral system into dermatology is not sustainable due to a national consultant shortage. This in turn has led to typical national waiting times in dermatology for a new patient appointment exceeding 18 weeks!

MySkinDoctor is addressing this national problem for patients across the UK by providing expert, swift and efficient triage with patients receiving a personalised care plan, including a diagnosis, information about their condition and an effective treatment plan within just three working days. Furthermore, this information is simultaneously communicated to the patient’s GP and included in patient records.

With a 100% Clinical Governance record, 100% GP satisfaction and fully GDPR compliant, MySkinDoctor is meeting current and future patient needs, whilst ensuring quality of care is not compromised and access is equitable across the UK.

As a result of its success, and in order to meet increasing demand, MySkinDoctor has now partnered with the UK’s leading skin cancer charity Skcin to launch their nation-wide Self-Pay Service.

The Self-Pay App allows anyone across the UK, regardless of their postcode, to use the service immediately without first having to wait to be referred to a dermatologist by their GP. It works in exactly the same way, providing all the same benefits. To access this instant service, patients are charged for their consultancy - £5 of which will be donated to support Skcin's vital work in preventing skin cancer and promoting early detection across the UK.

Skcin is the UK’s leading skin cancer awareness charity, formed by the family of Karen Clifford (the KC in Skcin) who passed away from melanoma in 2005. Skcin operates five national educational intervention programmes that are dedicated to raising awareness of the prevention and early detection of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer.

Working with primary schools, pre-schools, workplaces and with hair, health and beauty industry professionals across the UK, Skcin is committed to embedding the prevention and early detection of skin cancer into the heart of communities nationwide.

Dr Bav Shergill, Consultant Dermatologist at MySkinDoctor says: “We are delighted to be supporting the  work of our charity partner, Skcin. Skin cancer is a major public health concern and cannot be underestimated. Over 210,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer and 16,000 cases of melanoma are diagnosed annually in  the UK. Meanwhile the continued increase in cases of the disease is testing dermatology departments to their limits.

"With around 90% of all skin cancer cases PREVENTABLE and early diagnosis vital, MySkinDoctor are proud to support Skcin who are leading the way in delivering forward thinking, quality and trusted solutions to tackling the rising statistics and saving lives”.

Dr Russell Emerson, Consultant Dermatologist at MySkinDoctor adds: “We approached Skcin with this unique opportunity as we were impressed by the scale, scope and national accessibility of the charity’s work. Their bespoke intervention programmes that work with key ‘at risk’ and ‘influential’ sectors, we believe are making a huge impact.

"For us, it’s a no-brainer - prevention is most certainly better than cure and the early detection of skin cancer improves prognosis and save lives. By supporting Skcin with a donation from each consultancy fee and by raising awareness of their work and key messaging amongst our patients, we can work together to combat this devastating disease”.

Like MySkinDoctor, Skcin is also responsible for a digital revolution, but in skin cancer awareness, prevention and early detection. The launch of its MASCED (Melanoma and Skin Cancer Early Detection) online training programmes to the hair, beauty and healthcare industries nationwide, has seen huge success, with industry professionals hailed as ‘the first line of defence’ when it comes to saving lives from the disease.

Despite the fact that skin cancer is the only cancer we can physically see developing, ignorance regarding how to spot the early signs and symptoms remains widespread. Professionals who work across these industries see their client’s skin up-close on a regular basis and often in places they can’t see themselves. By taking the time to learn about skin surveillance and how to identify suspicious lesions, these professionals are perfectly placed to detect the early signs of skin cancer and confidently signpost their clients to take action. This could prevent their clients from disfigurement through surgery and, in the case of spotting melanoma early, could even prevent their death.

Today a continually growing army of over 11,000 registered professionals, spanning more than 30 professions nationwide, have registered with the MASCED training programme. And with an estimated 275,000 professionals working across these industries, their power and scope to combat the rising incidence of skin cancer is exceptional.

Marie Tudor, CEO of Skcin said: “When it comes to the early diagnosis and treatment of skin cancer, providing patients with the ability to receive immediate care is essential to yield higher rates of survival. This is why we are delighted to be partnering with MySkinDoctor - our work and common goals are perfectly aligned. By combining our efforts in raising awareness of early detection and in signposting patients to access immediate care, together we can and will save many lives.

"For too long skin cancer patients have endured agonising waiting times for referrals which increases anxiety, can significantly impact mental health and result in poor prognosis. At a time when getting an appointment with a GP is becoming increasingly difficult and the misdiagnosis of skin cancers not uncommon due to lack of specialist GP training, MySkinDoctor will provide people with the ability to manage their own skin health, giving them the peace of mind they need with expert advice and an action plan within 72 hours."

With MySkinDoctor, expert advice is at your fingertips - on your mobile phone or tablet, whether at home, at work, or on the go. It offers the perfect solution for those who can’t afford to take time out of their busy schedule to visit a clinic appointment and require fast, expert advice from experienced Consultant Dermatologists.

The ease of use of the App has been key to patient uptake, resulting in positive testimonials and scoring a 4.5/5* feedback rating, which attests to patient satisfaction and enthusiasm for MySkinDoctor and its benefits.

The MySkinDoctor App is free to download with private consultations priced at £75, £5 of which is donated to Skcin to support their vital work.