About Us

FDS Consultants have been providing referral technology to primary care for over a decade.  With over 10,000 users in primary care optometry (using our OPERA product) and dentistry (Using DentalReferrals) we have a wealth of experience in brining NHS IT closer to primary care users and ensuring that they can benefit from links to developing technologies that are often reserved for our General Medical Practice colleagues.  Advisr is an progression of our technology to further offer patient benefit and enable equity of access to specialist advice across the health economy.

We are foremost a clinically led service. All of our operations, technology design and deployments are overseen by senior clinicians in the respective disiciplines. The Advisr project is led by a Consultant Ophthalmologist and a senior primary care based optometrist. For dental applications a specialist in Dental Public Health leads the project.  These clinicians are supported by a senior administrative team that includes an ex CCG CEO and a project lead with over 10 years experience in NHS primary care project management.

FDS Consultant’s approach to clinical safety and governance is central to our development process. We design our software from a clinical perspective rather than a technology driven approach.

The service is built around a detailed tried and tested business continuity framework.

Our assurance process includes the following accreditations:

ADVISR is hosted in an HSCN secure network but can be accessed by anyone with a broadband connection and is zero footprint, requiring only a modern browser. Our PACS imaging provision is also browser based enabling the assessment of high resolution images from any location. This enables both primary and secondary care clinicans the ability to access the system from any location and not be restricted to hospital environments.

The team is led by an accountable clinical governance lead who works closely with the dedicated data protection officer and clinical safety officer to ensure robust process and governance is in place. We have a full clinical safety management system and meet the requirements of DCB0129.

We work to the 7 pillars of clinical governance, which forms part of our CQC inspection, clinical safety and approval process. This is supported by our clinical internet which provides resources, tools and guidance to support our team and governance approach.