Medical Consultations Online

What Medical Consultations Online does

Medical Consultations Online (MCO) is a UK-based digital healthcare platform, operated by the legal entity SB Locums Limited, that provides private online medical consultations and prescriptions to UK residents on a same-day basis. Founded in 2022 by pharmacist and advanced clinical practitioner Sonya C. Bhindi in the post-COVID era to address NHS GP appointment shortages, MCO offers three consultation modalities: e-consultations via online health questionnaires for specific conditions (priced from £11.95), telephone consultations (£29), and video consultations via Zoom (£35). Prescriptions are issued electronically through the Signature RX platform and sent to any UK pharmacy or delivered by first-class post, with the service operating 365 days a year.

The product catalogue spans 58 condition-specific services across respiratory, dermatological, sexual health, women's health, musculoskeletal, digestive, and general medical categories, with specialised offerings in menopause/HRT, egg freezing and IVF referrals, and gynaecological ultrasound. The technology stack is intentionally lean: a self-serve WordPress-based website with WhatsApp chat integration, Zoom for video, Signature RX for prescribing, and Trust Payments and PayPal for payment processing, with no proprietary AI or telehealth infrastructure. The business is founder-owned, self-funded, operates with approximately 6 employees, and is regulated under GPhC Number 2071364 with LegitScript verification and UK GDPR compliance. Revenue is generated on a transactional pay-as-you-go basis from individual consumers, with referrals to partner clinics (Avenues for ultrasound, Lola Health for blood tests, an unnamed London fertility clinic for IVF/egg freezing) creating ancillary fee income.

Name

Medical Consultations Online

Legal name

SB Locums Limited

Website

https://medicalconsultationsonline.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Medical Consultations Online is a UK digital healthcare platform providing same-day private online consultations, e-prescriptions, and specialist referrals to UK adults seeking alternatives to NHS GP waits, operated by founder Sonya Bhindi with ~6 staff.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Online Telehealth Services

NAICS

Offices of Physicians (except Mental Health Specialists) (621111), Offices of Physicians (62111)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Services-Specialty Outpatient Facilities, Nec (8093)

akta.pro primary industry

Prescription-Based Digital Clinics (Condition-Specific Rx Programs) (HLALAAAD)

Keywords

• Online medical consultations
• Private telehealth services
• E-prescription services
• Online GP appointments
• Private healthcare platform

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Online medical consultations: Patients pay a one-time fee per consultation (telephone or video) to speak with a qualified clinician and receive a diagnosis and prescription where clinically appropriate. Fees vary by consultation type: telephone consultation at £29.00, video consultation at £35.00. For e-consultations (conditions that do not require a live consultation), fees start at £19.00 including first class delivery.
2. Private prescriptions: Private prescriptions are issued following a consultation. The prescription itself is free of charge, but patients pay the private prescription charges at their chosen pharmacy. Prices vary by pharmacy and medication. Some specific services (e.g., UTI e-consultation at £11.95, private prescription at £11.95) bundle the prescription cost into the service fee.
3. Diagnostic and referral services: Fee-based services for gynaecological ultrasound referrals (£250 at partner clinic), egg freezing consultations (free initial consultation with referral to partner fertility clinic), and at-home blood tests through Lola Health partner (£35 consultation fee plus cost of blood test kit from Lola Health).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Medical Consultations Online (MCO) provides same-day private medical consultations to UK residents via three modalities: e-consultation (online health questionnaire), telephone consultation, and video consultation via Zoom. Services are delivered by a GPhC-registered advanced clinical practitioner and cover 58 condition-specific pathways including UTIs, contraception, menopause/HRT, erectile dysfunction, and skin conditions. Private prescriptions are issued through the Signature RX platform and delivered to any UK pharmacy or the patient's home.

Product overview

Medical Consultations Online (MCO) operates a digital healthcare platform offering private medical consultations to UK residents. The core offering consists of three consultation modalities: video consultation (£35), telephone consultation (£29), and e-consultation (£11.95-£35 depending on condition). The platform provides condition-specific services across multiple categories including respiratory health (Asthma, Cold/Flu, Chest Infections), digestive health (Acid Reflux, IBS, Gastroenteritis), sexual health (Contraception, STIs, Period Delay), women's health (Menopause/HRT, Thrush, Bacterial Vaginosis), musculoskeletal pain (Back Pain, Shoulder Pain, Arthritis), and skin conditions (Acne, Eczema, Psoriasis). MCO also offers specialized services including gynaecological ultrasounds, egg freezing and IVF consultations, and private blood tests via Lola Health partnership. Prescriptions are issued through the Signature RX platform and sent to nominated pharmacies or home addresses. The service is available 365 days a year, targeting UK residents unable to access timely NHS GP appointments.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Online Medical Consultation
• E-Consultation Service

Quantifiable outcome

• Same-day prescriptions available for appropriate cases
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Signature RXcoreTechnology or IntegrationSignature RX is the electronic prescribing platform used by MCO to issue private prescriptions. Patient personal information (full name, address, date of birth, contact number, email, and medication prescribed) is stored within the Signature RX platform. Patients can take their prescription ID to any pharmacy to obtain medication. MCO's terms and conditions include consent for data sharing with Signature RX.
• AvenuesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAvenues (2 Barnby Street, London NW1 1AA) is MCO's partner for ultrasound scan referrals. If a patient requires an ultrasound, MCO shares the patient's contact details, relevant medical history, and a copy of the consultation notes to enable the safe and effective delivery of the ultrasound service. The referral is patient-initiated with explicit consent.
• Lola HealthminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMCO has partnered with Lola Health to offer private blood tests to patients. Blood test kits are delivered to the patient's home, and appointments can be booked at partner clinics or for home phlebotomy. Results include a doctor's review. MCO patients receive a 10% discount using code 'MCO'. MCO charges a £35.00 consultation fee to arrange blood test referrals through the platform.
• London fertility clinic (unnamed)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMCO refers patients for egg freezing and IVF consultations to a leading London fertility clinic. MCO provides the initial free consultation to discuss fertility history, realistic success rates, cost breakdowns, and next steps before coordinating a fast-track appointment at the partner clinic.
• ZoomcoreTechnology or IntegrationZoom is the video conferencing platform used by MCO for video consultations. Patients receive a personal Zoom link to access their scheduled consultation. The platform was chosen for its accessibility and widespread use across industries. Supported on mobile, tablet, and laptop via browser or app.
• Trust Payments / PayPalcoreTechnology or IntegrationPayments for consultations are processed via third-party payment providers Trust Payments or PayPal. MCO does not store payment card details. Visa and Mastercard debit and credit cards are accepted.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Babylon Health (eMed): Bababylon/GP at Hand pioneered the UK video-GP and AI-triage telehealth category with broad primary-care consultations; its successor businesses provide a useful benchmark for category demand even though its UK consumer operations have wound down.

Direct peers

• Pharmacy2U: Pharmacy2U is the UK's largest online pharmacy and runs a private online doctor service issuing prescriptions for the same acute-condition basket as MCO, with a much larger dispensing and repeat-prescription business behind it.
• Doctor Care Anywhere: Doctor Care Anywhere is a UK-listed private telehealth provider offering video GP consultations and electronic prescriptions, frequently through employer and insurance channels — overlapping with MCO in the consultation and prescribing layer though deeper in B2B distribution.
• Simple Online Pharmacy: Simple Online Pharmacy is a UK-based GPhC-registered online clinic offering condition-specific e-consultations (weight loss, ED, hair loss) with home-delivered prescriptions — directly comparable pricing and patient experience to MCO.
• Well Pharmacy Online Doctor: Well Pharmacy's Online Doctor service provides GPhC-regulated e-consultations and private prescriptions across a similar condition menu to MCO, backed by a national pharmacy chain that handles dispensing.
• Livi: Livi (the UK arm of Kry) provides NHS and private video GP consultations and prescriptions via app, targeting the same patient pain point (timely GP access) with deeper capital and an NHS integration.
• Lloyds Pharmacy Online Doctor: LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor is a UK DTC prescription telehealth service covering a similar condition menu (contraception, ED, UTI, weight loss, mental health) with clinician-led e-consultations and pharmacy-issued prescriptions, directly competing for the same paying UK consumer segment.
• Zava: Zava (formerly DrEd) is one of the largest UK/Europe DTC online doctor and prescription platforms, offering condition-specific e-consultations, private prescriptions and partner referrals — the closest direct comparator to MCO's productized e-consult model.
• Superdrug Online Doctor: Superdrug's Online Doctor offers UK residents video/telephone consultations and e-prescriptions for the same acute and sensitive conditions (ED, contraception, STI, hair loss) that MCO targets, with the advantage of an established high-street retail brand behind it.
• Push Doctor: Push Doctor is a UK DTC and NHS-integrated video GP platform with private prescription issuance — overlapping significantly with MCO's telephone/video consultation tier and broader condition coverage.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/medicalconsultationsonline

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Medical Consultations Online