During this period of social distancing it is more important than ever for mental health clinicians to engage with their patients. Now that we cannot, in most cases, hold face-to-face consultations, how can we continue to treat patients remotely? Dr Isobel Heyman talks to Dr Raj Persaud about the current evidence base for remote working, and provides some practical advice on the ways in which clinicians can stay ‘remote, but not distant’.