We expect this year’s focus for winter funding applications will be no different to previous winters; successful applications will likely be those of innovative initiatives and technology that ensure hospital pressures are reduced.
Here are two examples of how Consultant Connect technology can help NHS areas ease pressures this winter and beyond:
1. Reduce unnecessary patient admissions and conveyances through a reliable single point of access:
Consultant Connect technology works as a single point of access for clinicians, allowing them to connect with the right clinical colleagues for advice within 30 seconds on average.
The service can be set up to give healthcare professionals (such as GPs, 111 services, and ambulance teams) access to hospital colleagues to discuss whether sending a patient to A&E/ED is really the best thing to do and whether there is a more suitable place to navigate patients (e.g., SDEC, frailty units, assessment units, community services, etc.).
Our outcome data monitors the effectiveness of Urgent and Emergency Care pathways. In 2023:
- On average, 80% of calls were answered within 30 seconds, meaning no time was wasted on busy switchboards or bleeps.
- 54% of GP calls to Urgent Care services avoided unnecessary patient admissions.
- 53% of calls to SDEC lines resulted in the patient avoiding A&E/ED and instead being directed to the most appropriate place for their care.
- 53% of calls from ambulance staff avoided unnecessary patient conveyances.
2. Eliminate Elective Care waiting lists with support from ‘virtual’ NHS consultants:
It’s well known that triaging waiting list backlogs and incoming referrals ensures the right pathways first time. However, finding local consultant-led resources to deliver this can be tricky, and that’s where we can help.
Our NHS consultant-led Referral Triage and Validation service clears waiting list backlogs in bulk and/or new referrals as they come in.
The service brings in the clinical expertise of NHS consultants from our National Consultant Network (NCN) working as ‘virtual locums’, following local pathways and protocols, under the leadership of the local clinical leads.
To date, over 70,000 referrals have been clinically triaged via the service, resulting in an average of 33% of patients coming off the waiting list and getting the care they need immediately via management plans devised by the NCN. The service also identifies patients who do not need to be on the waiting list and prioritises important upgrades.
It’s the cheapest, quickest way of cutting waiting lists and improving patient care.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss how we can support you with winter funding applications, please call us on 01865 261 467 or email hello@consultantconnect.org.uk
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