May 2024 alone saw 31,000 patients added to the elective care waiting list, with 65-week wait breaches increasing by 10% (HSJ), taking the total number of people waiting for a first outpatient appointment to 7.6 million (UK Parliament). There’s no one quick fix to solve this completely, but Referral Triage and Validation is an underrated tool which can significantly help with this challenge and ensure patients get the care they need fast.
Delivered by NHS consultants on the National Consultant Network (NCN), our clinically led service provides virtual management plans for long waiters or new referrals and has proven to reduce waiting lists by 33% on average, even more in some specialties. Triaging referrals in this way ensures that only patients who need to be seen are accepted for an appointment, freeing up valuable slots for those who require them. It provides a better and more enhanced patient experience instead of being on a waiting list indefinitely.
Dr Sonna Ifeacho, NHS ENT Consultant, and Dr Stephen Cookson, NHS Consultant Cardiologist, both triage referrals on the NCN for out-of-area NHS trusts. They explain how Referral Triage and Validation can help with the ever-increasing elective care waiting list and the benefits this provides:
‘With surgical specialties, like ENT, a lot of initial management is medical before considering surgical interventions, and so there are a lot of avenues that can be explored in primary care. It’s very easy to provide detailed management plans with specific advice, including links to relevant documents that the GP can share with the patient. Treatment can be started without needing to be seen in hospital, and this is so rewarding because the patient gets the care they need in the right place straight away; they don’t need to wait for and travel to an appointment which could’ve been done at their GP surgery or over the phone. In the post-pandemic world, patients want digital solutions, so receiving a care package via their GP with collaboration from a specialist is a brilliant initiative.’ – Dr Sonna Ifeacho.
‘We are very much here to support and help with waiting times and add value. We’re not trying to do anything outside everyday practice or established guidelines. We don’t take risks or compromise quality; our goal is to practice safely. Yes, it’s nice when you see a reduction in the number of patients attending the clinic, but ultimately, it’s about adding quality in a secure manner.
‘Conducting triage this way allows us to identify patients who are unnecessarily waiting a long time and who clearly need a diagnostic that can be quickly provided and reported. Additionally, some patients have evidently urgent conditions that we can identify and upgrade. You can’t underestimate the value of having a good support system. I’ve identified a few patients with immediate life-threatening problems who have been on cardiology waiting lists. As a result, I contacted the Consultant Connect Team and the local specialty manager in the middle of the night, and received a response straight away, and in doing so, we may have saved those patients’ lives.’ – Dr Stephen Cookson.
Not only does Referral Triage and Validation help with returning referrals to primary care with enhanced management where appropriate and identifying crucial upgrades, but it also engenders GP learning for future patients:
‘There are many examples in ENT for educational opportunities that can be spotted from triaging referrals. For example, one project contained numerous nose and sinus referrals, all of which were very similar. There is clear guidance on managing these patients, but GPs are unaware or can’t access it. In this circumstance, setting up a formal teaching day or workshop, including this particular topic, improved their knowledge base. We’re also seeing more referrals from other primary care clinicians, such as physician associates and paramedics, who have variable training levels. Hence, sending back management plans for them is very educational. I have received positive feedback, so clinicians are clearly finding it valuable. The beauty of referral triage is you can then see the clinicians’ learning coming through with front-door referrals [following a backlog project]. They’ve shown that they’ve exhausted all local options, and you think: “Yes, you’ve done the right thing by referring the patient.”’ – Dr Sonna Ifeacho.
The statistics* of our Referral Triage and Validation service speak for themselves:
- More than 70,000 referrals triaged
- Across 22 NHS trusts
- In 17 NHS specialties
- Waiting lists reduced by 33% on average
*Correct as of July 2024.
If you have any questions or would like to find out more about our Referral Triage and Validation service, email info@consultantconnect.org.uk or call 01865 261467.
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