SPoA – It doesn’t have to be one size fits all

Launched in September 2018, their call before you convey model enables paramedics and GPs to call the Flow Navigation Centre (FNC) via a single dial-in to speak with senior decision-makers in the ED or direct access to specialists before conveying patients.

• Calls are answered within 17 seconds on average.
• All calls and data, including outcomes, are recorded.
• 56% of patients have avoided an unnecessary hospital trip or an admission and got the right care first time.
• Approximately, 15 fewer patients attend A&E per day than the national average.

Listen to Dr Jamie Morrison, Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Clinical Lead for the Flow Navigation Centre, NHS Tayside discuss their UEC pathways at our recent webinar here.

In 2019, SEL launched their SDEC and Acute pathways through Consultant Connect, giving GPs, ANPs, paramedics, and Trust clinicians a single point of access for referrals.

• These pathways receive over 1,000 calls a month (average).
• Calls are answered within 18 seconds (average).
• 76% of calls have resulted in the patient avoiding an unnecessary trip to A&E or admission and being navigated to the right place for their care first time.

Listen to Clive Moss, Senior Commissioning Manager (Urgent and Emergency Care), NHS South East London ICB discuss their SDEC pathways at our recent webinar here.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s  ‘Silver Phone’ was used by Primary Care clinicians when they needed to speak to a consultant geriatrician. However, calls to the phone were not recorded and didn’t cycle through meaning they would often go unanswered. Consultant Connect was already available to clinicians in the area, so in August 2021, a Frailty Advice Line, manned by the Geriatric team at the Trust, was added to the list of specialties available, and the ‘Silver Phone’ discontinued. The goal was to reduce the risk of unanswered calls and to maintain a record of calls placed and answered, all while ensuring that all patients receive the right care in the right place first time:

• 80% of calls are answered first time and within 18 seconds (average).
• 93% of calls have resulted in the patient avoiding an unnecessary trip to A&E or hospital admission.

Find out how Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust are using Consultant Connect for their Frailty advice line here

As a response to the pressures of COVID, in May 2020, the Welsh Government commissioned Consultant Connect’s rapid Advice & Guidance services. Rolled out across all 7 Health Boards and the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust (WAST) the service is used to connect all areas of primary, secondary, and community care, and mental health and learning disabilities services. To date:

• Over 6,000 calls placed to urgent care specialties a month (average).
• 80% of calls are answered first time and within 13 seconds (average).
• 46% of calls have resulted in the patient avoiding an unnecessary trip to A&E or admission and being navigated to the right place for their care first time.