Recently published by NHS England, the SAMEDAY strategy outlines seven priorities which support the delivery of same-day emergency care (SDEC) in a standardised and consistent way:
Staffing is safe and sustainable
Access is integrated system-wide
Monitoring and evaluation identify, define, and report patients suitable for same-day care
Estate is maximised across the healthcare system
Diagnostics and testing capacity support rapid access to same-day services
Alternative to admission supports patients to be discharged on the same day to their usual place of residence
You have the opportunity to facilitate change by developing a culture of visible leadership
Key recommendations highlighted in the strategy are already being implemented across the NHS in England, supported by Consultant Connect, including:
All providers across the healthcare system should have access to SDEC, and before referring, clinicians should be able to speak directly with a specialist clinician for advice and guidance
Enhanced Telephone Advice & Guidance by Consultant Connect enables NHS healthcare professionals to seek rapid pre-referral advice and guidance to ensure patients get the right care on the most appropriate pathway. Accessed via our secure app, the user’s desktop or a unique Dial-In Number, our service operates as a secure directory of services, where contact numbers are pre-programmed for quick utilisation. Additionally, when the user inputs the patient’s NHS number and leaves an outcome after the call has concluded, the activity automatically integrates with the patient’s record*.
In South East London ICB, Primary Care clinicians can access rapid Consultant Connect Enhanced Advice & Guidance from over 50 NHS specialties across elective and urgent care via telephone and photo messaging. In the last 12 months, over 10,000 advice calls were placed by clinicians prior to conveying patients to a busy emergency department, 53% of these avoided an unnecessary A&E or hospital admission.
* patient record integration is only available for GP organisations in England
Available through a single point of access, including opening times, exclusion criteria, how to refer a patient and direct contact numbers
Utilising Consultant Connect for SDEC pathways ensures an IG-secure single point of access for all users that can be easily added to the directory of services. Users can view their available specialties, as well as which team answers the queries and the operating hours, all in one place. Telephone numbers are held securely within our system, meaning personal numbers are never disclosed.
Clinicians, including GPs, paramedics, pharmacists, and junior doctors, in NHS Tayside can access a variety of specialties for Enhanced Advice & Guidance** via Consultant Connect. Emergency Medicine Consultant Dr Ron Cook, who is also the Clinical Care Group Director for Unscheduled Medicine, explains how the service supports ensuring patients are treated in the best place for them:
‘Not everyone should be attending the emergency department, but not everyone knows what else is available out-of-hours, for example, NHS 24, GP OOH, and pharmacists. The emergency department isn’t the general answer to all complaints – it’s not there for “convenience”. We try to direct patients so that they can see the right clinician, in the right place, the first time.’
Since October 2018, more than 178,000 calls have been connected via the service, with an average answer time of 18 seconds. Across all 12 specialties offered, 48% of calls resulted in the patient avoiding an unnecessary admission.
A full MDT presence is embedded in the SDEC workforce model
Inter-specialty collaboration via Consultant Connect is quick and easy. Teams can create IG-secure messages and attach patient files and photos, bringing in additional clinicians when needed for discussions in one central place. All Consultant Connect activity is safely recorded in the cloud and can be downloaded at any time, allowing for comprehensive data-rich reports.
For further information on how we can support with your SDEC pathways, please contact us on 01865 261467 or email hello@consultantconnect.org.uk.
Related materials:
- Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) in South East London
- Prof-to-Prof Advice in NHS Tayside
- Milton Keynes Hospital celebrates first birthday of its medical centre which has treated over 20,000 patients
- Streamline your SDEC pathways with Consultant Connect
- Enhanced Advice & Guidance via Consultant Connect
