“I felt we offered patient centred care, whilst sharing perceived clinical risk.”
Dr Turner is a Respiratory Medicine Consultant in NHS Birmingham and Solihull CCG. Dr Turner answers Telephone Advice & Guidance calls via Consultant Connect, from local GPs when they are “unsure whether to refer or admit someone or have queries about urgent treatments where they need a decision now/within 48 hours”.
Dr Turner adds, that the service:
“Makes relationships (between GPs and Consultants) more personal and effective, and it helps me understand the patient case better”.
Initial Patient Presentation
Dr Turner, a Respiratory Medicine Consultant in Birmingham, recently helped a local GP manage a patient’s care, who was experiencing breathlessness and had low oxygen levels. The patient had also recently been “discharged from hospital and the discharge paperwork suggested that readmission was not advised”. The patient also wished to stay at home.
Dr Turner was able to support them and provide care in accordance with their wishes, by adding tablet based treatment and having an assessment the next day. Collaboratively, Dr Turner and the GP were able to start “similar management to a hospital setting via support from the community respiratory team”. Dr Turner adds:
“I felt we offered patient centred care, whilst sharing perceived clinical risk.”
How using the service helped
The patient:
- Avoided an admission to hospital, in accordance with their wishes, as they had only recently been discharged.
- Was able to receive care within the community.
- Started their care management plan quickly, with the help of the local respiratory team..
When GPs use Telephone Advice & Guidance, it allows for real-time conversation about the patient case. Dr Turner feels that:
“The spoken interaction can often be more productive than electronic interaction, for example we (GP and Consultant) can talk about the reasoning behind a decision, meaning it can be applied by the GP for similar future cases, or it can enhance education and confidence.”
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