“An acute admission was avoided and the patient was given the care they needed.” Dr Morris
Dr Wendy Morris (MB BS MRCGP DRCOG DFSRH) has been a GP for 20 years. She currently works at Tanworth-in-Arden Medical Practice Centre, in Warwickshire.
Prior to the introduction of the Telephone Advice & Guidance service commissioned by NHS South Warwickshire CCG, Dr Morris says: “If I needed specialist advice, I would either ring the consultant’s secretary or seek advice from the resident medical/surgical officer.”
Having used the Telephone Advice & Guidance service for over a year now, Dr Morris says the service provides her with “Immediate access to expert advice and someone who can make things happen.”
When a new service is implemented, every Practice is sent a set of personalised posters as a reminder of the service Dial-In Number. In addition, all GPs are invited to use the Consultant Connect App to access the service on their mobile phone.
Below is an example of a recent clinical issue regarding a patient with advanced cancer that prompted Dr Morris to use Telephone Advice & Guidance.
“A 54-year-old female presented with obvious advanced cancer. The two-week wait (2WW) referral had been done. I tried ringing 2WW but because this line is not staffed by a clinician, I was unable to move the appointment from 14 days and the patient was deteriorating.”
How Telephone Advice & Guidance helped:
“I was put through to one of the gynaecologists within seconds and they arranged for the patient to be scanned that day and given appropriate follow-up treatment. This would have been an acute admission otherwise. An acute admission was avoided and the patient was given the care they needed.”
Click here to view and download PDF version of this case study.
