Consultant Connect’s Advice & Guidance (A&G) service was commissioned in 2016 across all three places in Warwickshire, now known as Coventry and Warwickshire ICB.
The evolution of our project with Coventry and Warwickshire ICB from when it first launched has been truly impressive.
The rollout shows how Consultant Connect can be used across all aspects of the patient journey, going beyond Advice & Guidance (A&G) to encompass patient-specialist communication, triaging hospital backlogs, multi-disciplinary teams and more.
Coventry and Warwickshire ICB:
- Warwickshire North
- Coventry and Rugby
- South Warwickshire
Warwickshire North / George Eliot Hospital (GEH)
Coventry and Rugby / University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW)
South Warwickshire / South Warwickshire University NHS FT (SWFT)
For more detailed information about the services available across the ICB, in multiple Places, or in single Places, read on. If you would like to receive a PDF copy, click here.
Services Available and Impact
Across the ICB
- 45 rapid A&G lines available for Primary Care from local specialists.
- Over 7,500 A&G calls placed.
- 63% of calls to elective specialties resulting in patients avoiding unnecessary trips to hospital.
- Over 4,000 records have successfully been transferred to the patient record, freeing up valuable time and ensuring accurate documentation of a patient’s condition.
- Over 300 calls have been placed to the Paediatrics Suspected Childhood Cancer (2WW) pathway, allowing GPs to get in touch instantly with a local Paediatrician at UHCW for any suspected childhood cancer cases, 43% avoiding a 2WW referral.
- GP bypass numbers are available via the service, enabling Secondary Care to call a member of staff at a GP surgery without needing to wait in the queue on switchboard.
- Over 6,000 referrals (backlogs and new referrals) across a number of specialties have been triaged by NHS consultants on our Referral Triage service, supporting to reduce RTT waiting times across the area:
25% Gynaecology returned back to Primary Care with written A&G
29% ENT accepted into routine/urgent clinics
85% Ophthalmology navigated to appropriate clinic first time
Across multiple Places: Coventry & Rugby and Warwickshire North
Consultant Connect replaces e-RS for General Dermatology A&G:
Over 1,000 General Dermatology Messaging A&G queries sent, 66% avoiding an unnecessary referral.
Across Coventry & Rugby / UHCW
Consultant Connect replaces e-RS for Cardiology A&G:
Over 900 Cardiology Messaging A&G queries sent, 83% avoiding an unnecessary referral.
Across South Warwickshire / SWFT
Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU) / Patient Connect solution enables patients to initiate an IG-secure virtual consultation with a specialist clinician.
- 60% of calls to the Prescriptions & Blood Tests PIFU line avoided a referral.
- 59% of Patient Connect calls resulted in the patient’s condition/query being resolved.
- Over 16,800 calls have been placed by patients to various specialists within SWFT.
Diabetic Podiatry Multi-disciplinary Team (MDT), made up of 5 sub-specialties, use the Photo Messaging feature for shared patient care:
- Over 180 messages and 800 photos have been shared within the MDT via the service.
West Midlands Ambulance Service (WMAS) use the service to call the Frailty Unit at SWFT for A&G on how to best navigate patients:
- Over 1,200 calls have been placed, 50% of which resulted in the patient being triaged in the community or given advice for self-care.
Advanced Clinical Practitioner (ACP) Community Team answer A&G calls from local GPs, consultants and place-based teams to discuss whether a referral should be made:
- Over 800 calls have been placed, 23% of which resulted in a referral being avoided.
The Perfect Week and Plan Do Study Act (PDSA) initiatives in collaboration with Consultant Connect have supported patient flow and discharge, as well as facilitated internal communication.
Related materials:
Read | SWFT Integrated Frailty Service feature in NHE’s latest delivery plan
WATCH | Video Case Study: Impact of the integrated frailty service at SWFT
SWFT & Consultant Connect shortlisted for HSJ: Healthtech Partnership of the year Award
Watch | BBC West Midlands: How SWFT has been using Consultant Connect for Frail and Elderly patients
Listen | BBC Radio CWR (Coventry and Warwickshire): SWFT & Consultant Connect
Download Request - Coventry & Warwickshire ICB PDF
*Data correct from February 2022-February 2023
