All Greater Manchester GPs can now connect to specialist advice in seconds
More than 2,000 GPs across Greater Manchester can now connect with NHS consultants across the UK for specialist advice in under 30 seconds on average, thanks to new technology.
Commissioned by NHS Greater Manchester, the technology helps GPs get rapid specialist input when deciding whether a hospital referral is needed. Delivered in partnership with Consultant Connect, a leading telemedicine provider, it forms part of the city-region’s Elective Care Recovery Programme. It aims to reduce waiting lists and improve patient access to care.
The rollout aligns with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s call for a more digital NHS, showing how innovation can speed up access to care and ease pressures on hospitals.
Consultant Connect’s service gives healthcare professionals real-time access to specialist expertise, helping inform clinical decisions and guide the next steps in patient care. Previously, GPs would often refer patients to hospital or try to reach colleagues through switchboards or mobile phones.
At the heart of the service is Consultant Connect’s National Consultant Network, which lets GPs in Greater Manchester get rapid advice from NHS consultants anywhere in the country. By sharing expertise nationally, local specialists have more time for patients who need hospital care, helping to cut waiting times and make the best use of local resources and funding. This means every patient gets the right advice without unnecessarily adding pressure to local services.
This project builds on pilot projects run in Oldham and Salford. Over 62,600 calls and messages were sent by GPs to consultants through Consultant Connect’s app since 2020. Over 50% of these advice and guidance requests resulted in patients avoiding hospital appointments and being treated in the community instead, which equates to over 31,000 patients.
Dr John Patterson, GP, Associate Medical Director (Oldham) and Co-Chair Elective Care Recovery and Reform Board, NHS Greater Manchester said, ‘For a long time, we’ve wanted to make it easier for GPs and specialists to talk to each other. This pre-referral advice tool makes those conversations faster and more useful. Consultant Connect has been a great partner, and having access to specialists across the country helps us manage demand. As a GP, I can honestly say this is one of the most helpful digital tools I use, and I’m pleased every practice in Greater Manchester can now access it.’
Kat James, Joint Managing Director at Consultant Connect, said ‘We congratulate the Greater Manchester team for scaling fast and going live for all their GPs. Too often, health tech is implemented in a fragmented way. The Greater Manchester team is embracing technology at scale to keep patients out of hospital unnecessarily and take pressure off our healthcare system.
It is very much in line with the 10 Year Forward Plan to modernise the NHS. Technology is just one part; in Greater Manchester, we have witnessed outstanding clinical leadership from local champions, such as John Patterson, who have brought technology to life.
We are delighted that all Greater Manchester primary care clinicians now have specialist access at their fingertips, and that patients can get faster access to the best treatment plan.’
For more information:
If you’d like to find out more about how our services could help your NHS area, email info@consultantconnect.org.uk or call the team on 01865 951 207.
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