‘Not everyone should be attending the emergency department, but not everyone knows what else is available out-of-hours. For example, NHS 24, GP out-of-hours services, 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 see the right person, in the right place, at the right time. The last time I held the phone, when I took the third call in two hours, I realised that this was the third person who wasn’t being admitted, which is a real result.’

Via established Professional to Professional lines, Ambulance clinicians can liaise with senior clinicians who have access to patient records and are able to support more informed decisions on the most appropriate pathway for patients. Crews can now refer directly to the Community Respiratory Team via Consultant Connect by filling in a digital form, which goes to the most appropriate team based on the patient’s locality.

‘Utilising multidisciplinary prof-to-prof conversation along with shared decision making, resulted in the police being reassured about their duty of care, it provided more efficient use of NHS resources, and most importantly, we absolutely got the right care for our patient.’

Click the images below to download our hints & tips guides to help you make the most of the Consultant Connect service in Scotland.