We spoke with Stephen Dowber and Non Harries to find out how using Consultant Connect supports clinical decision-making, improves patient safety, and helps patients receive the right care in the right setting.
The rollout of Enhanced Advice & Guidance (A&G) across NHS Greater Manchester has given local clinicians in all 10 boroughs rapid access to a wide range of elective care specialties. We caught up with Dr Syeda Farah Farzana, a GP Trainee in Tameside, to understand how Consultant Connect is supporting her during her training:
Follow-up Calls is an additional feature of the service, enabling clinicians to securely contact patients and track their progress through their pathways. We spoke with Deb Collier, whose Epilepsy Nursing Team in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is the first in Wales to utilise this functionality.
More recently, we caught up with GP Dr Rikin Patel to find out how the Enhanced Advice & Guidance has changed over the years and its impact on patient care:
We spoke with Dr Eric Saunderson, who returned to general practice from retirement during the Covid pandemic. Dr Saunderson now locums in multiple areas and likes to used Enhanced A&G via Consultant Connect to get quick access to specialist opinions.
We recently spoke with Chris Ferris, a retired clinical lead manager for 40 years with WAST, who has since returned part-time as a paramedic. Chris informed us that his access to Consultant Connect is what contributed to his decision to return to clinical work from retirement.
Healthcare professionals in NCL ICB have access to a range of elective care specialties for Enhanced Advice & Guidance (A&G) provided by out-of-area NHS consultants on the National Consultant Network (NCN), including messaging services for dermatology lesions and dermatology advice.
Implemented to help reduce unnecessary Emergency Department attendances, Prof-to-Prof Advice also helps to ensure timely access to advice for local healthcare professionals, enabling patients to receive the right care in the right place the first time.
The National Consultant Network comprises out-of-area NHS consultants who support clinicians by providing Advice & Guidance via telephone and/or messaging, helping patients receive the right care in the right place the first time.
NHS Bedfordshire, Luton, and Milton Keynes ICS was created in early 2020 when the previous individual NHS areas merged into one. Since this development, their project in partnership with Consultant Connect has grown year on year. In this article, we look at the key milestones and usage stats since the project’s launch.