What We Do - Consultant Connect

Manage Local Demand using the National Consultant Network (NCN)

Advice & Guidance:

on e-RS or other systems with no change to current flows

The NCN comprises out-of-area NHS consultants who can answer pre-referral advice and guidance calls and/or review photo and message requests. The consultants can act as a backup for local teams and provide locally unavailable specialties.

The NCN can review A&G requests on Consultant Connect as well as on e-RS or other local systems with no changes to current flows. This means that patients who do not need referral can be safely managed in primary care and, for those needing a referral, peace of mind that they are put onto the right pathway, first time.

If you are short of staff, the NCN can be switched on in just 24-48 hours. It can also be switched off that quickly when it’s no longer needed.

Elective Care specialties include:

  • Cardiology
  • COVID-19 Line
  • Dermatology (and image review)
  • Diabetes and Endocrinology
  • Diabetic Podiatry
  • Elderly Care
  • E.N.T
  • Gastroenterology
  • General Medicine
  • Gynaecology
  • Haematology
  • Inflammatory Bowel Disease

The NCN for Elective Care operates

Mon – Fri, 9am – 8pm

Sat – Sun, 9am – 5pm

Please note: some specialties are offered at extended hours. For more information email hello@consultantconnect.org.uk or call us on 01865 261 467.

  • Menopause Advice
  • Neurology
  • Ophthalmology
  • Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
  • Paediatrics
  • Palliative Medicine
  • Renal Medicine
  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Rheumatology
  • Stroke Medicine
  • Trauma & Orthopaedics
  • Urology

Mental Health

The NCN for Mental Health operates

Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm.

The NCN for Mental Health comprises fully trained and accredited NHS psychiatrists, pharmacists and nurse prescribers who will answer medication/prescribing Advice & Guidance calls.

 

Medication advice lines:

Our medication advice lines cover all age groups and support with:

  • Medication reviews
  • Potential interactions between drugs and side effects
  • Supporting primary care prescribing
  • Confirming NICE guidance

Referral Triage and Validation:

safely reducing waiting lists by as much as a third and even more in some specialties

Over 70,000 referrals clinically reviewed through the service:

Our consultant-led Referral Triage and Validation service supports hospital trusts needing additional temporary capacity for referrals. The service uses the clinical expertise of NHS consultants all main elective specialties. 

The NCN consultants are brought in on a ‘remote locum’ basis, following local pathways and protocols, under the leadership of the local clinical leads, to triage and validate waiting list backlogs in bulk and/or new referrals as they come in. They can also be brought in to review and validate follow-up lists to ensure patients are seen/discharged in the most appropriate way (e.g., face-to-face, virtual, discharged to PIFU pathways etc.).

The service is flexible and our switch-on/switch-off model means as local capacities change, it can be increased to cover more specialties, reduced or turned off completely with 72 hours’ notice.

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