In numbers
66%
avoid hospital visit in Elective Care
30-40%
avoid hospital visit in Urgent Care
30-40%
signposted direct to clinic/OP in Urgent Care
30%
avoid conveyance when Paramedics call ED
- Easy to set-up & use with benefits from day one – no hardware or training required.
- Reduces referrals & admissions for whole-system efficiencies – patients receive the right care first time. Unnecessary, time-consuming, and costly referrals are avoided.
- Enjoy world-class support – technology is useless if not used. Our team handles set-up, communication and on-going engagement with GPs, specialists and other stakeholders.
Why is it so helpful for GPs and their patients?
Why is it so helpful for Commissioners?
Staffing Advice & Guidance lines a challenge? Find out about our National Network.
Find out how our Mental Health Phone Advice & Guidance service can help support the right mental health referrals at the right time.
Phone Advice & Guidance
The UK’s only immediate Advice & Guidance service
- Easy to set-up & use with benefits from day one – no hardware or training required.
- Because technology is useless if not used, our team handles set-up, communication and on-going engagement with GPs and specialists.
- Used in Elective, Urgent, and Mental Health.
- Reducing referrals & admissions for whole-system efficiencies – patients receive the right care first time. Unnecessary, time-consuming, and costly referrals are avoided.
Staffing Advice & Guidance lines a challenge? Find out about our National Network.
How it works
GP has a patient that may need a referral
- GP calls the Phone Advice & Guidance service using their unique local Dial-In Number or the Consultant Connect App. They choose a specialty (eg “press 1 for Cardiology”), and input the patient’s NHS number.
- The call loops through a “rota” of available local specialists and the GP is put through to the first available specialist.
- The UK average time it takes to connect a GP to a specialist this way is only 27 seconds. This means that GPs can use the service while the patient is still with them.
1
GP has a patient that may need a referral
- GP calls the Phone Advice & Guidance service using their unique local Dial-In Number or the Consultant Connect App.
- They choose a specialty (eg “press 1 for Cardiology”), and input the patient’s NHS number.
- The call loops through a “rota” of available local specialists and the GP is put through to the first available.
The UK average time it takes to connect a GP to a specialist this way is only 35 seconds. This means that GPs can use the service while the patient is still with them.
Clinical conversation with specialist
The GP speaks with the specialist, who offers immediate Advice & Guidance, and helps decide the appropriate course of action for the patient. Conversations are usually around 3-4 minutes in duration. This means that:
- Patients get quicker specialist advice and only attend hospital if it’s necessary.
- Specialists and hospitals see a reduction in unnecessary referrals, reducing workload.
2
Clinical conversation with specialist
The GP speaks with the specialist, who offers immediate Advice & Guidance, and helps decide the appropriate course of action for the patient. Conversations are usually around 3-4 minutes in duration. This means that:
- Patients get quicker specialist advice and only attend hospital if it’s necessary.
- Specialists and hospitals see a reduction in unnecessary referrals, reducing workload.
Outcome is recorded
- At the end of the call, the GP and the specialist record the call outcome (for example “referral made” or “referral avoided”).
- Commissioners and hospitals can use the data our service collects to monitor Advice & Guidance, identify training needs and improve local service provision.
- A recording of the call is safely stored as a fully encrypted audio file accessible to the relevant GP practice and hospital team.
3
Outcome is recorded
At the end of the call:
- The GP and the specialist record the call outcome (for example “referral made” or “referral avoided”).
- Commissioners and hospitals can use the data our service collects to monitor Advice & Guidance, identify training needs and improve local service provision.
- A recording of the call is safely stored as a fully encrypted audio file accessible to the relevant GP practice and hospital team.
Everything you need to know – in a few minutes…
Specialists explain how immediate phone advice helps patients
Clinicians explain why immediate phone advice works for them
Phone A&G in action – Elective Care
Phone A&G in action – Urgent Care
Consultant Connect in NHSE handbooks
Did you know Consultant Connect has been included in the NHS England’s Elective Care Transformation Team handbooks for gastro, dermatology and diabetes handbooks? Proof that advice & guidance works!
Phone Advice & Guidance Case Studies
GP case study: Dermatology
Dr Alice Overbury describes how she uses Photo Advice & Guidance for Teledermatology on the Consultant Connect App.
GP and Consultant case study: Cardiology
Dr Patrick Davey is a Consultant Cardiologist on the National Consultant Network. He answers calls from GPs around the country such as Dr Andrew Ross - a GP in Lambeth.
GP and Consultant case study: Cardiology
Dr Patrick Davey, a consultant on the National Consultant Network, answers GP Phone Advice & Guidance calls from around the UK. This includes calls from Southwark GPs.
Advice from emergency consultants one phone call away
This feature, created by HSJ in co-operation with NHS Tayside Health Board, explains why the Scottish Health Board rolled out a system that provides GPs and paramedics with immediate advice and ...
What our customers say:
Contact us
For more information about how we work with commissioners, hospitals & mental health trusts to improve patient care, please get in touch.
Join a webinar
Listen to health experts from the comfort of your desk as we bring the experts to you in our series of online webinars.
Join our mailing list
Join our mailing list and we'll keep you informed of our latest blogs, project news, and upcoming webinar dates and topics.
Contact us
You can view our Terms & Conditions here.
Most Read Articles
8 NHS areas where communication is improving patient care
The 8 NHS areas described below have one thing in common - they've all made it radically quicker for clinicians, paramedics etc. to communicate about patients using telephone and photo Advice & Guidance. Click here to download a PDF version of this article. ...
Consultant Connect cited in new NHS specialty handbooks
Regular readers will know that the Elective Care Transformation Team at NHS England is busy producing a series of handbooks to help Trusts and commissioners to manage rising demand across certain clinical specialties. We were delighted to be included in the gastro...
Using out-of-area consultants to support Advice & Guidance
One of the biggest challenges for hospitals delivering an Advice & Guidance service is staffing it. Whether the requests come in from GPs by phone or in writing, most clinicians are expected to respond whilst also doing their day job. This can mean using...
Consultant Connect wins the Barclays Award for Innovation 2018
Consultant Connect wins the Barclays Award for Innovation at The Oxford Trust Enterprise Awards 2018. The Barclays Award for Innovation, is part of the Oxford Trust Enterprise Awards. It is given to a company whose innovation is having a major impact on the industry...
Working with the #1 Trust for A&E
When the BBC published the performance of 133 Trusts in October, Luton and Dunstable University Hospital NHS Trust was ranked first for A&E. 98.6% of patients attending A&E at Luton and Dunstable were treated within 4 hours, compared with an average of 90.1%...
The 3 Things That Mean GPs Will Use Advice & Guidance
One of our customers is a CCG that has been piloting four specialties on Consultant Connect for the last six months. Interestingly, though, they are one of three CCGs that feed into the local Trust. The other CCGs offer written Advice & Guidance (through e-RS) and...
Find Us
Consultant Connect Ltd
One St Aldates, Oxford, OX1 1DE
Company registered in England & Wales.
Company number 09488206
Press Contact
hello@consultantconnect.org.uk
01865 261 467
Find Out More
Copyright © Consultant Connect Ltd | Site by Herd
Let's Talk
01865 261 467
hello@consultantconnect.org.uk