G68(P) Facing the future together? A review of the GP hotline. (May 2019) - Simmie, E
Abstract : Aims: The RCPCH outlined standards in 'Facing the future; together for child health' to improve communication between primary healthcare professionals (GPs) and paediatricians. Standard 1; GPs assessing or treating children with unscheduled care needs have access to immediate telephone advice from a consultant paediatrician. Having demonstrated the benefits of an extended hotline to give advice and discuss outpatient referrals in 2016 we have now also included taking all primary care acute (PAU) referrals. The hotline is available 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday. Our aims were to quantify the use of this extended advice line and the impact on the paediatric service in a local district general hospital. Methods: This is a 12 month project and we have collected data on calls received over the first 4 months 8/5/2018 – 31/5/2018. The number of calls received, the reason for the call and call outcome were recorded. The advice line had been advertised locally via the Clinical Commissioning Group meetings and to each GP practice. Results: 1059 calls were received during this study period. The reason given for the call in 23% of cases was for advice, 16% for outpatient avoidance, 3% other reason, 7% not recorded, 51% PAU referral. The outcome of these calls; 2% 24 hour consultant review, 34.5% advice no follow up, 45.5% assessment on PAU, 7% other, 5% routine appointment, 5% urgent appointment, 1% unknown. 17.5% of PAU referrals were subsequently not seen on PAU. In 3% of calls the reason for the call was not PAU referral but we felt they needed to be seen urgently on PAU. 78% of calls made by GPs with the aim of avoiding an outpatient referral resulted in advice only. Conclusion: The hotline has shown that telephone advice can avoid PAU attendances and it is also very effective in reducing outpatient attendances. Immediate advice from a paediatric consultant ensures that prompt specialist child health expertise and support are available directly into general practice services which are closer to home, where the needs of the child and their family are known.