13.08.14
GPs and referrals
Source: Sara
I agree with both comments. I currently work for an IT company that deals with the NHS, but not primary care. The feedback we sometimes experience when selling our product to hospitals is that GPs are not always referring the patient correctly nor at the right time, which is having the initial impact on the NHS waiting lists.
Until GPs have their own clear pathway and clinical guidance that is much more clear-cut, the waiting lists are just going to get longer. As far as the GP is concerned, upon referring the patient (as far as the pathway is concerned) it is job done and payment in the bank. It is then up to the over-exhausted (not in the literal sense) consultants and nurses to deal with patients that are not surgically ready and having to refer back.
In the long term, the only person that is being overlooked is the patient, who is never really consulted regarding their own pathway as there is no real guidance for them.
I think the ‘patience’ with GPs is slowly running out. The public and some of our GPs should be taken back to the basics of a family doctor and what ‘care’ and ‘following correct clinical protocol’ is. It should be back to basics and managed from the onset.
Re: GPs should offer greater outpatient referral choice – Monitor