Feedback:
Our Practices Opinion 
on the  Signposting and Care Navigation Toolkit

Why just believe me when I tell you how fantastic our Toolkit is, this is just a small sample of the practices who have fed back so far......

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• The toolkit has proven to be extremely user-friendly and easy to use when requesting amendments. Our receptionist team—who have previously been hesitant about changes to ways of working—have adapted to the toolkit really well. They’ve reported positive feedback from patients and feel it has significantly reduced their responsibility. As a result, they feel more confident when booking appointments and are escalating far fewer queries to managers or GPs regarding how or when to book.

• Feedback from patients via the Friends and Family Test (anonymous survey) has also been very positive, particularly around the “new way of triaging appointments.” Overall, we are extremely pleased with the toolkit. It has had a noticeable impact on improving capacity and freeing up GP time.

• At a time when triage is such a critical focus for primary care in managing rising demand, the toolkit has been an invaluable asset

• The reception team have reported feeling much more confident when booking appointments, knowing that the toolkit has been reviewed and updated by one of our GPs. The clear information provided within the various tabs supports them in effectively signposting patients to the most appropriate clinician or service—whether that’s Pharmacy First, ARRS staff, or another team member. As a result, they no longer dread the phones ringing each morning, as they now have suitable appointment options to offer. This has also led to a noticeable reduction in the level of frustration and verbal abuse received over the phone.

• The GPs are very pleased with the toolkit, as it ensures they are seeing patients who genuinely require GP input, and in a timely manner. They are no longer overwhelmed with queries that could be more appropriately handled by a pharmacist or first contact physiotherapist, allowing their time to be used more effectively.

• From a management perspective, the toolkit has also been a significant help—reducing the number of booking-related queries from the reception team, easing anxiety around appointment availability, and supporting our wider capacity and demand objectives.

• The clinical team have reduced their interruptions during clinics - which allows them to get on with their tasks more efficiently.​

• The toolkit has been invaluable for patient safety; prior to using the toolkit we had several 'near misses' when red flags were missed by reception staff, since it's adoption we have had none. The toolkit has enabled the rapid and consistent training or new receptionists. It was easy to set up and has been easy to adapt in response to changes in local services, new protocols, procedures or observations on improvement by clinicians and administrators. Being web based there were no installation problems or delays. It is excellent value and I would not want to be without it.

• It has enabled prompt identification of red flags and the appropriate signposting to the Doctor or to urgent acre (999/A&E etc). It provides receptionists with the confidence to ask appropriate questions about conditions/symptoms and consequently to allocate to the most appropriate appointment type (i.e. urgent v, routine or telephone v. F2F); our appointments system runs very efficiently as a result.  It has taken about half the time to indict new reception staff when compared against the time before we used the toolkit.

• The clinical team value having a better 'screened' patient before the consultation, where the condition of the patient is succinctly but appropriately described. Clinicians also value having patients assigned to the best appointment type for their need, condition or symptoms.

• The leadership team value the better safety achieved in regard to red flag identification, and improved appointment management. Better signposting to services outside the practice (e.g. community pharmacy) as well as self referral were seminal during the winter - we demonstrably had better appointment capacity as a result of the toolkit.

• We went live 2 weeks ago and the overall response has been brilliant. Really easy to navigate and no complicated log ins! The team have been really responsive and excited to be involved in tweaking the information or adding their own

• This is already showing to save our appointments for more appropriate reasons

• It helps immensely - reduces internal messages/interruptions to clinics as the toolkit directs the admin team directly to the appropriate pathway.

• Provides consistency of the right information for new members of staff and experienced staff.  Robust evidence for CQC.

• The toolkit has provided consistency, ensured a fair process for all patients and enabled equity for all patients (it doesn't matter if they phone or come in to the practice, they will be treated the same).

• All staff know they are following the same process as their colleagues, they are more confident as the GPs can't come and complain that patients have been booked inappropriately, and our 8am rush has all but disappeared... we are very rarely asking any patient to call back!

• The GPs are now seeing patients who really need their clinical skills to support them. Demand is more manageable and frustration over inappropriately booked patients has reduced.

• Patients are no longer requesting the most likely receptionist to get an appointment as they are all treated the same

• Anita has been fantastic, the turnaround has been very quick - so far all amendments have been completed within the same working day.

• It's been vital in providing a consistent approach across the team and for our patients.

• It has helped the reception team triage and signpost to the correct place. It gives the team more confidence to assist with triaging.

• Reassures the Clinical Team that appointments are booked with the appropriate clinician at the right time.

• The amendment process is very easy.

• Reception feel closer to the clinical team and feel "justified" in their signposting to patients ie they namecheck the tool and say the GPs have advised that the patient follows a particular course of action

• Easy to update.

• Thank you very much, we are live in the PCN and getting some amazing feedback 

• Clinical staff like it as it has been written by our clinicians so they are all on the same page

• Very easy.  Anita and her team are so accommodating. Whether its a big overhaul or if you ask for a slight tweak at the drop of a hat, nothing seems to be a problem, and I know what may make sense to me was probably a nightmare to them! 

• All our reception / admin team have 2 screens, they open the toolkit as soon as they start each day. Every call they take or person at the reception desk, they use the toolkit to signpost where to direct the call, if patients disagree with what they suggest, they openly tell them their toolkit is telling them this is correct, and the gp's have advised them where to direct.  This way all staff do the same thing no matter which day they are working and no matter what clinician is working.  It is brilliant. 

• We have a very active PCN and work well with the ARRS staff.  The toolkit helps the staff to direct patients straight to them without the need for a GP appointment and then be directed to the MSK specialist or the UCP which then saves appointments.  It also tells the reception/admin team when to send out florey text messages to save nurse appointments, so we have the results which can they be dealt with over the telephone.

• The Toolkit has enabled us to record knowledge and information in a format that is immediately accessible to the whole reception team and the care coordinators. It provides training support for newer staff and helps ensure our processes are applied in the same way by all staff.

• The Toolkit is helping to ensure agreement on correct care navigation across the clinical teams.

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