North East Wales NHS Trust

Introducing Generic Referrals and List Pooling.

Plan

• Key objective of the GGP is pooled lists.

Who – All sub-specialties. What – Existing and new referrals.Where – North East Wales NHS Trust and its

health economy. When - All sub-specialties to have pooled list

by January 2006.

Do

Sequence of events:Discuss plan with the LHBs, Directorates and

Health records department.Write to all GPs asking them to refer to “Dear

Doctor”.Meeting for Consultants to introduce them to

the Guide to Good Practice.Identify an implementation plan.

DoLetter to GPs explained why we need them to

refer to a team and how the Trust will manage these referrals.

List pooling:Arranged meetings with consultants.Agree start date, what to do with existing referrals and time scales for clinical priorities.

Do

Write to LHBs to inform them of the department going for pooling.

Write to GPs

Write to all patients affected by the change.

DoInform the information department of the start

date.

Set up a new code.

Move all suitable patients to the new list.

Inform the appointment clerks of the change.

Study

Collect and monitor waiting list data for the new lists.

Monitor the number of requests for a specific Consultant.

StudyApproximately 60 Practices. Only two have

responded negatively to the initiative. Seven have responded positively.

Appointment Clerks report a marked increase in “Dear Doctor” letters.

Less than 1% of patient we have written to have asked not to be transferred to the pooled list.

Some strange letters to Dr Gemmell.

Study

Pooling all new referrals for:

Urology Gastroenterology

Respiratory Cardiology

Colorectal Gynaecology

Rheumatology General Surgery.

ActContinue rolling out.

Start to work on pooling inpatient and day case lists.

Monitor and act on non-generic referring GPs.

Investigate any increase in requests to see named Consultants

Act

Use the information and experience gained at each stage to inform the next stage.

Aim to pool all new referrals first. This has proved to be simpler, less controversial and will have the desired affect over time.