Overview: The key objective of engaging the patients and signposting is to help patients access the right care at the earliest opportunity. It is a new system of ‘triage‘, carried out at the first point of contact with the GP Practice by non-clinical staff under direction of the clinical team.
There are numerous drivers for this patient centred approach and outcomes will include a more streamlined GP workload, improving efficiencies in terms of access to services and patient satisfaction. It will achieve this by releasing valuable GP time and resources. Staff will actively manage requests for GP appointments and safely redirect inappropriate GP consultations to the most appropriate care provider.
Objective: Active Signposting is a tool to develop the skills and career paths of non- clinical staff. Staff will move away from a passive role and have a more direct impact on patient health outcomes. The skills and abilities needed to undertake Active Signposting are valuable in other new non-traditional roles such as Document Management, HCA and Care Navigation. After training staff will be confident in advising and referring patients to care providers who work either within the practice team or to external care providers.
Active signposting and care navigation can present a challenging cultural shift for some teams – and we will explore the mechanisms to help make the changes as smooth as possible – some of this will build on the existing understanding, within the practice, of the need to change and a realisation of benefits these changes can have.
Successful and safe signposting and patient engagement is reliant on 3 core principles:
Training Recommendations, all staff wishing to be considered for Active Signposting/ Care Navigation:
Programme
Session One
Welcome & Introductions
Learning Outcomes
Introduction to Signposting & Navigation
This session will introduce why engaging the patient to enable access to Right person, right place, right time’? Signposting is now a recognised tool to meet demand on GP time and how it can increase access. Discussion will explore the benefits, risks and limits of the approach.
How are you feeling?
How will the Receptionists role change with signposting and navigating…
Sources of help receptionists will refer patients to, including:
Group Work & Practical Session
Typical scenarios found in GP Practices and will be an opportunity for participants to develop new techniques to deal with enhanced patient interactions. Emphasis will be on developing confident communication skills, with all participants having the opportunity to practice these new skills.
Q&A Summary
BREAK
Session Two
Learning Outcomes
Processes for Keeping patients safe
Communicating the changes to patients
Achieving effective and persuasive communication through traditional and online channels
Using and developing the Directory of Service
Monitoring patient engagement, Signposting and Navigation successfully in practice
Next Steps - Formulate an Action Plan
Review of Learning Objectives & Concerns Identified
Q&A – Summary
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