BMJ  2004;329 (2 October), doi:10.1136/bmj.329.7469.0-c

Off-site triage can work in primary care

Off-site triage of patients who need a same day appointment is feasible, but it doesn't save money. Richards and colleagues (p 774) randomised more than 4500 patients in primary care to off-site triage by NHS Direct or to triage by a nurse in the practice. They found that off-site triage took longer and was more expensive than standard triage; with off-site triage, patients were more likely to get an appointment. If NHS Direct could resolve as many calls by telephone contact or appointment with a nurse as practice based triage, costs would be comparable.

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NHS Direct versus general practice based triage for same day appointments in primary care: cluster randomised controlled trial

David A Richards, Lesley Godfrey, Jane Tawfik, Mike Ryan, Joan Meakins, Evelyn Dutton, and Jeremy Miles
BMJ 2004 329: 774. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]