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Totally agree with Helen Salisbury in that my reservation on remote consultations has now been transformed too.
Only a few months ago, our waiting rooms were packed with patients; receptionists faced large volume of calls. Since Lockdown, our waiting rooms are empty; signs of “Do not come to the GP Surgery” appeared on the doors; “Please contact your doctor by eConsult” appeared on our surgery website and repeat prescription slips. We were all forced to work differently. New ways of working embraced by all, including clinical and administrative staff.
The way primary care working evolved quickly over the past few weeks in response to the Pandemic Covis-19 crisis is unbelievable. New ways of working will definitely shape our Primary Care in the future and here to stay!
Traditional Face to Face consultations has been replaced if appropriate with Telephone Triaging, eConsult and Video Consultations, offering patients a quick, convenient and secure alternative to visiting their GP practice; enabling patients to choose how they wish to interact with the clinician (doctor, nurse or CP). It has become more obvious that many medical enquiries can be resolved without the need for a Face to Face appointment. Remote consultations reduce consultation length, improve accessibility and patients appreciate being given the option; staff satisfaction and morale has also shown to improve as a result. There has certainly been a reduction in home visits. Clinicians are able to spend more quality time with complex patients.
Home working by GPs and approval of other clinical and administrative staff, has certainly revolutionised our ways of dealing with patients care and management. Many GPs are working not just remotely but also have set up systems to work from home making a huge difference to the normality of their working life.
Nursing team have adapted to reviewing and managing chronic disease patients, wound management by advising patients how to dress their wounds using telephone and video consultations.Implementation of EPS 4 has helped the Clinical pharmacists to encourage paperless practice by sending prescriptions electronically to patient’s nominated pharmacy.
Introduction of “Zoom meetings”, for staff and partners meetings at the practice level and at levels of PCN and Council of Members meetings has certainly enabled all the Primary Care Team especially the GPs to participate, manage and progress during our current pandemic with less disruptions, flexibility and convenience to our working lives. One of the positives that we see is that patients appear to be taking responsibility for their own health, and this should be encouraged.
Reflection on how and if this ‘different’ way of working is effective and sustainable is being constantly talked about at our weekly staff and partners meetings; the idea is to get a wider evaluation by all staff at the GP. Only time will tell!
Dear Editor
I completely understand Helen Salisbury's feeling about the new disconnection from patients. It's similar to mine as an OOH doctor since moving from ten minute phone consultstions to disconnected assessment and recommendations for delivery by a call assistant. But the fact that I stopped missing face to face years ago suggests that we can find new ways of making trusted and rich human connections using different routes and this makes me optimistic. Keep going!
Re: Helen Salisbury: Practising in the dark
Dear Editor
Totally agree with Helen Salisbury in that my reservation on remote consultations has now been transformed too.
Only a few months ago, our waiting rooms were packed with patients; receptionists faced large volume of calls. Since Lockdown, our waiting rooms are empty; signs of “Do not come to the GP Surgery” appeared on the doors; “Please contact your doctor by eConsult” appeared on our surgery website and repeat prescription slips. We were all forced to work differently. New ways of working embraced by all, including clinical and administrative staff.
The way primary care working evolved quickly over the past few weeks in response to the Pandemic Covis-19 crisis is unbelievable. New ways of working will definitely shape our Primary Care in the future and here to stay!
Traditional Face to Face consultations has been replaced if appropriate with Telephone Triaging, eConsult and Video Consultations, offering patients a quick, convenient and secure alternative to visiting their GP practice; enabling patients to choose how they wish to interact with the clinician (doctor, nurse or CP). It has become more obvious that many medical enquiries can be resolved without the need for a Face to Face appointment. Remote consultations reduce consultation length, improve accessibility and patients appreciate being given the option; staff satisfaction and morale has also shown to improve as a result. There has certainly been a reduction in home visits. Clinicians are able to spend more quality time with complex patients.
Home working by GPs and approval of other clinical and administrative staff, has certainly revolutionised our ways of dealing with patients care and management. Many GPs are working not just remotely but also have set up systems to work from home making a huge difference to the normality of their working life.
Nursing team have adapted to reviewing and managing chronic disease patients, wound management by advising patients how to dress their wounds using telephone and video consultations.Implementation of EPS 4 has helped the Clinical pharmacists to encourage paperless practice by sending prescriptions electronically to patient’s nominated pharmacy.
Introduction of “Zoom meetings”, for staff and partners meetings at the practice level and at levels of PCN and Council of Members meetings has certainly enabled all the Primary Care Team especially the GPs to participate, manage and progress during our current pandemic with less disruptions, flexibility and convenience to our working lives. One of the positives that we see is that patients appear to be taking responsibility for their own health, and this should be encouraged.
Reflection on how and if this ‘different’ way of working is effective and sustainable is being constantly talked about at our weekly staff and partners meetings; the idea is to get a wider evaluation by all staff at the GP. Only time will tell!
Competing interests: No competing interests