NHSD Explained - part 2
See 'Help' post below for the first part of this post.
Streaming - what is it?
Occasionally you won't need to be called back by a nurse. We 'stream' calls to other places when it's blatantly obvious we can't help you, and waiting for a callback would put you at risk, or be pointless.
OOH Services
As you may, or may not know, NHSD is contracted by some GP and Dental Out of Hours services. This means that as soon as your surgery is shut and you call your OOH number, you'll get through to us. (Other services include Primecare and Dencall). We will introduce ourselves as being from NHSD so that you know who you're dealing with, however the way your call is processed is different than regular 08454647 calls (Triage calls). With GP OOH services you will be triaged as normal, then your details may be sent straight to your on-call service or placed in the callback queue with the rest of the calls. If your call is queued then it will have a shorter callback time than normal triage calls, you will effectively be queue-jumping. The callback time will usually be within the hour for both P2 and P3 calls for GP services. The calls are labelled as GP/Dental OOH in the queue to differentiate them from Triage calls.
Now technically, NHS Direct is supposed to be a one-call service out of hours. If you call and the nurse advisor thinks you need to see your GP urgently then they can send the details straight to your OOH service, so that you don't have to make a second phone call. This is done using a computerised 'technical link' service built into our software. Your OOH service will then call you back and arrange for you to be seen if necessary, maybe even arrange transport for you if you need it. It's a great idea, but it confuses Joe Public. Next time Joe's ill he decides to call us because his doctor is closed. He can't understand why his last call ended with him being seen by a GP at his local Urgent Care Centre, yet when he calls asking for a doctor he is told that NHSD is staffed by nurses. It's a very common mistake, maybe 1 in 6 calls on an OOH shift.
The most common problem by far is when Joe or Josie calls, and irately says "But I called my GP and it put me through to you" when I tell them that to actually see someone that they need to call their OOH service. So read my next post for an explanation, as simple as possible, to clear up confusion.
(Wow. This is a far more Herculean task than I'd envisioned. Part 3 coming soon, my fingers are aching now! (I've written this all in one go, no drafting or editing here!)
Ouch. So we'll make it a date for Sunday then? )
TTFN!
Streaming - what is it?
Occasionally you won't need to be called back by a nurse. We 'stream' calls to other places when it's blatantly obvious we can't help you, and waiting for a callback would put you at risk, or be pointless.
- Pharmacy stream - self explanatory. You've got a meds query but are asymptomatic, or you've run out of meds and are asymptomatic. Maybe you're away in a different part of the country and need to find out where to fill your prescription. Pharmacists are the people to speak to about medications.
- Dental stream - for non-urgent dental problems, usually not terribly painful or merely cosmetic. Callers will usually be advised to call their own dentist. If they're not registered then we'll give them details of local dentists.
- GP stream - if you've got symptoms that obviously need treatment then we'll tell you to call your surgery asap. Not much point in waiting for a callback from a nurse to be told exactly the same thing.
- Urgent Dental stream - if you've got severe dental pain then we'll give you the number of an EDS so you can be treated. This one's quite important as EDS places are very limited, and while you waited for a nurse callback all the appointments would be snaffled!
- A&E stream - you or someone else is injured (broken arm, head injury), or so ill (vomiting blood, loss of vision) that they need to be seen in A&E. We always advise that if the patient's symptoms worsen en route that the driver pulls over to a safe place and calls 999
- 999 Ambulance stream - suspected heart attacks, cyanosis, unconsciousness and serious accidents get you an ambulance. We'll call control and give basic details and then transfer you to them.
OOH Services
As you may, or may not know, NHSD is contracted by some GP and Dental Out of Hours services. This means that as soon as your surgery is shut and you call your OOH number, you'll get through to us. (Other services include Primecare and Dencall). We will introduce ourselves as being from NHSD so that you know who you're dealing with, however the way your call is processed is different than regular 08454647 calls (Triage calls). With GP OOH services you will be triaged as normal, then your details may be sent straight to your on-call service or placed in the callback queue with the rest of the calls. If your call is queued then it will have a shorter callback time than normal triage calls, you will effectively be queue-jumping. The callback time will usually be within the hour for both P2 and P3 calls for GP services. The calls are labelled as GP/Dental OOH in the queue to differentiate them from Triage calls.
Now technically, NHS Direct is supposed to be a one-call service out of hours. If you call and the nurse advisor thinks you need to see your GP urgently then they can send the details straight to your OOH service, so that you don't have to make a second phone call. This is done using a computerised 'technical link' service built into our software. Your OOH service will then call you back and arrange for you to be seen if necessary, maybe even arrange transport for you if you need it. It's a great idea, but it confuses Joe Public. Next time Joe's ill he decides to call us because his doctor is closed. He can't understand why his last call ended with him being seen by a GP at his local Urgent Care Centre, yet when he calls asking for a doctor he is told that NHSD is staffed by nurses. It's a very common mistake, maybe 1 in 6 calls on an OOH shift.
The most common problem by far is when Joe or Josie calls, and irately says "But I called my GP and it put me through to you" when I tell them that to actually see someone that they need to call their OOH service. So read my next post for an explanation, as simple as possible, to clear up confusion.
(Wow. This is a far more Herculean task than I'd envisioned. Part 3 coming soon, my fingers are aching now! (I've written this all in one go, no drafting or editing here!)
Ouch. So we'll make it a date for Sunday then? )
TTFN!
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