Executive Summary
Delivering for Health requires NHS boards to develop three year implementation plans to introduce the five simple changes. The second simple change is to improve referral and diagnostic pathways. This document sets out recommendations of how appropriate clinically driven improvement of the referral process in NHSScotland can:
- Use resources more effectively and fairly - freeing up clinical time to focus on clinically needy patients;
- Improve patient outcomes;
- Improve service quality;
- Improve overall value for money;
- Reduce long standing variations in treatment and pathways;
- Improve appropriateness of care - to make sure that patients get the right treatment, from the right professional, in the right place, at the right time.
To form this guidance the Planned Care Improvement Programme has reviewed pilot Referral Management and Information projects run as part of the Outpatients Programme in Scotland, reviewed experience from England, Wales & Northern Ireland and international best practice.
The programme promotes Patient Pathway Management as the strategy that binds together the redesign of services for the benefit of the patient and delivery of sustainable performance. Patient Pathway Management promotes the reduction of variation in patient journeys, by means of the adoption of best practices implemented by the right people, in the right place, at the right time.
Effective Patient Pathway Management consists of the following key components:
- Evidence-based process design
- Referral Facilitation
- Referral Information
- Referral Management
- Booking and Access Guidelines
- Patient Focussed Booking
- Direct Access
- Patient Tracking, Management and Navigation
This document focuses on referral facilitation, information and management.