Telephone Triage Policy

Policy Code: POL 7

Date: 18/06/2014

Purpose:

To ensure all clients contacting the surgery are given appropriate care and advice.

Responsible Staff:

Implementation: Clinical Director

Action: All Staff

Audit: None

Audit:

Training Resources:

Linked Policies:

Policy:

Although we will strive to provide every client who requests one an appointment on the day they request it, it may not always be possible to do so.

Once all doctors' appointments have been allocated, any clients requesting a same day appointment should be triaged by the nurse on duty.

It is the responsibility of the duty receptionist to put all phone calls through to the nurse on duty.

If the nurse is unavailable, the duty receptionist should ask briefly about the problem documenting details, client name and contact telephone number and inform the nurse as soon as possible. In the event of an emergency or any patients experiencing chest pain/discomfort they should be informed to immediately come to the surgery or ring 111.

Reception staff must not provide clinical advice.

The practice nurse is expected to exercise clinical judgement in determining whether a client should be assessed or whether the matter can wait for an available appointment. If in doubt, the client should be seen.