Out of Hours Care Policy
Policy ID: A2.1
Version 1.1
Date: 06/06/2014
Reviewed: 24/01/2019
Purpose:
To ensure that clients can access twenty-four hour medical care and that communication between other providers and the practice is maintained.
Responsible Staff:
Implementation: Clinical Director
Action: Clinical Staff
Audit: Clinical Director
Audit:
Code | Cycle (months) | Criterion | Standard |
A2.1-1 | 12 | Information about the practice out of hours cover arrangements are displayed to be visible from outside the building. | YES |
A2.1-2 | 12 | Information about the practice out of hours cover arrangements are presented on the practice website. | YES |
A2.1-3 | 12 | Information about the practice out of hours cover arrangements are available to patients telephoning the practice out of hours | YES |
A2.1-4 | 12 | Patients calling the practice can access the after hours service with not more than two phone calls. | YES |
A2.1-5 | 12 | A record of each visit of each patient to the deputising service is transmitted to the practice | 95% |
A2.1-6 | 24 | Clients have been asked, by means of a direct questionnaire, their opinion of the after hours deputising service. | 2% |
A2.1-7 | 24 | Any feedback generated about the deputising service has been communicated to the practice team and to the deputising service. | YES |
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Code | Cycle (months) | Criterion | Standard |
A2.1-8 | 24 | Where action is recommended by the deputising service, action has been considered and, where appropriate, taken. (Audit last 10 after hours notes) | 100% |
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Training Resources:
None
Linked Policies:
None
Policy:
Our current out of hours service providers are:
Homecare Medical (telephone triage)
Healthline (telephone triage)
24 Hour Surgery (visits)
A notice detailing the location and contact details for the current after hours care provider shall be displayed prominently so that it is visible from outside the building.
Where cover arrangements change (eg during brief closures) a similar notice shall be affixed to the door.
When changes are made to the after hours cover arrangements, even if they are temporary, the Clinical Director shall inform the usual out of hours cover providers as soon as possible.
When changes are made to the after hours cover arrangements, even if they are temporary, the Clinical Director shall ensure that the practice website is updated appropriately.
The practice patient questionnaire shall include appropriate questions about the standard of and access to after hours care. Feedback from this questionnaire shall be shared with the providers and the practice team.
Change Record:
06/06/2014
Updated name of telephone triage provider.
Deleted deprecated Practice Manager Role and replaced with Clinical Director.
24/01/2019
Added Healthline