Developing the Principle for urgent cases presenting to general practice

Must have capacity and plans to react if patient needs to be seen

Must have 'duty clinician' or other arrangementfor early assessment

Minimal delay reacting to a patient that presents

Developing the Principle for urgent cases presenting to general practice

The system must be safe for the patient

Secondary principles

Fundamental principle

In case of doubt ensure that the patient is assessed or seen sooner rather than later

Urgent is defined by patient until assessed

Which implies

Receptionists have adequate training /process to indentify potentially urgent cases

Must deal with patients wherever they present

Potentially urgent cases should be assenssed by a clinician as early as practical

Build ‘safety netting’(advising callers what to do if the condition worsens/does not improve) into the process

Plans and capacity to respond as needed

Must avoid long queues (for intial phone call assessment or face to face)

In cases of doubt ，then error on the side of safety

Must have adequate receptionsts for calls and face to face