Better Care Together has produced a short film to help explain the Advice and Guidance service and the benefits it brings to patients.
The Advice and Guidance scheme was introduced as a pilot in north Lancashire in 2014 and has now expanded to cover 16 specialties across the Morecambe Bay area.
It was showcased at a national event looking at building on the e-referral system.
The system offers the opportunity for GPs to seek advice via an electronic “conversation” with a hospital consultant on a patient where they have a query.
Figures released covering the last financial year between April 2015 and March 2016 show that of the 1,919 “conversations” begun by GPs to specialists (that would have previously been a direct referral to hospital for an outpatient appointment.)
655 (34%) patients were managed under the care of the GP with advice from a specialist.
This has resulted in less travel for healthcare for hundreds of people across the Morecambe Bay area.
Dr George Dingle, a GP in the Morecambe Bay area said: “Its gratifying that we have national interest in our scheme, which has already seen great successes. It is clear that we have already seen benefits for the patients across Morecambe Bay.”