Also, there is a crisis in GP recruitment. Reception staff are were in a position to triage or signpost patients when they ranf to make an appointment with a GP.
We therefore joined forces with Newcastle University to undertake some research.
Following successful ethical approval the project aimed to: Gain a thorough understanding of the communications and interactions that take place between patients and GP receptionists during their telephone conversations.
The purpose of the study was to investigate how the communication process may be improved and facilitated so that patients can have better access to primary healthcare services
The practice manager, the practice staff team (including the receptionist team), as well as the practice’s health champions were actively involved in the research. A two-part study was undertaken, as detailed below:
Part-One of the project (Recording of conversations between patients and receptionists): The researcher recorded telephone conversations between patients and GP receptionists at the Oxford Terrace Rawling Road medical Group. The recording activities took to two calendar weeks. The research team discussed these with the OTRR-MG to agree on a suitable time to commence the recording process. At the end of the recording process, up to 400 telephone conversations were randomly selected, transcribed and analysed using appropriate qualitative and quantitative analytical methods. The reception team was fully involved and actively participated in the study.
Part-Two of the project (interviews with staff at the OTMG-RR): The research conducted a number of one-to-one, semi-structured interviews with members of staff at the OTMG-RR in order to understand the staffs’ opinions and views of relevant issues surrounding communications between patients and GP receptionists in primary health care. There are 37 members of staff in total at the OTMG-RR in total (at the time of the research proposal). Each interview lasted approximately 30 minutes, at times suitable for the researcher and interviewees.
The interview results will be analysed with appropriate qualitative analytical methods.
What is the benefit of the idea over current methods or products used? Managing demand in general practice is a perpetual problem. However, there has been no work to-date undertaken to understand the communication between patients and receptionists.
What is the current status of the idea? Research data collected from this study (telephone recordings and staff interviews) will provide a critical insight into the communications and interactions during patients’ first point of contact with GP recep. The results will help the researcher and the practice team to identify and explore possible areas where healthcare services may be further improved so that patients can better receive the information and be signposted to appropriate appointments, support and services in the health and wellbeing environment.
A total of 400 audio recordings between GP receptionists and patients at the OTRR-MG have been collected and fully transcribed.
In addition, a collection of staff interview data have been collected.
Results are being used to:
• Develop training for reception staff;
• Undertake patient education to inform better use of GP appointments and use of the primary health care team;
• A triage script will be developed to ensure reception staff are better able to signpost patients to the right support first time;
• Reception staff will be trained to become care navigators ensuring that patients have better experience of access