Hugh Reeve is a GP in Grange-Over-Sands in Cumbria. The practice wanted to improve the way they met patient demand and initially began to look at introducing an online consultation system. They soon concluded that this could not be simply about introducing a “bolt on” digital system and it quickly became a process that forced them to radically reconsider all aspects of their patient flow. In this episode Hugh explains how they went about transforming their practice, how the new system now works for GPs and patients with the resultant outcomes including the fact that only 40% of patient contacts are now face-to-face.

Show Notes

Why introduce an online consultation system? (59secs)

Improving continuity of care (1min 49secs)

Researching the options (2mins 57secs)

The kind of system they didn’t want (4mins)

A much bigger task than choosing a system (4mins 44secs)

Improving the “flow” of patients (5mins 21secs)

How the system works for GPs (6mins 13secs)

Changing the way they work rather than “bolting on” a system (7mins 16secs)

Radically rethinking “flow” (8mins 03secs)

Only 40% of contacts are face-to-face (9mins 33secs)

Not just introducing online (10mins 05secs)

Establishing what capacity is needed (10mins 45secs)

Introducing the new system (11mins 19secs)

Patients using the system (12mins 07secs)

Not about workforce challenges (13mins 15secs)

A typical day for a GP in the practice (14mins 13secs)

The reaction of patients (18mins 45secs)

Pilot site for the Health Foundation Programme on Continuity of Care (19mins 39secs)

Hugh’s advice for others (22mins 03secs)

You can email Hugh at [email protected]

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