Investigating staff perceptions and experiences of telephone triage in general practice

Abstract

In this qualitative study, Alexandra Detheridge investigates the use of telephone triage in a general practice home visiting team Background: Telephone triage (TT) has historically been used in out of hours (OOH) provision for managing patients who require telephone advice or assessment face-to-face. It is increasingly being used in primary care to manage demand and advanced nurse practitioners are well placed to support this. Aims: To investigate staff perceptions and experiences of TT, barriers, role development, patient expectation and how care could be improved. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were completed with 8 staff (3 specialist nurses and 5 GPs) in a general practice home visiting team that provides care to 46 000 patients. Findings: TT use requires training and support for staff. While communication and patient engagement can be barriers, teamwork is a valuable means of improvement. Conclusion: TT enables the patient to see the correct clinician and can support care management in general practice.