TU3.8 Advice and Guidance: an effective communication tool between primary and secondary care in the COVID era?

Abstract

IntroductionAdvice and Guidance is a digital communication tool that allows primary care physicians to seek advice from secondary care clinicians prior or instead of direct referrals.AimsOur audit aims to analyse the number of Advice and Guidance e-referrals made to General Surgery consultants at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham and measure the outcomes of those conversations in order to determine the usefulness and value of the given platform as well as analyse the timescale of the replies.MethodsWe have retrospectively analysed the outcomes of all the referrals to General Surgery made via Advice and Guidance platform between July 2020 and September 2021. The responses were categorised into 7 different outcomes, main ones being “outpatient clinic referral”, “further investigation required”, “advice from a different specialty is needed” and “advice on management only”. Time taken to reply to the referrals was also analysed.ResultsAt total of 2244 referrals were included in this audit. 61% of the referrals were deferred to outpatient clinic for further review, 18% required further investigations, in 10% advice only was given and 8% were referred to a different specialty. Time taken to reply to a referral was 5 days on average.ConclusionsAdvice and Guidance is an appropriate tool that allows direct communication between GPs and General Surgical consultants and is set to reduce the number of unnecessary outpatient clinic referrals made. This in turn reduces pressure on the already stretched secondary care system, especially in the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.