Understanding the learning needs of London-based GP trainees in conducting telephone consultations

Abstract

BackgroundTelehealth care and telephone consultations are increasingly used in primary care for daily triage, patient reviews, and providing clinical information; however little is known about the perceptions of GP trainees.AimTo investigate the knowledge and skills of GP trainees in conducting telephone consultations; evaluate their current experiences and learning needs; and identify future training considerations based on feedback received.MethodUsing a mixed-methods approach, a cross-sectional quantitative survey of North Central and East London (NCEL) GP trainees was initially performed. This was followed-up by qualitative semi-structured interviews, which allowed deeper exploration of themes.ResultsIn total 100 trainees responded to the survey, and eight proceeded with interviews. Trainees were least confident in independently undertaking more complex aspects of telephone consulting, and there was a positive correlation between training received and confidence to work independently. Despite positive and negative experiences, trainees felt that there were gaps in their training and significant differences in overall confidence, supervision and feedback among different training grades and between in-hours and out-of-hours practice. Future considerations included curricular promotion, increased trainer-trainee observations using audio-clinical observation tools or simulated practice, and consideration of formal training.ConclusionThis project has shed light on the current learning, feedback, and assessment practices of GP trainees in conducting telephone consultations. Further evaluation will provide a helpful guide to various stakeholders, foresee any challenges and inform a wider debate among postgraduate learners regarding their training for the use of technology in healthcare.