New Ideas Lighten the Load in General Practice

General practice can feel like a heavy burden these days, with growing financial and time pressures. However, innovative ideas can make a difference. Here are a few approaches that have lightened the load and brought positivity back into general practice

CREDIT: This is an edited version of an article that originally appeared on Practice Index

Duty doctors in reception

One manager suggested placing the duty doctor in the reception area for the first few hours of the day. This way, the GP can quickly advise patients over the phone or guide the receptionists on handling calls. This method has helped reduce the demand for appointments since the doctor can prescribe immediately or take other actions to eliminate the need for an appointment.

Introducing snapshot documents

In West Sussex, a manager introduced “snapshot” documents about locally commissioned services (LCSs) to the GPs. Kristina Svobodova, Deputy Practice Manager at a Worthing practice, found that providing these concise, printed summaries helped the team understand and navigate new services more efficiently.

“It’s fairly simple,” Kristina explains. “When we signed up for new LCSs, some GPs struggled with the clinical system. So, I created one to three-page documents per service, detailing the aim, the process, the necessary templates, and the payment involved.”

The snapshots, which include bullet points for quick reading, give the GPs the essential information they need without having to wade through lengthy documents. Kristina says this approach has increased awareness and provided GPs with the tools they need to ensure they meet all necessary criteria and maximise their claims.

Other bright ideas

Many innovative ideas are making a difference across practices. For instance, the Deep End GP practices in Scotland, serving the 100 most socio-economically deprived populations, have advisors on hand to help with social issues like housing and debt. They also assist patients in registering without needing proof of address or ID.

Another effective strategy is setting aside protected time for teams to meet and work on quality improvements, focusing on areas like prescribing, access, chronic disease management, and collaboration.

Protected time for quality improvement

Nicola Davies, Chair of the Institute for General Practice Management, emphasises the importance of sharing good ideas. At her surgeries in Cornwall, they’ve found success with their flu and COVID-19 clinics by supporting vaccinators more efficiently.

Nicola explains, “We created a pro forma template with all the key questions for patients pre-vaccination. A receptionist asks the questions, directs the patient to an available vaccinator, who then ticks the relevant box for the admin team to input into the system. This way, there are no hold-ups, and patients flow through seamlessly.”

Bringing positivity back

These examples show that even small changes can have a significant impact. By sharing and implementing new ideas, practices can improve efficiency, reduce stress, and bring some much-needed positivity back into general practice. With the right strategies, lightening the load is possible, even in challenging times.