Summer may be a-coming in, we will see beaches and I promised to take a look at that pattern of patient tidal flow.
GP demand is like a rolling wave. Or quite like a skijump, or one side of a volcano, but let’s stay with the wave for the purposes of surfing.
We’ve analysed hundreds of practices and when you allow patients call any time in working hours the pattern is strikingly similar across the board. The calls start high when you open at 8, stay there for a short time and from 9 fall rapidly through the morning. They flatten out through the middle of the day and early afternoon, then tail off from around four down to very little by 6.
Aha. So how to respond?
Tidal deniers: “We hold our partnership meetings at 8.30 on a Monday morning. Works well for us as everyone is in, perfect start to the week”. If only they spent five minutes in reception.
Tidal self harmers: “Sorry, what do you expect, it’s already 8.17 and there’s nothing left. Call back tomorrow but make it early I should to be sure of an appointment” Funny how every day is the same.
Dudes: we’re ready, on it as the demand comes in, phone or online first response, deal with it now, decide to see some later when incoming is quieter. Stay on the wave, take a break, mentally prepare for face to faces, back for next session. It’s a full on day, but we feel in control.
Someone accused me on Twitter this week of common sense and I strenuously deny all charges, but really, is it that hard? So why do patients wait an average of 5 days to get help from their GP? And why do GPs end the day shredded?
One practice we’re working with has hit a median response time by a GP to any patient demand of 17 minutes. Within five weeks of launch. 17 minutes. Surfin’
PS Delighted to see that Matthew Swindells, new Director of Operations at NHS England, is starting to call out NHS111 for the monstrous waste that it is. Sad to say that it’s taken a change of personnel to admit the truth, while those four years have seen hundreds of £m wasted, never mind the frustrations for patients, GPs and staff. So will he actually do the necessary?
Surfing the demand wave
Summer may be a-coming in, we will see beaches and I promised to take a look at that pattern of patient tidal flow.
GP demand is like a rolling wave. Or quite like a skijump, or one side of a volcano, but let’s stay with the wave for the purposes of surfing.
We’ve analysed hundreds of practices and when you allow patients call any time in working hours the pattern is strikingly similar across the board. The calls start high when you open at 8, stay there for a short time and from 9 fall rapidly through the morning. They flatten out through the middle of the day and early afternoon, then tail off from around four down to very little by 6.
Aha. So how to respond?
Someone accused me on Twitter this week of common sense and I strenuously deny all charges, but really, is it that hard? So why do patients wait an average of 5 days to get help from their GP? And why do GPs end the day shredded?
One practice we’re working with has hit a median response time by a GP to any patient demand of 17 minutes. Within five weeks of launch. 17 minutes. Surfin’
Harry Longman
askmyGP & GP Access Ltd
PS Delighted to see that Matthew Swindells, new Director of Operations at NHS England, is starting to call out NHS111 for the monstrous waste that it is. Sad to say that it’s taken a change of personnel to admit the truth, while those four years have seen hundreds of £m wasted, never mind the frustrations for patients, GPs and staff. So will he actually do the necessary?
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