Telephone Triage Skills
Here you will find links to our series of telephone triage skills sessions:
Session 1: A Rapid Induction Into Telephone Triage with Dr Andy Eaton.
Access the 30 minute session here.
Accompanying slides can be found here.
Description: Covid-19 means that many more assessments and consultations must now be carried out remotely. This is challenging work and we will all welcome help in increasing our confidence and skills. This half hour tutorial will provide just that and every primary care clinician will get so much out of working through its advice, insights and practical tips and models.
This is the first of a series of related tutorials and live case discussion webinars from Somerset GP Andy Eaton and Bristol GP Alison Hutchings. Both are GP Training Programme Directors and OOH Fellows and what they have to say comes straight from the coal-face.
Session 2: Telephone Triage Step 1 - Preparation and Planning
Access the 35 minute session here.
Accompanying slides can be found here.
Description: Covid-19 means that many more assessments and consultations must now be carried out remotely. This is challenging work and we will all welcome help in increasing our confidence and skills.
It is important we all have the tools to work as efficiently as possible, especially during these testing times. There will be many calls we make that will be straight forward. Some, however,will require more thought, and a little preparation can help prevent problems arising and result in a more satisfactory outcome for the patient and clinician. So in this episode, we will look at how to overcome some of the barriers to effective triage and the resources we might need to do this.
Target learners: All primary care clinicians carrying out telephone triage and consultation. Second in a series of online tutorial presentations but can be usefully viewed as a stand alone.
This is the second of a series of related tutorials and live case discussion webinars from Somerset GP Andy Eaton and Bristol GP Alison Hutchings. Both are GP Training Programme Directors and OOH Fellows and what they have to say comes straight from the coal-face.
Presenter/s: Dr Andy Eaton, Somerset GP.
Session 3: Telephone Triage Step 2 - Building and Maintaining Rapport
Access the 25 minute session here.
Accompanying slides can be found here.
Description: Covid-19 means that most consultations are now being carried out remotely. This is challenging work and we will all welcome help in increasing our confidence and skills. Many colleagues will have had training at some stage on the importance of rapport in face to face consultations. Creating rapport over the telephone is equally important in order to reduce the caller’s anxiety and help achieve a satisfactory outcome for both parties, but it does involve a different skill set. In this episode, we will look at how to build and maintain rapport, from our initial introduction through to the end of the call.
Target learners: All primary care clinicians carrying out telephone consultation and consultation.
This is the third of a series of related tutorials and live case discussion webinars from Somerset GP Andy Eaton and Bristol GP Alison Hutchings. Both are GP Training Programme Directors and OOH Fellows and what they have to say comes straight from the coal-face.
Presenter/s: Dr Andy Eaton, Somerset GP.
Session 4: Telephone Triage Step 3 - Assess the Clinical Problem & Risks
Access the 28 minute session here.
Accompanying slides can be found here.
Description: Covid-19 means that most consultations are now being carried out remotely. This is challenging work and we will all welcome help in increasing our confidence and skills. This is the fourth in a series of webinars on telephone triage.
Telephone triage involves a decision about which patients we feel need a further face to face assessment. At the present time, clinicians will be feeling a pressure to deal with as much as possible over the telephone, and may be even more anxious about missing something serious, either Covid or non Covid related. The aim of this episode is to increase confidence in our telephone assessment - so that either the serious cases are picked up and dealt with efficiently, or the worse case scenario is confidently excluded.
Target learners: All primary care clinicians carrying out telephone consultation and consultation
Presenter/s: Dr Andy Eaton, Somerset GP.
Session 5: Telephone Triage Step 4 - Make a Diagnosis and Actions
Access the 31 minute session here.
Accompanying slides can be found here.
Description: Covid-19 means that most consultations are now being carried out remotely. This is challenging work and we will all welcome help in increasing our confidence and skills. This is the fifth in a series of webinars on telephone triage.
In this episode we talk about the value of summarising our findings back to the caller, offering a diagnosis or a description of what we feel may be going on, and suggesting options to the patient on how to take things further. This involves the patient in the decision and can help empower them to take positive actions to improve their own health. We also discuss how to decide what to do when things are not black and white, and how looking at things ethically can help unravel a difficult dilemma.
Target learners: All primary care clinicians carrying out telephone consultation and consultation
Presenter/s: Dr Andy Eaton, Somerset GP.
Session 6: Telephone Triage Step 5 - Safety Netting Document and Self Care
Access the 29 minute session here.
Accompanying slides can be found here.
Description: Covid-19 means that most consultations are now being carried out remotely. This is challenging work and we will all welcome help in increasing our confidence and skills. This is the fifth in a series of webinars on telephone triage.
In this final episode of the series, we explore safety netting at the end of a call, and what to document in our records so that we can move safely onto the next call without worrying about the last one. We also recognise that telephone triage (especially total triage) can be stressful, and it is important to develop strategies to look after ourselves.
Target learners: All primary care clinicians carrying out telephone consultation and consultation
Presenter/s: Dr Andy Eaton, Somerset GP.
All the above courses can be accessed free and without any registration at Somerset GP Education Trust.
SGPET Main contact: Claire Winchester