Thread by @DrJonGriffiths

In Cheshire and Merseyside we have published a Consensus on the Primary Secondary Care Interface. I think this is important and want to tell you about it. Here's a thread.

First of all, here's the Consensus itself, so please go take a look. I'll wait. cheshireandmerseysidepartnership.co.uk/consensus-on-t…

We developed this as part of our system wide approach to pressures being felt in all parts of the NHS. One element expressed by healthcare staff was the perception of work being shifted from Secondary to Primary Care and vice-versa. The Consensus looks to help this.

You can listen to me talking to our ICB Medical Director Designate (@pritchard_rowan) and @DrPhilJennings via this link. The need to do this work in order to better connect us across the system comes across strongly. audioboom.com/posts/8105736-…

GPs may wish to listen to The General Practice Podcast with @BenXGowland where I talk about how this work will improve relationships with consultant colleagues and ease workload pressures. ockham.healthcare/podcast-jonath…

We have discussed the document at Cheshire LMC (@WilliamGreenwo2, @Branwen25) and this evening will be talking about it at @RCGPMersey (@gpdiarist, @DocRunner, @DrOmonImohi @DrHFRyan, @DrAbdulZubairu)

We need to reduce inappropriate transfer of administrative work between Primary and Secondary Care. Test results are the responsibility of the person requesting the test, patients need to know how and when the will receive results.

We should not be asking other people or teams to undertake investigations when we could be doing this ourselves. Hospital consultant colleagues should write sick notes for patients for appropriate durations and counsel patients on the medications they are recommending.

GPs should be clear in their 'ask' when referring and ensure that all relevant investigations completed prior to referral. GPs should also consider optimising long term conditions prior to expected surgical procedures.

Consultants can undertake consultant to consultant referrals - please do rather than instructing GPs to do this. We all need to undertake our own work, and not pass things to others or commit other teams to particular courses of action.

Everyone needs to treat everyone else with respect, and keep the patient at the centre of all that we do.

Thread ends. Tagging a few others who may wish to read/comment. @MartinRCGP @ClareGerada @dgfull @FionaLemmens @GaryHowsam @Parody_RCGP @drgandalf52 @innovationnwc @C_MPartnership #TeamGP @mancunianmedic @ResilientGP @DrGoblin3 @HawthorneKamila