The Referral Support System (RSS): North Kirklees and Wakefield CCG

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The Referral Support System (RSS)

North Kirklees and Wakefield CCG

Objectives

In partnership with North Kirklees and Wakefield CCG and Mid Yorkshire NHS Foundation Trust, Attain developed a multi-faceted approach, the Referral Support System (RSS) to address the local health economies unsustainable demand in elective care and subsequent resource issues. ​

As part of this, we;

  • Implemented a new digital solution to enhance system-wide demand management and data driven commissioning of local services
  • Mobilised a referral support centre to work across both CCGs to realise economies of scale efficiencies
  • Produced clinician lead protocols and clinical thresholds for directing referrals into appropriate tiers of care

What we did

We provided the following support;

  • Led the procurement of a digital solution to improve quality of referrals & related business intelligence
  • Detailed a service specification for the RSS with the aim to enhance patient choice discussions, reduce demand in acute outpatient services, redirect activity to qualified community providers and enable peer review and clinical triage
  • Developed a suite of tools to ensure appropriate information sharing agreements and IG
  • Established a completely new referral triage service
  • Engaged with and transitioned 67 GP practices to adopt the new RSS

Our impact

Our results included;

  • Generated cost savings of £2.1m in 18/19 and £3.2m 19/20
  • Reduction of referral mistakes, point of contact (e.g. referrals and GPs first appointments and follow ups) by creating a standardised way of carrying out referrals
  • Reduction of pathway duration by creating a standardised way of carrying out referrals
  • Improvement of workforce efficiency by reducing practice administration less time on the referral process by using the RSS as a SPOA, this streamlines and simplifies the process, freeing up Primary Care to improve internal services

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