The key objective of Care Navigation (CN) and Active Signposting (AS) is to help patients access the right care at the earliest opportunity. It is a system of ‘triage’ carried out at the first point of contact with the GP Practice by non-clinical staff under direction of the clinical team.
The key drivers for this patient centred approach is outlined in the 2024 contract. Patients must be offered and assessment of need, or signposted to an appropriate service, at first contact with the practice.
Outcomes will include a more streamlined clinical workload, improving efficiencies in terms of access to services and increased patient satisfaction resulting in less complaints. It will achieve this by releasing valuable clinical time and resources.
Staff will proactively manage requests for appointments and safely redirect requests for inappropriate consultations to the most suitable care provider, which may not always be clinical. Applying the RIGHT PERSON RIGHT PLACE RIGHT TIME approach and MAKING EVERY CONTACT COUNT.