Active Signposting

Active Signposting is one of the ten NHS England High Impact Actions that practices can take to free up GP time. Active Signposting is designed to connect patients more directly with the most appropriate source of help or advice; this may include services in the community as well as within the Practice.

All of the reception/admin team here at The Grange Group Practice have undergone both online and face-to-face training commissioned by our Clinical Commissioning Group (Greater Huddersfield CCG) in order to go live with Active Signposting within our Practice on 19th March 2018.Active Signposting will offer the patient ‘choice’ to access the service that is most appropriate for them. Reception staff will not ‘triage’ patients; instead they will be able to connect the patient more directly with the most appropriate professional or service in our area. Reception staff will not make clinical decisions but when a patient presents with symptoms that could be dealt with by a pharmacist, optician or a social prescribing service they will confidently offer these alternatives.

This new initiative gives patients more control over their own care because it offers them the choice of a service that better suits their health and wellbeing needs. Active Signposting also improves access for patients who do need to see a GP, as patients who do not necessarily need to see a GP are directed to a more appropriate service.

Active Signposting aims to change the assumption that GPs are the first point of care for patients – this benefits patients by improving outcomes and creating a better experience, which in turn improves job satisfaction for our hardworking and dedicated reception/admin staff.