What Is Total Triage? A Guide for NHS GPs and Primary Care Administrators

Understanding Total Triage

What is Total Triage?

Total triage is a care model where all patient requests land in one workflow, either gathered via online forms or over the phone. These requests are then prioritised before appointments or alternative care pathways are offered. Often, a digital tool like Hero Health's Care Navigation Triage supports the collection of patient details, enabling practices to make quick decisions on the urgency of each request.

Key Features of Total Triage

1. Remote Assessment: Patients submit symptoms and concerns online or by phone. Clinical staff review this information in a single queue and determine whether an appointment or another response is appropriate.
2. Prioritisation: Requests are assessed for urgency, ensuring critical issues are addressed first. In some cases, you can even close tasks without an appointment, freeing up time for more complex cases.
3. Communication: If necessary, you can follow up with patients for additional information or send out self-booking links so they can instantly secure an appointment. (Hero’s messaging and self-booking links make this seamless.)
4. Flexible Access: Patients can get in touch online, by phone, or in person, ensuring no one is excluded from timely care.

Why Total Triage Matters

1. Enhanced Patient Experience

Under total triage, patients who need the most urgent help are prioritised first, which shortens waiting times. In many practices, the majority of patient queries can be resolved in just one day. This boosts patient satisfaction and fosters trust in primary care services.

2. More Equitable Access to Care

Traditional systems often mean patients have to phone or visit early to secure appointments. Total triage removes this barrier by allowing patients to submit detailed requests any time of day, helping practices reach underserved populations. It also moves away from the dreaded first-come, first-served race, creating fairer access for all.

3. Better Demand Management

By filtering requests before booking appointments, the reception team can drastically reduce phone backlog and administrative pressure. With a clear, structured workflow, urgent clinical issues aren’t lost in the chaos, and administrative tasks no longer clog GP diaries.

How to Implement Total Triage in Your Practice

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Select an Online Consultation Tool: Pick a platform that seamlessly integrates with EMIS or SystmOne and supports digital triage and communication. At 45p per patient per annum, Hero Health's cost is straightforward and often more budget-friendly than other solutions.
2. Train Your Staff: Educate both administrative and clinical teams about how the triage flow works and who is responsible for each task.
3. Communicate with Patients: Use website notices, social media, patient newsletters, and SMS campaigns to inform them about the changes and benefits.
4. Monitor and Refine: Collect feedback, both from patients and staff. Keep adjusting the process and forms as needed to ensure continuous improvement.

For more in-depth guidance, you can check the NHS guide on establishing a total triage model for step-by-step advice.

Optimise Your Total Triage System with Hero Health

For practices looking to take total triage to new heights, Hero Health offers a stand-out solution that’s both flexible and intuitive:

• Care Navigation & Triage: Implement a fully configurable triage solution tailored to your practice or PCN’s unique priorities.
• Self-Booking and Communication Links: Make it easy for patients to book appointments straight into your EMIS or TPP diary, minimising back-and-forth queries.
• Cost-Effective: At 45p per patient per year, Hero Health generally undercuts other offerings on price without skimping on functionality.

By coupling total triage with Hero Health’s Care Navigation Triage, practices can direct patients to the right care pathway at the right time, leading to smoother workflows and happier patients.

Conclusion

Total triage is revolutionising primary care by centring on proactive patient assessment, fair access, and efficient demand management. For many practices, it’s become a crucial strategy in staying on top of increasing demand while maintaining high-quality care. If you’re ready to take the leap, consider a solution like Hero Health that can deliver maximum value—without draining your budget.