Defining an evidence Base for the use of ADvice and GuidancE Referrals
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Building an evidence base for the use of ADvice and GuidancE Referrals at the primary-secondary care interface – a multistage mixed-methods study
IRAS ID
333799
Contact name
Claire Burton
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Keele University
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 11 months, 31 days
Research summary
When a GP needs a specialist’s input with the care of a patient, one option is to use Advice and Guidance (A&G). A&G is an electronic way for a GP to ask a clinical question and a specialist responds, usually within a few days. The response may be to send the patient to see a specialist (referral), try a treatment, or do a test. A&G was introduced to speed up access to a specialist opinion and cut waiting times for outpatient care. A&G became more important during the COVID-19 pandemic as it meant patients did not automatically need to travel to hospital for specialist advice. The use of A&G is now encouraged to help the NHS recover from the pandemic.
However, there has been little focus on its use for those living in under-served communities, nor how we can develop patient involvement in their own referral journey. By interviewing patients, primary care clinicians, secondary care clinicians, and commissioners, this study will help us understand:
• The experiences of primary care clinicians using A&G
• The A&G pathway from perspectives of patients, primary care clinicians, secondary care specialists and commissioners.
• How best to develop resources to support the best use of A&G, so as to reduce compound pressures and address health inequalities
Participants will be recruited with the support of Clinical Research Networks (CRN) West Midlands and North West Coast to support our aim to focus on under-served communities and to ensure we have diversity in our samples of patients, clinicians and commissioners.REC name
North East - Tyne & Wear South Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
24/NE/0110
Date of REC Opinion
13 Jun 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion