The Elective Care Transformation Programme developed a specification for clinical peer review which involves GPs reviewing each other’s new referrals to provide constructive feedback to the referring GP.

Clinical peer review can create sustainable changes in the way GPs refer. It can also:

• increase the likelihood of GPs referring when necessary
• improve the quality of referral letters
• increase the likelihood of GPs referring patients to the most appropriate care setting, first time and every time.

Our audit found that integrated care systems (ICSs) (formerly CCGs) which implemented a referral review or triage scheme achieved the same referral rates as the best performing areas.

The specification for clinical peer review is available on our Community of Practice.