Managing demand for elective care services
The NHS is experiencing significant pressure and unprecedented levels of demand for elective care, last year alone there were 13.6million GP referrals in England, a five per cent rise on the previous year. Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) need to consider how they manage demand whilst ensuring patients receive access to treatment.
NHS England’s Demand Management programme is working with twenty CCGs across the South to improve their demand management schemes and performance. Working with CCGs to implement identified best practice initiatives, will ensure that those patients who do not need to be referred for treatment to hospitals are identified earlier.
Lessons for success
In the autumn of 2017, a series of interactive workshops took place which addressed barriers to sharing best practice in demand management. Highlights included presentations on strategies for elective care and best practice CCG demand management and Engaging patients and the public in shaping services.
You can view the presentations below:
- Lessons for success: Managing demand for elective care services
- Elective Care Transformation Programme: CCG Demand Management
A series of CCG best practice case studies have also been collated. These showcase a range of methodologies which have been trialled including; Peer review of referrals/shared decision making/choice/advice and guidance/alternatives to outpatient appointments/consultant to consultant referral protocols/direct access to diagnostics/management and monitoring of outpatients follow up appointments
Read through the case studies below to see demand management schemes in practice.