Standardising Patient Referral Information: a Draft National Template for Consultation has been published by the Health Information and Quality Authority. This document provides national guidelines on information to be included in patient referrals from primary care to acute hospital services.

Following disclosures about the backlog of unreported radiology examinations and unprocessed general practitioner (GP) patient referral letters at the Adelaide and Meath Hospital incorporating the National Children’s Hospital (AMNCH) Dublin, the Authority announced that it would undertake a national review of the patient referral process between GPs and hospitals in collaboration with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP).

The aim of this review is to assess current patient referral management processes that are in place across the country and to make recommendations for a consistent approach nationally that will improve the quality of care and access to services for patients.

Professor Jane Grimson, Director of Health Information with HIQA said: “The aims of Standardising Patient Referral Information: a Draft National Template for Consultation are to ensure that patient information is trustworthy and that patient safety and access to services is improved. Collecting and sharing accurate, timely, patient information is vital in providing the best possible care to patients.

“The development of these guidelines is an important step towards improving the whole patient referral process. It is essential to have accurate, timely, complete and relevant information about patients to enable the delivery of safe, equitable, person-centred care.”

During the course of the review it became clear that there is no consistency at a national level either in terms of the method of referral or the information provided. Furthermore, it emerged that the content, quality and quantity of the information is not consistent.

The draft national guidelines, published today for consultation by the Authority, is the first part of a series of reports which will inform the findings of the Authority’s overall review. These guidelines consist of a dataset and a template. The dataset consists of a checklist for GPs to ensure that all necessary information is provided consistently in the referral. As many GPs have already devised templates using their own computer software systems, the dataset may be particularly useful to this population of GPs. Professor Grimson added: “We know that when patient care and information is being transferred from one service to another, that this is where things can – and have – gone wrong. By adhering to national guidelines regarding information in the GP referral, service providers can improve the safety of care given to their patients.”

The draft template and dataset are being made available for consultation to the public, healthcare professionals and hospital managers as HIQA is interested in hearing what people think about them.

“People who have been through the health system know how important getting the right information to the right people at the right time is. We are particularly interested in hearing their thoughts and comments on the draft guidelines and whether or not they think it will lead to better care for patients,” Professor Grimson said.

Following the consultation, the feedback received by HIQA will be used to form the final dataset and primary care patient referral template.

The closing date for comments is 21 January 2011. All information regarding how to access copies of the draft dataset and template and how to take part in the consultation is available or you can contact HIQA on 01 8147400.

Consultation form | Online survey (survey now closed)

Further Information: 

Marty Whelan, Head of Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
01 8147481 / 086 2447623
mwhelan@hiqa.ie

Notes to the Editor: 

* The draft Safer Better Healthcare Standards, published by HIQA earlier this year, also calls for the active coordination of patient care between services and stipulates that information should be shared appropriately. This draft template and associated dataset detail how this can be achieved.
* When a GP, or for example a dentist, decides that a patient needs to see a consultant, information about the patient is sent to the hospital. It is essential that this information is accurate, relevant and gets to the hospital on time.
* The template and dataset were developed in collaboration with the Irish College of General Practitioners and with the assistance of an expert advisory group consisting of key stakeholders.