National Review of GP Out of Hours Service - Health Service ...

8. Areas of Best Practice
There were various degrees of best practice in the provision of out of hours’
services identified by the Review Group during their consultations with
cooperative representatives. The Review Group propose to undertake individual
consultations with each RDO with a view to implementing a quality standardised
delivery model in each regional area which will be supported by individual Service
Level Agreements.
9. Ambulance Service
A number of cooperatives have direct communication links with the ambulance
services. The Ambulance Service is in the process of developing a National
Ambulance Service Strategic Plan which is running concurrently with this review.
On the adoption of both reports, consideration should be given to considering the
possibility of establishing formal links between the two
services with a view to
identifying costed opportunities for maximising efficiencies with particular
reference to the establishment of a national call
centre.
10. Model for the delivery
Out of Hours’ Service
of a National GP
10.1 Aim:
The service aims to provide urgent general practitioner services to patients of
participating practices outside normal surgery hours. The main aim is to deliver a
safe, quality,
effective and efficient service to patients, including, inter alia,
• An efficient method for patients to contact their general practitioner at out
of hours’ times regarding urgent medical matters.
• Facilitation of General Practitioners to provide such out of hours’ services
as they are contracted to provide under the Agreement for Provision of
Services under Section 58 of the Health Act 1970 and as substituted by the
Health (Amendment) Act, 2005.
• Provision of out‐of‐hours’ nurse advice service for eligible patients of
participating General Practitioners in accordance with agreed procedures
and protocols.
10.2 Guiding Principles:
• The welfare of the patient is paramount.
• Patients who contact the out of hours’ service regardless of their medical
need, have the right to expect that their calls will be handled consistently
and professionally wherever they live.
• The HSE will endeavour to work in a collaborative manner with providers
and patients.
• The patient has the right to informed and meaningful consultation.
• Providers will be supported to ensure successful implementation
of the
model.
• The model for implementation will be subject to regular review.
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