Time Management in GP Dr Katherine Teare GP Educator Fellow

Time management In consultations In consultations OOH OOH For paperwork and admin For paperwork and admin Spending more time with patients….more stress? Spending more time with patients….more stress?

Consultations Patients with a list Patients with a list Doctors speed, patients problem and patients age all have an effect Doctors speed, patients problem and patients age all have an effect UK research shows trainees and new partners spend average 1minute less with each patient UK research shows trainees and new partners spend average 1minute less with each patient Women seeing women = longer consultations Women seeing women = longer consultations Significant practice to practice variation Significant practice to practice variation Who your allied health care professionals are e.g. Nurse practitioners, specialist nurses etc Who your allied health care professionals are e.g. Nurse practitioners, specialist nurses etc

The list… 2 goals – keep patient and doctor ‘happy’ 2 goals – keep patient and doctor ‘happy’ Explore after the initial presenting complaint – avoid a surprise at the end Explore after the initial presenting complaint – avoid a surprise at the end E.g. anything else you came to see me about today? E.g. anything else you came to see me about today? Prioritise red flags and acute problems, then try to get patient to prioritise with ICE Prioritise red flags and acute problems, then try to get patient to prioritise with ICE

Explaining yourself Give it a positive spin Give it a positive spin ‘The tummy pain is clearly quite upsetting to you. You have mentioned a sore wrist and an itchy ear as well but I wonder if it is okay if we spend today focussing on the tummy pain and then we arrange another appointment for us to discuss the other problems in order that we can make sure we have covered your tummy pain fully’ ‘The tummy pain is clearly quite upsetting to you. You have mentioned a sore wrist and an itchy ear as well but I wonder if it is okay if we spend today focussing on the tummy pain and then we arrange another appointment for us to discuss the other problems in order that we can make sure we have covered your tummy pain fully’

Strategies Double appointments when needed Double appointments when needed Break in surgery Break in surgery Consider how surgeries structured when applying for jobs – is there flexibility? Consider how surgeries structured when applying for jobs – is there flexibility? Start as you mean to go on Start as you mean to go on Ending the consultation Ending the consultation

Out of Hours Time pressures vary according to role (telephone triage, visiting, centre based) Time pressures vary according to role (telephone triage, visiting, centre based) More awareness of targets More awareness of targets More isolated working More isolated working

Admin Referrals – when do you do them? Referrals – when do you do them? Reviewing results Reviewing results Dealing with letters Dealing with letters Medication reviews Medication reviews Insurance reports, DWP reports Insurance reports, DWP reports Extra bits – eportfolio, WPBA Extra bits – eportfolio, WPBA

References ne-resources/0200- consultation/consultation-time/ ne-resources/0200- consultation/consultation-time/ ne-resources/0200- consultation/consultation-time/ ne-resources/0200- consultation/consultation-time/ ion/article/972407/consultation- skills-control-length- consultation/ ion/article/972407/consultation- skills-control-length- consultation/ ion/article/972407/consultation- skills-control-length- consultation/ ion/article/972407/consultation- skills-control-length- consultation/