Below are some points that users have raised during the review of the new functionality:
Changes to extracts
EBSX02 - change one:
When a referrer requests A&G, an 'ADVICE_AND_GUIDANCE_REQUESTED' action is logged against it.
This has changed to:
The ACTION_REASON_CD logged against this action will now populate a value to indicate whether or not the professional user authorised the service provider to convert the advice and guidance request into a referral. Users will need to use the EBSX03 extract to decodify the ACTION_REASON_CD into meaningful data (i.e the reason will be either ‘Authorised to convert into referral’ or ‘Not authorised to convert into referral’).
Note: Legacy A&G requests made before the functionality is introduced will have a blank ACTION_REASON_CD logged, but these can be interpreted as ‘Not authorised to convert into referral’ for reporting purposes.
EBSX02 - change two:
It was possible (via the ACTION_REASON_CD for the ADVICE_AND_GUIDANCE_CLOSED action) to determine whether:
- the referrer ended the A&G conversation without converting it into a Referral (for example, ‘Advice Ended’)
- the referrer converted it into a Referral (for example, ‘Advice Converted by referrer’)
This has changed to:
It is now possible to determine whether the provider converted the A&G into a Referral (for example, ‘Advice converted by provider’). Users will need to use the EBSX03 extract to decodify the ACTION_REASON_CD into meaningful data.
AG01 - change one:
When a referrer requests A&G, an 'ADVICE_AND_GUIDANCE_REQUESTED' action is logged against it.
This has changed to:
The Outcome column logged against this action now populates a value to indicate whether or not the Professional user authorised the service provider to convert the advice and guidance request into a referral. For example. either AUTHORISED_TO_CONVERT or NOT_AUTHORISED_TO_CONVERT
Note: Legacy A&G requests made before the functionality is introduced will have a blank Outcome logged, but these can be interpreted as NOT_AUTHORISED_TO_CONVERT for reporting purposes.
AG01 - change two:
It was possible (via the Outcome for the ADVICE_AND_GUIDANCE_CLOSED action) to determine whether:
- the referrer ended the A&G conversation without converting it into a Referral (for example, ADVICE_ENDED)
- the referrer converted it into a Referral (for example, ADVICE_CONVERTED_BY_PROVIDER)
This has changed to:
It is now possible to determine whether the provider converted the A&G into a Referral. For example, ‘Advice converted by provider’.
User awareness of the changes
Help information appears on each screen where changes have taken place, the first time a users access these impacted screens. Users can select the ‘Done’ button to remove these messages permanently.
Patients using the manage your referral (MYR) website
Patients using MYR will be able to see their referral once the referral has been shortlisted or an appointment booked.
Patient choice
Providers can be confident that a patient has chosen them for their referral as, by authorising a provider to convert a referral, the referrer is confirming that their patient is happy to be seen by that provider.
Referral rejections
If an advice and guidance is converted and then sent to a service that subsequently rejects it, the rejection comments will go back to the originating GP/referrer and will be displayed on the Referrer Action Required worklist.
Referral to Treatment (RTT) clock start
The e-RS pathway start is captured the date on which the provider converts the referral - this will be the date displayed where the ‘e-RS Pathway Start’ date is shown on worklists.
Source of referral
Where a referral is converted by the consultant, it will still show as a GP referral and the same UBRN will be maintained.
Integration with provider systems
APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) to cover full advice and guidance functionality are now available. Find further information on integration.
Advice and guidance tariff
Where an advice and guidance request is converted to a referral by a provider, any locally agreed tariff will continue to apply.
Find out more about tariffs on the national tariff payment system website.
Review the practical guide (on the Elective Care Community of Practice – login required) which outlines principles to consider around resourcing and paying for an advice and guidance service.
GP clinical systems
If your current process is to initially code an advice request as an ‘e-Referral A&G’ in your GP clinical system, then update to a ‘referral’ if you convert it to a referral, then you can continue to use the same process when you receive an ‘Update Available – Referral Accepted’ notification on your Advice and Guidance worklist.
It is important that practice staff are aware of this process alongside monitoring the Advice and Guidance worklist.
