A nurse-led rheumatology telephone advice line: service redesign to improve efficiency and patient experience

Abstract

Background:nurse-led telephone advice line (TAL) services have been endorsed by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and provide patients and their carers with expert advice and self-management strategies. Identified helpline shortfalls in one rheumatology TAL included a high number of inappropriate calls, calls not recorded in patients' records, and no formal process for assigning calls to nurses. Using RCN guidelines, the service was redesigned by specialist rheumatology nurses to address these issues.Method:troubleshooting sessions were used to identify solutions to shortcomings in the helpline processes. Following service redesign, nurse/user feedback was collated, and efficiency savings achieved from reducing face-to-face appointments were calculated.Results:the new TAL received fewer inappropriate calls, was received positively by staff and patients, and saved approximately £354 890 a year for the local clinical commissioning group.Conclusion:rheumatology nurses successfully improved a TAL using RCN guidance. The approach could be used by other trusts to improve patient helplines and contribute to the NHS drive for efficiency.