NHS Scotland has begun to link patient clinical information to booking for A&E appointments through a system previously used to manage out-of-hours and unscheduled care.
It has taken the step as part of a redesign of its urgent care services in coping with the number of A&E admissions during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The change was implemented in December using Adastra patient management software from Advanced.
Patients who do not life threatening conditions have been urged by the Scottish Government to ring NHS 24 111. If they need an A&E appointment their clinical information will be transferred into Adastra to support their care.
Those not requiring A&E admission will be able to arrange a call back or make an appointment with the most appropriate service, such as a minor injury clinic, mental health service or out-of-hours GP.
The software also links to Advanced’s Docman software, which it said is used by all GP practices in Scotland.
Adastra has been used in Scotland for the last 17 years to manage out-of-hours and unscheduled care.
Image from iStock, Stephen Barnes
