Call monitoring implemented 'to improve GP service'

Date: 20/01/2012

Medical practices may be inspired to analyse patient calls to their local rate numbers, after hearing how one GP service is hoping doing so will improve its performance.

Chairman of Suffolk's Health Scrutiny Committee Anne Whybrow explained in an interview with the BBC how the out-of-hours service provided by Harmoni for the region will be monitored for three months.

"We've asked them to supply that data in certain ways so that we can measure it - phone calls, where they've been signposted to and home visits listed by geographical areas," she stated.

The initiative follows Harmoni's closure of offices in Newmarket, Aldeburgh and Wickham Market and the opening of a new base in Saxmundham.

It is thought the centralised service will allow clinical staff to be distributed across Suffolk more effectively.

Last September, the BBC reported that social enterprise firm South East Health had won the contract from Harmoni to provide out-of-hours services in Great Yarmouth and Waveney.