Optimise Healthcare GroupPathway SOPs
Intake

03First Contact & Booking

Owner
Admin
Trigger
The patient record is complete and they are on the contact sheet.

Uses

C3Contact Ladder & RAG PrioritisationC5Discharge

Purpose

Getting a new referral booked in, or discharged if they cannot be reached.

RAG rating

Set by Lauren at referral triage, based on the risk and urgency of the patient.

RatingTarget for first contact
RedWithin 1 week
AmberWithin 2–4 weeks
GreenNo priority - worked after reds and ambers

Once first contact has been attempted, all three ratings follow the same process, letters and timings.

Procedure

  1. Work the contact sheet in RAG order - reds first, then ambers, then greens.
  2. Contact the patient using C3 (call, then email and letter together if the call does not connect).
  3. When contact is made, book the appointment.
  4. Record the appointment date on the sheet and set Pathway complete = Yes. The row autofilters out.
  5. If contact fails through the full ladder: reds go to MDT for alternative routes, ambers and greens who have never engaged are discharged.

Fields recorded

See C3. Plus appointment date and pathway complete.

Notes

  • Every booked appointment then receives a 48-hour confirmation call (04).

Flowchart