Core procedures
C3Contact Ladder & RAG Prioritisation
- Owner
- Admin. RAG rating set by Lauren at referral triage.
- Trigger
- A patient needs to be contacted for the first time on a pathway - a new referral, or an annual review.
Uses
Referenced by
Purpose
The single method used to make contact with a patient, and the order in which patients are worked. Any SOP that says “contact using C3” means this procedure.
RAG rating
Set by Lauren at referral triage, based on the risk and urgency of the patient.
| Rating | Target for first contact |
|---|---|
| Red | Within 1 week |
| Amber | Within 2–4 weeks |
| Green | No priority - worked after reds and ambers |
Once first contact has been attempted, all three ratings follow the same process, letters and timings.
Procedure
- Work the list in RAG order - all reds, then all ambers, then greens.
- Attempt a phone call. If connected, complete the purpose of the call (book the appointment, arrange the review) and go to step 5.
- If the call does not connect, send the email and post the 1st communication letter. Both go out together, on the same day as the failed call.
- Wait 2 weeks from the date of the 1st communication. If the patient responds, complete the purpose and go to step 5. If not, send the 2nd communication letter, then allow a further 4 weeks.
- Close out: record the appointment date, set Pathway complete = Yes. The row autofilters out of the active view.
- If there is still no response after the 2nd letter and 4 weeks: RED - do not discharge; take to MDT, which identifies alternative routes in (the referrer, a social worker, another professional already involved) for admin to work. AMBER or GREEN never engaged - discharge directly, no Daily Brief needed. Any rating previously engaged then stopped responding - route to C2.
Fields recorded
Date of call attempt · outcome of call · date email sent · date 1st letter sent · date 2nd letter sent · date of response · appointment date · pathway complete (Y/N)
Notes
- Email and letter are sent only where the phone call does not connect. If the call connects, no written contact is needed.
- The RAG rating governs how quickly first contact is attempted, and nothing else. The letters, the 2-week and 4-week timers, and the sequence are identical for reds, ambers and greens.
- The one difference for reds is at the end of the ladder: a red is never discharged for silence alone.
Open points
- Full RAG criteria to be inserted. Referral source appears to be one factor - confirm the complete list.