Choose and Book

Citation

(2009), "Choose and Book", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 39 No. 5. https://doi.org/10.1108/nfs.2009.01739eab.028

Choose and Book

Article Type: Food facts From: Nutrition & Food Science, Volume 39, Issue 5.

Choose and Book has really boosted (500 per cent) referrals to allied health professionals (AHP) during the last year – they have gone up from being about 1,000 a month a year ago to 5,000 a month now and are on course to reach about 40,000 a year – largely because their services are being shown on the Choose and Book system – immediately viewable to GPs who can then refer patients to an AHP directly via C and B if the AHP has appropriate IT – or more likely indirectly bookable: patient goes away with a booking number and makes booking later themselves. GPs are therefore able to give patient better choice for their care.

And the other story is that in some localities patients are now self-referring, mainly so far in physiotherapy and podiatry, without ever having to see their GPs. This is often when they are hearing about the AHP being available, through “word of mouth” or local advertising, libraries, etc. and the AHP has achieved NHS funding and is available to take self-referrals – the patient can make their own appointment without the GP having to send them along. This is growing since the October 2008 Department of Health policy decision to enable more patients to self-refer into AHP services which may encourage commissioners to explore this model of practice for their localities. Self-referral clearly can save GPs' time, enable the patient to get to the AHP they need to see quicker too.

GPs are referring more specifically to other health professionals now too, such as physiotherapists, dietitians, podiatrists and orthotists – speech and language therapists and occupational therapists join Choose and Book from June 2009.