INDUSTRY HEALTH. TECH health. tech

Health intelligence for decision-makers

Commissioned by NHS Greater Manchester, the technology helps GPs get rapid specialist input when deciding whether a hospital referral is needed. Delivered in partnership with Consultant Connect, a leading telemedicine provider, it forms part of the city-region’ s Elective Care Recovery Programme and aims to reduce waiting lists and improve patient access to care.

The rollout aligns with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’ s call for a more digital NHS, demonstrating how innovation can speed up access to care and ease pressure on hospitals.

Consultant Connect’ s service gives healthcare professionals real-time access to specialist expertise, helping inform clinical decisions and guide next steps in patient care. Previously, GPs often referred patients to hospital or attempted to reach colleagues via switchboards or mobile phones.

At the heart of the service is Consultant Connect’ s National Consultant Network, which allows GPs in Greater Manchester to access rapid advice from NHS consultants anywhere in the country. By sharing expertise nationally, local specialists have more time to treat patients who require hospital care, helping reduce waiting times and make better use of local resources and funding. This ensures patients receive the right advice without unnecessarily increasing pressure on local services.

The project builds on pilot programs in Oldham and Salford. Since 2020, more than 62,600 calls and messages have been sent by GPs to consultants through Consultant Connect’ s app. Over 50 % of these advice and guidance requests resulted in patients avoiding hospital appointments and being treated in the community, equating to more than 31,000 patients.

As a GP, I can honestly say this is one of the most helpful digital tools I use, and I’ m pleased every practice in Greater Manchester can now access it.

Dr John Patterson, GP, Associate Medical Director( Oldham) and Co-chair of the Elective Care Recovery and Reform Board at NHS Greater Manchester, said:“ For a long time, we’ ve wanted to make it easier for GPs and specialists to talk to each other. This pre-referral advice tool makes those conversations faster and more useful. Consultant Connect has been a great partner, and having access to specialists across the country helps us manage demand. As a GP, I can honestly say this is one of the most helpful digital tools I use, and I’ m pleased every practice in Greater Manchester can now access it.”

Kat James, Joint Managing Director at Consultant Connect, said:“ We congratulate the Greater Manchester team for scaling quickly and going live for all their GPs. Too often, HealthTech is implemented in a fragmented way. The Greater Manchester team is embracing technology at scale to keep patients out of hospital unnecessarily and reduce pressure on the healthcare system.

“ It is very much in line with the 10 Year Forward Plan to modernize the NHS. Technology is just one part; in Greater Manchester, we have seen outstanding clinical leadership from local champions such as John Patterson who have brought technology to life.

“ We are delighted that all Greater Manchester primary care clinicians now have specialist access at their fingertips and that patients can get faster access to the best treatment plan.” •

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