GPs test new telephone triage system

A TELEPHONE triage system where doctors first assess patients symptoms over the phone is being trialled at a GP surgery in Greater Manchester. Doctors at the Simpson Medical Practice in Moston say the Patient Response System allows them to help three times as many patients in a day. Dr Washik Parkar, the surgery's clinical lead, said: "We want to ease the pressure on the frontline and this system seems to be helping. It could potentially have massive implications nationally. Ninety per cent of the old-fashioned diagnosis is on a patient's history; we don't need to physically see them to do that. I'm not saying it will work for everyone, but I think the old way doesn't work. This is a massive improvement."