The introduction of a new telephone system in the Trust’s Central Appointments Office has dramatically improved the service provided for patients.
The office, which is based at Conquest Hospital, deals with patient queries about outpatient appointments across all Trust sites, handling approximately 700 calls a day.
Since the new telephone system was introduced in December, the number of concerns raised by patients about contacting the Appointments Centre has dropped by over 60%.
The new system provides real time data on how many calls have been taken, how many patients are waiting for their call to be answered and how long the wait is. This means that, for the first time, the team can see when the lines are busy and required action can be taken.
Staff can also now flag up with their manager if they are dealing with a difficult call and their manager can listen in and intervene if necessary. All calls can now be recorded which is beneficial for training and the investigation of complaints.
Head of Clinical Administration, Jo Byers said: “The new system has made a real improvement to the service we can provide and it is fantastic that it is already making a difference to patients.
“I’d like to thank all those who were involved in the project but particularly the staff in the Central Appointments Office, for the way they’ve worked over the last few weeks to adapt to the new technology.”