Acute app for Derby GPs

East Midlands GPs can find details about local acute services on a smartphone app developed by Derby Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

The app acts as a portal and pulls together information such as contact details, urgent care access numbers and referral forms.

Dianne Prescott, director of strategy and partnership for the trust said she hoped the app would help build stronger relationships between the hospitals and primary care.

“There is an increasing need for GPs and other primary care staff to be able to quickly access information about acute care and community services, whether they are in their practices, whilst on home visits or out of hours,” she said.

The app, which has been developed in consultation with GPs, provides urgent care and consultant directories, referral forms, pathology, news and feedback forms.

It also includes a patient information library, with a ‘share’ function.

Callum McClean, GP and chair of Derby Advanced Commissioning Group, described the app as a fantastic tool for GPs.

“We can very quickly find the right service or specialists to talk to and by having a direct dialogue we can agree the most appropriate care for our patients,” he said.

“We see hundreds of patients every week and anything that makes it quicker and easier to access the information we need is very welcome”.

The trust is also developing a live bed status function to include in the app.