A randomised controlled trial of nursing-led triage service in primary care

ISRCTN	ISRCTN56213064
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN56213064
Protocol serial number	R/26/12.95/George
Sponsor	NHS R&D Regional Programme Register - Department of Health (UK)
Funder	NHS Executive South West (UK)

Prospectively registered

Protocol

Statistical analysis plan

Results

Individual participant data

Plain English summary of protocol

Not provided at time of registration

Dr Stephen George
Scientific

University of Southampton
Health Care Research Unit
Mailpoint 805
Southampton General Hospital
Tremona Road
Southampton
SO16 6YD
United Kingdom

Phone	+44 (0)23 809 6533
Email	pluto@soton.ac.uk

Primary study design	Interventional
Study design	Randomised controlled trial
Secondary study design	Randomised controlled trial
Scientific title
Study acronym	SWOOP
Study objectives	This study has shown that nurse-led out of hours care can work, in the sense that triage reduces GP work-load without harming patients. The setting was a 55 member general practice co-operative in a predominantly rural area. The experimental intervention was applied on randomly allocated evenings.
Ethics approval(s)	Not provided at time of registration
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied	Nurse-led triage
Intervention	1. Nurse led triage care - callers were routed to a trained nurse, who managed the call, with the assistance of TAS software. The nurse had several management options, including management with nurse advice alone, contact with the GP (by telephone, at the surgery, or at home), or direct contact with the ambulance services. 2. Standard care
Intervention type	Other
Primary outcome measure(s)	Results showed that about 50% of the calls in the nurse-led group were managed by the nurse alone. The volume of out of hours callers managed at primary care centres and by home visits were also significantly reduced.
Key secondary outcome measure(s)	Not provided at time of registration
Completion date	20/01/1998

Participant type(s)	Patient
Age group	Other
Sex	All
Key inclusion criteria	All callers to a Wiltshire GP co-operative during defined hours over the period of a year.
Key exclusion criteria	Children aged <1 year were automatically routed to a GP, as were callers insisting on speaking to a nurse.
Date of first enrolment	23/01/1997
Date of final enrolment	20/01/1998

University of Southampton

Southampton
SO16 6YD
United Kingdom

Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share	No
IPD sharing plan summary	Not provided at time of registration
IPD sharing plan

Output type	Details	Date created	Date added	Peer reviewed?	Patient-facing?
Results article	results	17/10/1998		Yes	No