Key messages
- The principles of providing safe care during the Covid-19 pandemic described in section 1 all apply.
- The remote total triage approach to consultations was promptly and effectively established in general practice during the first wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.
- A key learning point from the Covid-19 pandemic to date is that for a variety of understandable reasons, patients have been reluctant to present with significant non-Covid-19 related symptoms, which has in turn led to late presentations of significant pathology – it is important to be alive to this and reinforce the message that that patients should not delay in seeking medical advice in relation to matters that could represent significant underlying pathology and that general practice has been and will remain open to support and care for our patients throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Please consider our flow chart for an example remote GP assessment pathway for patients during the Covid-19 pandemic.