New treatment referral program for GPs launches in Swindon
GPs in Swindon are using a new computer program which aims to speed up checks before patients are referred to hospital.
The Optimise checklist system helps to ensure doctors have considered every treatment possible prior to recommending a hospital referral.
It reduces the time the process takes from five minutes to about 90 seconds.
Swindon Primary Care Trust (PCT) devised the system and hopes it will be rolled out across the country.
Dr Peter Crouch of Swindon PCT said: "Although it started in Swindon, other PCTs are already asking if they can share with the same system.
"We're getting nice positive reviews from all of them and we're hoping that while it started in Swindon, it may well become a system that GPs use widely around the country."