Safe Telephone Triage and Boundaries

This live 3-hour webinar is tailored for admin and reception staff who speak to patients by phone and need to manage calls safely, consistently, and within role boundaries. The session helps staff handle urgent calls, communicate clearly, and recognise when immediate escalation is needed.

Session overview

Telephone contact is often the first route into primary care, and the quality of that interaction can directly affect patient safety. This session helps staff understand what safe telephone triage means within a non-clinical role, how to avoid overstepping professional boundaries, and how to identify situations that require prompt clinical input.

Outline of the session

• The purpose of safe telephone triage in primary care
• Understanding the limits of the non-clinical role
• Asking appropriate questions without clinically assessing
• Recognising red flags and urgent presentations
• Escalating concerns quickly and effectively
• Managing repeat callers, distressed callers, and complex conversations
• Giving clear safety-net advice within local protocols
• Documentation and boundary-setting in telephone contacts.

Lecturer: Sam Thompson