Background Effective triage processes are essential in palliative care settings to prioritize patient care based on the severity of their condition. We identified significant challenges with the quality of referrals, prompting the decision to implement a triage system.

Aim This study aimed to assess the impact of initiating the triage process with a small team of staff on decision-making efficiency.

Method Over a four-week period, 68 patients were placed on the triage waiting list, with 59 successfully triaged within 24 hours of referral. Nine patients could not be triaged because they were still in hospital at the time of referral. A small team of experienced healthcare professionals conducted the triage process, assessing patients based on established protocols. All key elements, including AKPS, POS, IPOS, demographics, diagnosis, next of kin information, RUN-PC, and SBAR (Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) or Single Point of Access referrals, were completed with 100% accuracy. Six patients died within a week of being triaged.

Results Despite encountering challenges such as lack of information and incomplete referrals, the small team triage approach demonstrated significant improvements in decision-making efficiency and adherence to key triage protocols. Through the triage process needs were identified correctly and were allocated to the right teams. Six patients died within the week following triage, highlighting late referrals and the importance of timely and accurate prioritisation.

Conclusion Moving forward, continuous review and refinement of the triage process will be crucial to address challenges and further enhance effectiveness. By maintaining a proactive approach to quality improvement, we aim to optimize the triage process to better meet patient needs and ensure equitable access to palliative care services. It’s a puzzle! Once you make a change in one part of process it has a knock-on effect on whole assessment pathway and further adaptions will be made.