Home visit and housebound request pathways

Home visit requests are not simple bookings. They are requests for a clinician or an authorised visiting service to assess whether a visit is required, determine the priority and decide who should attend.

Reception staff must gather the agreed information, confirm safe-contact details and follow the local home visit process. Do not promise a GP will attend unless the process explicitly allows that.

Home visit request checks

• Patient identity and current location.
• Contact number and safe access to the property.
• Reason the patient cannot attend the practice, if the protocol requires it.
• Brief description from the patient or carer of the concern.
• Any urgent or safeguarding concerns that need escalation.
• Who will review the request and when the patient can expect contact.

Treat a home visit request as a reviewed pathway, not as a promise that a specific clinician will attend.

Country and Local Variation