HealthPathways vs NHS Pathways (2025): GP Referral vs 111 Triage
At a Glance
Who is it for?
HealthPathways:GPs / Clinicians
NHS Pathways:Call Handlers
Why choose HealthPathways?
- **Professional**: Assumes the user is a doctor/nurse.
- **Complex**: Handles chronic disease and non-urgent referrals.
- **Local**: Integrated with local hospital services.
Why choose NHS Pathways?
- **Urgency**: Detects life-threatening emergencies immediately.
- **Binary**: Requires no clinical knowledge to operate.
- **Universal**: The same algorithm used across England.
Feature Comparison
| Capability | HealthPathways | NHS Pathways |
|---|---|---|
| User | Expert | Layperson |
| Goal | Management / Referral | Safety / Disposition |
In-Depth Analysis
Overview
These tools share a similar name but are opposites.
NHS Pathways is the "front door" of the NHS (111). It filters patients into the system. HealthPathways is the "corridor" of the NHS. It helps GPs move patients through the system to specialists.
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Use-Cases
Chest Pain Call
When to choose HealthPathways
- N/A
When to choose NHS Pathways
- **Winner.** Rules out heart attack and dispatches ambulance.
Chronic Back Pain
When to choose HealthPathways
- **Winner.** Shows physio referral criteria.
When to choose NHS Pathways
- Will likely just tell them to see a GP.