Why Primary Care Clinicians use Advice and Guidance: A qualitative study

Background Where available, Advice and Guidance (A&G) can enable primary care clinicians to seek specialist input, supporting decision making and avoiding unnecessary referrals. The use of A&G has significantly expanded, accelerated by COVID19 and contractual changes. While A&G is intended to streamline elective care, concerns persist regarding workload shift, variable responsiveness, and system usability. Despite growing policy emphasis, little is known about why clinicians choose to use A&G. Aim Explore the current use of A&G within primary care, focusing on decision making processes which underpin PCCs' (primary care clinicians') decision to use A&G. Design and Setting Qualitative study set in English Primary Care Method Twenty semi structured video interviews were conducted with primary care clinicians purposively sampled for maximum variation. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within an interpretive description framework, with themes developed collaboratively and refined through discussion with researchers and PPIE contributors. Ethical approval was obtained (REC 333799). Results Four overarching themes encapsulate clinicians' decisions to use A&G: clinical presentation (acuity and complexity), navigating healthcare pathways, previous experiences of A&G, and using A&G to validate clinical decision making. Barriers included delayed responses and uncertainty about inequitable workload distribution. These factors shape how effectively A&G could be integrated into routine practice. Conclusion Primary care clinicians use A&G to support patient care and aid decision-making, but its effectiveness depends on timely, clinically helpful responses. Ensuring responses remain appropriate to primary care remit and capacity will be essential if A&G becomes the main route into elective care.