Telephone Communication and Escalation

This course teaches you how to make and receive urgent clinical telephone calls clearly and safely. It covers preparing before you call, structuring the call with SBAR, receiving calls and verbal results, read-back, escalating when you are not satisfied, and documenting calls, with worked dialogue examples.

What you will learn

• Prepare for an urgent clinical call by gathering the right information and deciding what you need.
• Make a structured escalation call using SBAR, including a clear recommendation and timeframe.
• Receive a clinical call safely, ask focused questions, and use read-back for results and instructions.
• Escalate further, using a graded assertiveness approach, when the response does not match your concern.
• Document telephone calls and verbal advice accurately and in line with professional standards.

Course content

1. Why telephone calls are high risk (1 min)
2. Before you pick up the phone (2 min)
3. Making the call (3 min)
4. Receiving calls, results and verbal advice (2 min)
5. Speaking clearly on the phone (2 min)
6. When you are not satisfied: escalating further (2 min)
7. Other calls: seniors at night, other services and families (2 min)
8. Documentation and a reflective case (3 min)
9. Knowledge check (10 questions, 10 min)
10. Guided reflection (15 min)

Standards and guidance covered

• GMC: Good Medical Practice (2024), including the duties on working with colleagues and acting promptly if patient safety is at risk
• GMC: Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices, including remote prescribing
• NMC: The Code (2015, updated 2018), including 'Communicate clearly', 'Preserve safety' and record keeping
• HCPC: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics (2024)
• Royal College of Physicians: National Early Warning Score (NEWS) 2

Certificate

Courses are free to study. When you pass the knowledge check (80%) and complete your reflection, you can buy a verified certificate showing your CPD time, with a unique ID and QR code that anyone can check on our verification page.

Related guides

Communication

How to Escalate a Patient Over the Phone: A Clear Structure That Works

How to escalate a deteriorating patient over the phone: preparing, SBAR, phrases that get a response, read-back, what to do if the doctor won't come, and notes.

11 min read

Practitioner Insight is an independent education provider. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the GMC, MPTS, NMC, HCPC, GPhC or any NHS organisation, and this information is not legal advice. If you have been referred to a regulator, speak to your defence organisation, trade union or legal representative.