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Referral pathways

Community treatment and care

Borders Ref Help Toolkit
NHS Borders

The Community Treatment and Care (CTAC) service is a nurse led primary care service. It offers routine clinical services delivered by NHS Borders employed nurses and healthcare support workers (HCSWs) within GP Practices. This model enables GP teams to focus on managing complex medical care, while ensuring patients continue to receive high quality, accessible support.

What CTAC Offers

  • A dedicated clinical workforce delivering services in every health centre across the Borders
  • A centralised booking hub to book CTAC appointments
  • An enhanced digital booking system GP Order Comms to use to submit all referrals and track patient care

Available CTAC Services

CTAC teams provide a range of care including assessment, treatment, and monitoring for patients. Current services include:

  • Blood pressure monitoring (including 24-hour and home BP kits)
  • Catheterisation
  • Continence assessment
  • Dermatology treatments (e.g. application of topical medication)
  • Diabetic foot checks
  • Doppler assessments
  • Ear checks and irrigation
  • ECGs
  • Long-term condition monitoring
  • Stocking measurement
  • Medication injections
  • Phlebotomy
  • PICC line and Hickman line care
  • Suture and staple removal
  • Minor injury follow-up care
  • Urinalysis
  • Wound management

Who to refer, who not to refer, how to refer

Who to Refer

  • People who require routine care: CTAC is designed to complement the work of GP practices by having NHS-employed Registered Nurses (RNs) and Healthcare Support Workers (HCSWs) carry out routine clinical tasks for enrolled patients who have been referred into the service. This includes tasks such as wound care, blood tests, injections, and other procedures.

Who Not to Refer

  • CTAC is not a diagnostic: CTAC staff do not routinely interpret test results or make medical decisions. However, they can administer some medications which have been prescribed
  • Not an acute or emergency service: While CTAC offers urgent appointment slots, these are not for clinical emergencies. We can see people with minor injuries only after they have been assessed and are in need of treatment or care.
  • Routine Vaccination service: CTAC does not provide routine immunisations. Refer to the Vaccination Service for all standard vaccinations. CTAC will only administer the initial Hepatitis B or tetanus vaccine following exposure.
  • Paediatrics: CTAC is not currently suitable for all patients under 16. Refer to the Paediatric Services Specification for appropriate alternatives.

How to Refer

  • All referrals must be submitted via GP Order Comms
    This includes both diagnostic tests (e.g. phlebotomy, ECGs) and care (e.g. wound management, catheter care)
  • Order sets are available on GP Order Comms for long-term condition monitoring

Note: The referring clinician or service is responsible for reviewing and acting on any results generated through the CTAC referral. Results are returned to the practice that initiated the referral. CTAC staff cannot make the initial referral for an episode of care but will manage any follow up appointments.

Primary care management

Patient Booking Process

While patients who are enrolled in a practice with a health board reception can still book in person during opening hours, all telephone CTAC appointments are booked via a central hub:

Mon–Fri, 8.00am–5pm on 01896 809250

How quickly will people be seen

 

Timescales for treatment
Urgent – Definition: Investigations and care that cannot wait until the next available routine appointment
  • These slots should only be booked within:
  • 2 working days for HCSW
  • 1 working day for RNs
Time dependent
  • Treatments which need to be carried out on a specific date for example suture removal or blood tests are to be done according to the specified clinical time limit
Routine
  • Within 10 working days

Resources and links

  • Paediatric Services Specification (to be advised)
  • CTAC Service Spec (to be advised)
  • These will be made available through NHS Borders clinical resources page – pending updates.

Local service details

Website for NHS Borders CTAC: https://www.nhsborders.scot.nhs.uk/ctac

Telephone: 

Community Booking Hub Main patient telephone number: 01896 809 250

CTAC Priority direct dial (GP/clinician): 01896 809 290

 

Editorial Information

Last reviewed: 31/08/2025

Next review date: 31/08/2027

Author(s): Alice Maguire.

Author email(s): alice.maguire@nhs.scot.