What this means for your practice
Flag possible duplicates for authorised review using the organisation's identity rules. Do not automatically merge uncertain records based on a similar name alone.
An example to discuss with your team
Create two fictional records with similar names; the reviewer must be able to keep them separate.
What to ask before you choose
Ask the supplier to demonstrate one referral arriving by email and through a portal, followed by a different person with a similar name. The reviewer should see the source and reference of each submission. If records are combined, the reason and original submissions should remain traceable, so the team can explain the decision later.
Give the reviewer a clear comparison
A duplicate warning should help an authorised person compare the arrivals, including their sources, references and timing. It should not encourage them to resolve the warning simply to clear a queue. Explain the practice's identity-checking process to the supplier and agree who is allowed to make a decision.
Use examples that could be confused: the same referral resent with a missing attachment, two separate requests from one person and different people with similar names. The reviewer needs to be able to keep records separate when the relationship is uncertain. If two submissions are confirmed as the same request, retain enough history to explain what happened and where each original can be found. Check what happens to any tasks already assigned before the duplicate was noticed. Otherwise a combined record can still leave two colleagues contacting the sender independently, even though the warning itself has disappeared.
How to check the result
Track duplicate tasks discovered after work has already started.
Turn reading into a next step
Your action checklist
Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.
Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.
Use project decisions only, without personal, patient or confidential details. Entries stay in this page and are not submitted to Kay & Co. Copy or download before leaving; this page does not save your notes.
Further reading
These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.
Related guides
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