What happens when you are referred by your GP to see a specialist?

Why have I been referred?
Your GP will discuss with you and, if appropriate, your carer, about why a referral is being recommended. It is usually because your GP wants a specialist’s help in deciding on the best way to treat your condition. This might involve referring you for tests or investigations that cannot be carried out in a GP surgery. Your GP will also discuss with you what choices there are for where you can be referred.

The Role of our Secretaries

Our Secretaries Bonnie, Debby and Chloe provide essential office support to healthcare professionals, helping to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the practice. Their duties include managing correspondence, organizing diaries, updating patient records and databases, handling patient queries, and assisting with referrals to hospitals and other healthcare providers. 

Due to increased waiting times for outpatient appointments, GPs have seen a rise in patient requests to “expedite” or speed up their hospital referral and appointments. We urge all our patients awaiting hospital appointments to be patient and wait to be contacted.

As a GP surgery, we are neither notified of any waiting times for clinics nor provided with hospital hotline numbers. We are really sorry if you have been waiting a long time for your appointment to see a specialist.

If your review appointment has been delayed with a consultant you have already seen before, please contact your consultant’s secretary for an updates.

If you are waiting for your first appointment with a consultant and have not heard for a long time, please contact the RAS in the first instance (see below).

Alternatively if you are very unhappy with the wait times and RAS has not been able to help please contact PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) of the Hospital you have been referred to or PALS service of the ICB.

How to check the progress of my referral

If you’re unsure about the status of your referral or would like to check its progress, you can contact us through the dedicated Referral Management Centre (RMC) phone line for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin patients.

Once your referral has been submitted, the RMC team are able to:

• View and check the status of your referral (e.g., if more information is needed from your referring GP).
• Confirm whether your referral has been sent to your chosen provider or commissioned pathway.
• Provide updates on the progress of secondary care action on your referral.

The STW RMC department is open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, excluding bank holidays.

Contact Information:

Phone: 03300 248 283
Email: stw.your-referral@nhs.net

PALS Shropshire

Complaints, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

PALS Hereford

https://www.wyevalley.nhs.uk/contact-us/patient-experience-team.aspx

Referral Management Centre (RMC)

Once your referral is received from your GP practice, it will be reviewed by the Referral Management Centre (RMC) of the ICB.

The trained staff will ensure that all the necessary information is gathered to process your referral to the outpatient department.

The RMC will then contact you to offer options for where you would like to be seen, depending on the type of referral.

Please note that some referral pathways, such as those for suspected cancer, specific commissioned pathways, emergency care, certain diagnostic procedures, or referrals for armed forces personnel, may not allow patient choice.

The NHS does not routinely fund certain procedures and has established criteria through NHS Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin’s Integrated Care System (STW ICS) for funding approval. These procedures and treatments are outlined in the Value Based Commissioning Policy (VBCP) and Evidence Based Interventions (EBIs).

If your referral falls into one of these categories, our clinical triage team will assess it to ensure it meets the VBCP/EBI criteria.

https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/hospitals/about-nhs-hospital-services

Right to Choose

Choosing where to go for your first outpatient appointment at point of referral
Patients have a legal right to decide which NHS organisation they would like to receive care from
as an outpatient.

• Asking to change hospital if you have been waiting longer than the maximum wait times
  If a patient has been waiting longer than 18 weeks for a general appointment or longer than 2
  weeks for an urgent suspected cancer appointment, they have the legal right to request that they
  are refereed to another provider that can see them in a shorter timeframe.
  There may be cases where the request cannot be made but every effort should be made to ensure
  that patients are not breaching wait times.
  This has been developed further still since June 2023 as part of a national campaign, where
  Hospital Trusts and Integrated Care Boards are now continually reviewing waiting lists, and
  proactively contacting patients who have been waiting longer than the national waiting time
  standards and qualify to be able to change provider

When seeing a specialist: your checklist

If I need to start taking a new medicine straightaway, has the hospital provided me with a supply to last at least seven days (or less,
if I need to take the medicine for a shorter period)?
Do I understand what the medication is for, how to take it and any side effects?
If appropriate, has a Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) been supplied?
Do I have the contact details for the specialist’s office if I have a question?
If I need a Fit Note, has the hospital provided me with one, and does it cover the length of time the specialist expects me to be off work?
Do I need a hospital follow up appointment and if so, do I know how this is organised?
If appropriate, do I have the names and contact details of organisations who can give me more information or support if I need it?

At Portcullis Surgery we value and support community projects that promote health and wellbeing. We recognise the important role these initiatives play in supporting our patients and the wider community.

Our priority is to ensure our patients can access care directly within the practice when they need it. Portcullis waiting times are low, routine appointments are available in most cases within a week, so please call the practice on 01584 872939 if you need an appointment. Alternatively you can send us an online message on our portal. https://florey.accurx.com/p/M82043

We will always offer appointments with our clinicians first and actively promote our patients to book with the same clinician who knows them so they can form lasting relationships with trusted clinicians.

• For any medical condition that is serious or persistent, a Doctor or Advanced Practitioner should always be your first point of contact. Only doctors (and other qualified medical professionals) can assess your symptoms, order tests, and make an accurate diagnosis.
• Advice from a pharmacist is a good idea for minor conditions or issues such as a cold or a mild skin condition. Nevertheless you should always call the practice and talk to or see a GP or Advance Health Practitioner if:
• Your symptoms are severe or worsening
• You have a long-term condition that may be affected
• You are unsure about the seriousness of your illness
• All Children, especially a child under the age of 1 year (for most conditions)
• You’ve already tried Over the Counter treatment without improvement

For your convenience we also have weekly drop-in nurse clinics on Wednesdays (2-4pm) and Thursdays (5-6.30pm) for young people to access help and advice without the need for a pre-booked appointment.

This service is available for all our registered patients who are under 30 years of age. All you need to do is turn up and ask to be seen in the “drop in” clinic.

Can you help? Would you like to get involved?

Our Care Coordinator Judith is our lead for our Compassionate Communities (Co-Co) Group

Do you have a couple of hours once a week or fortnight to support someone in their own home to stay healthy and socially connected?

Would you be interested in:

• Visiting and befriending; (Online, phone calls or socially distanced)
• Helping with errands;
• Helping someone with social activities.

Then CoCo befriending may be for you.

Initial training is provided.

Ongoing support is provided throughout your time as a volunteer by our practice.

For further information on CoCo volunteering, please contact Judith Sharod at Portcullis practice by calling the practice or emailing Judith: judith.sharod@nhs.net

We would love to hear from you.

Are you looking after a relative or friend who, because of illness, age or disability, couldn’t manage at home without your help? Then you are a ‘Carer’!

All our registered carers are invited to the activities which are usually held monthly and organised by our Care Coordinator Zoe.

For more information, please contact her on zoe.jennings7@nhs.net or call the surgery and ask to speak with her.

June’s activity was pottery painting.

July, we had bingo and coffee and pastries. We also held a raffle, with amazing prizes donated by local businesses. We rasied £200 for our carers group fund. A massive thank you to all the businesses who donated and everyone that purchased raffle tickets! Also a big thank you to Wendy who ran the bingo.

August, we had a gentle exercise class with George Buckley and refreshments. This session was very much enjoyed by everyone! We hope to have George for sessions in the future.

September, we have a basic first aid course and awareness of illnesses course run by Ludlow Training Company. We hope this will be very beneficial to our carers.

If you would like to join us, then please get in touch with Zoe.

Patient donations are always welcome to support our carers group in hosting monthly activities. If you wish to make a donation, please pop into the surgery or send a donation by post to the surgery. All cheques are to be made payable to Portcullis Surgery and enclose in an envelope for the attention of Mrs Rachel Wilding, Practice Manager.

Thank you for your support.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the Carer’s Group, please contact Reception on 01584 872 939 and ask to speak to Zoe Jennings-Smith for more information.

Community & Care Coordinator Appointments

Portcullis GP Surgery’s Community & Care Co-ordinators (Judith Sharod and Zoe Jennings-Smith) helps patients and their relatives to find information, support and advice.  If your question is not directly medical, but is impacting on your life, Judith or Zoe are the people to speak to.

Appointments are available to be seen in the Surgery or for telephone advice on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday & Friday mornings between 9.00am-1.00pm

To make an appointment to speak to Judith Sharod and Zoe Jennings-Smith , telephone Portcullis Surgery on 01584 872939

Judith and Zoe assist patients across all age groups in need of help, support and advice by signposting them to other useful services and activities.

Community and Care Coordinators work with the NHS, the Council and Voluntary Services and have become local experts on what’s happening in your community.

They can help you to keep socially active and maintain your independence.

They also coordinate our Carers Group and our Befrienders Group.

Our practice is actively involved in research with the NIHR