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
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.
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?
