You might see a clinician who thinks you need further care from a specialist. If this is the case the clinician will raise a referral. Referrals are sent into hospitals, clinics and services.
Just because a clinician has referred you to a specific department does not mean you will definitely be seen by that department.
For example, the clinician might refer a patient to Rheumatology, however after a Rheumatology consultant triages the request, they may come back to us and suggest that the patient is referred to a more suitable department or recommend a treatment that can be offered at the practise.
We aim to keep all patients informed about the status of their referral.
For more information on what to expect or prepare for your appointment please see this leaflet.
Referrals are organised in many different ways depending on what area you need to be referred into.
For example; if you are referred to Gynaecology your referral will be processed through a system called ERS. This is an online system that can link to a patient's NHS app to help the patient track the referral. However, if you are referred for Physio care, this referral is emailed. So the only way to track that referral is by ringing or emailing the department directly.
In the same way that each department has a different referral method, each department has different waiting times and appointments they can offer. The best way for patients to discover how long your wait time is expected to be is either looking on the hospital or clinics website or by visiting: https://www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk/london/
Search for the hospital and department you are looking for.
Sometimes patients may wait a long time before hearing anything about their referral. If patients want an update on where they are on the waiting list we encourage most patients to chase their referrals directly (Although we can chase referrals for those who are vulnerable).
This can be done by calling or emailing the department the patient has been referred to or by using the NHS app to check on the status of any ERS referrals. The NHS app allows you to see upcoming hospital appointments and some departments let patients change their appointment date and time via the app.
If you are unsure on where you have been referred to, please ask us. We will be able to let you know the name of the hospital and department you have been referred to. Most departments have their contact details online.
If you wish to have a private referral letter written by a clinician please contact us. Please state what department you would like to be referred to and why you think the referral is needed. Depending on what you would like to be referred for, a clinician may call you or invite you in to discuss the request or simply write the letter and the admin team will email it to you upon completion.
Please note, if your insurance company needs us to complete a form as well as a letter, there is a fee, as this is considered non NHS work.
