Referrals

Londonwide

Londonwide LMCs is the professional voice of London general practice. Providing specialist advice and guidance on a wide range of local and pan-London issues, our focus is helping practices to secure their future. In today’s challenging health and social care environment it’s a crucial role we undertake with passion, pride and professionalism.

What specialists and therapists are responsible for after referral

• Arranging, checking the result and acting on all tests they have asked you to undertake
• Providing the initial prescription for any medication they have changed or asked you to start
• Issuing a fitness to work certificate should you require one for the condition they are treating
• Providing you with a follow up appointment if necessary

What to expect when you are referred by your GP to see a specialist (or therapist).

Please read this information carefully - it could save you an unnecessary trip to your GP by talking this process through with your specialist.

Tests and investigations

All tests and investigations required by a specialist must be ordered by them and the appointments should be sent to you directly with advice about any action or follow-up required.

If a specialist requires blood tests they should give you a request form which you can take to whoever normally provides blood tests in your area. This could be your surgery, hospital or community clinic.

A specialist is responsible for acting on the results of any test they request and for informing you of the results.

If you haven’t heard from the specialist about a test result you should ring the number given to you by them or call their secretary at the hospital. Your surgery may not know the result and will not know what the specialist

Prescriptions

If a specialist prescribes a new medication or changes one that you are on please ask them to provide you with the first prescription. This may be on a white prescription that can be used in the hospital pharmacy or on a green one that you can take to your normal pharmacy.

If notified by a specialist, your surgery may automatically add the medication change to your repeat list on the computer. You will then be able to order re-supply without an appointment. You may need to telephone your surgery to confirm this or use online services if you have registered for them.

Sometimes your GP may not feel that they can safely prescribe a new medicine as they lack the necessary expertise, or they may only do so with local agreement between them and the hospital, so it is best to check whether your surgery will agree to prescribe any new medication. If you are uncertain of the changes the specialist is making please ask them to explain it to you at the appointment. It saves you having to see your GP to discuss something they may only know of from a short letter of explanation.

Fit note (Med3)

If you need to be certified as unfit for work as a result of the treatment provided by a specialist (or therapist), they should issue fit note (Med3) when you are discharged from hospital or seen in the clinic. You also do not need one if you are off sick for seven calendar days or less, because you can self-certify your leave for this time.

Please ask your specialist (or therapist) for a sick or fit note (Med3) if you need one.

Follow up appointments

If you need to be seen again by the specialist (or therapist) the hospital will provide you with another appointment. Please ask the specialist’s secretary if notification of another appointment does not arrive in a timely way.