HOSPITAL REFERRALS RESOURCE CENTRE
All the information you need to refer your patients appropriately.
With the NHS having to tighten its belt to cope with financial crisis, and plans afoot to reduce hospital admissions by as much as 20%, GPs are coming under pressure to cut back on hospital referrals.
At the same time, practice-based commissioning (PBC) and patient choice mean that it is more important than ever for GPs to keep up to date on the best approach to hospital referrals, to ensure their patients get the best possible care.
Under the Free Choice at Referral system, NHS patients being referred to hospital can choose where they wish to be treated. This choice covers private providers as well as NHS trusts, and gives GPs the power to refer to any clinically appropriate provider, across the country.
GP has created this hospital referrals online resource centre to help GPs stay abreast of the latest developments. Here you will find all the information you need to ensure that your patients are appropriately referred, including the latest news and feature articles on GP referrals updated weekly, as well as links to external resources.
LATEST REFERRALS NEWS
Exclusive: LMCs swamped by GPs suffering depression
06 February 2012LMC leaders have warned that increasing pressure to cut costs and referrals has triggered a sharp rise in GPs seeking help for stress and depression, GP can reveal.
GPC warns of 'target culture' as GP commissioning framework revealed
02 February 2012A scheme to assess clinical commissioning on 120 new measures will perpetuate 'target culture' in the NHS and could harm patients, the GPC has warned.
Can hospitals equal GP drug savings?
01 February 2012As GPs face ever-greater pressure to contain prescribing costs, a stark contrast is emerging with the lack of spending control in hospitals.
Expect more consultations in cancer campaign, GPs told
30 January 2012The government has launched its bowel cancer awareness campaign on Monday, with practices told to expect an increase in patients presenting and to make more urgent referrals.
NHS panel defines rules for rationing decisions
30 January 2012Cataract surgery, knee replacement and other 'low clinical value' treatments must only be restricted on the basis of strict evidence-based criteria, an NHS panel has warned.
Minister denies cancer test pressure
26 January 2012Care services minister Paul Burstow has denied suggestions from a DH adviser that GPs are being pressured to reduce use of a cancer test.
Exclusive: Scan crisis threat to cancer diagnosis
25 January 2012Early detection of cancer is being undermined by pressure on GPs to use fewer tests and a lack of NHS diagnostic capacity, a DH adviser has warned.
GPs face tougher scrutiny over diagnostic scans
16 January 2012Government plans to monitor GPs' use of diagnostic tests must set clear standards to avoid GPs being wrongly accused of inappropriate referrals, the RCGP has warned.
RESOURCES FOR GPs
Infertility management and referring patients A diagnosis should be reached in order to know how to manage and where to refer infertile patients.
Referrals management system Polly Ellison describes what is involved in setting up a service planned to go live in January 2011.
Patient Screening - COPD case-finding saves NHS funding Successfully identifying patients with early symptoms of COPD.
Good Practice: Primary care - Bringing down A&E attendances Community minor emergency services work, say Drs Shyamal Mukherjee, Abhi Mantgani and Shanila Roohi.
Referrals management success A PBC consortium in Plymouth freed up £150,000 in a year by peer review evaluation.
MRCGP: CSA practice case - Patient presents with a list of problems This mock case could be used individually or in a study group with someone playing the doctor, patient and assessor. Dr Prashini Naidoo provides this CSA practice case and marking guide.
ONLINE-ONLY ARTICLES
GP fact file - Private medical insurance
17 October 2009This GP Fact File was written by Dr Louise R Newson, GP, West Midlands
Online-only article: Preventing MRSA infection
27 August 2009Written by Dr Beryl Oppenheim, director of infection prevention and control, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust.
Online-only article: Private providers and quality assurance
21 August 2009Imminent changes will affect the way all healthcare providers are regulated. By Julie Griffiths
Additional Information
BMI Healthcare
BMI Healthcare is the largest independent provider of acute private health care in the UK, with nearly sixty hospitals nationwide, each offering access to excellent medical and surgical facilities supported by state-of-the-art equipment and high calibre staff.
It attracts consultants from a wide range of specialties, undertaking a range of procedures from routine investigations to the most complex, high acuity cases such as cardiac and neurosurgery.
BMI Healthcare is committed to providing a consistent, high quality service to you and your patients. That is why we are working with Haymarket to create an online Resource Centre, providing the information you need to refer your patients to the right consultant specialists and hospital treatment for their needs.
BMI information for healthcare professionals
- Find out why most consultants choose to work with BMI
- Making a referral - Find a consultant
- BMI Information Centre - for education events in your area
Resources for patients
- Appointments Line - 0845 608 8888
- NHS Choices website
- Choose and Book patient website
- Overall performance - find out about the quality of NHS and independent (private or voluntary) services in your area. You can also compare how well different healthcare organisations are performing.
