What does it mean when a doctor gives you a referral – and what happens next?
Why have I been referred?
Your GP will discuss with you – and, if appropriate, your carer – about why a referral is being done. It is usually because your GP wants a specialist’s help in deciding on the best way to treat your condition. A hospital consultant is a specialist in one specific area of medicine, surgery or psychiatry.
Part of the reason for referral may to get a test or investigation that cannot be requested by a GP, or carried out at the GP’s surgery.
Your GP will also discuss with you what choices there are for where you can be referred. For example, you may be referred to a more distant hospital where the waiting lists are shorter.
Referral letter
Your GP will send a referral letter to the consultant. This will explain:
- What the problem is, and the GP’s question
- Your past history of illnesses and operations
- Your current medication.
This should be with the consultant on the day you meet them at the hospital.
How will I hear about where and when the appointment is?
GP practices and hospitals use different ways of arranging appointments:
- Your GP practice may give you a reference number and a password you can use to book, change or cancel your appointment online or by phone. In time, more and more GP practices will refer patients in this way.
- You may receive a letter from the hospital confirming your appointment. Read the letter carefully. You may need to reply as soon as possible and tell the hospital if you can attend on the date offered.
- Alternatively, sometimes patients receive a letter asking them to phone the hospital to make an appointment with the hospital consultant.
The appointment will usually be in an area called an ‘outpatient department’. This is to distinguish it from a ‘inpatient’, who is someone who is currently staying in the hospital.
Who will I see?
You will see either:
- The hospital consultant
- Their deputy called a registrar
- A specialist nurse who works with the consultant and registrar. They may be called a clinical nurse specialist (CNS) or advanced nurse practitioner (ANP).
A registrar or nurse should discuss their plan with the consultant.
What happens if the consultant says I need an investigation, procedure or operation?
If the consultant says you need an investigation (e.g. blood test, x-ray, ultrasound or CT), procedure (e.g. colonoscopy) or operation, he/she is responsible for:
- Arranging the investigation, procedure or operation; explaining how and when you will receive a date
- If its an investigation, giving you the results and explaining what they mean. This will usually be done in a separate appointment with the consultant (either face to face or on the phone) or by letter.
- If its a procedure or operation, they will organise it. You may be put on a waiting list. If so, ask them how long on average you will wait.
Ask the consultant what to do if the date of the event is not suitable for you; or nothing happens and you are not sent any dates.
What happens if I need new medicines?
The consultant prescribe a new medication for you, or might want to make changes to the medicines that you are already taking. If its a new medicine, the consultant is responsible for:
- Either giving you the first prescription, so you can start taking it straightaway; and giving you enough medicine to last at least the first seven days.
- Or, giving you a handwritten note to take to your GP, for them to prescribe it. That could also be done by an email (or similar) method. The advantage of this way, is the prescription is then on the GPs computer for repeat prescriptions.
Either way, after this, you will need to contact your GP surgery if another prescription is required.
In some cases – e.g. a very specialist or expensive drug – your GP will not be able to prescribe it. And you will need to continue to receive these from the hospital. You will be told about this at your appointment.
What if I need a follow up appointment?
The consultant will tell you whether you will need a follow-up appointment(s), or whether you will be discharged back to your GP. If the consultant thinks you do need to be seen again, the hospital will give you another appointment (face-to-face, or virtual, i.e. on then phone) or tell you when to expect this. If you do not hear anything, please contact the consultant’s secretary, rather than your GP surgery.
What do I do if I have any questions?
If you have any specific questions related to your hospital care, your consultant will be able to help you with this. So it is important that you know how to contact them via your consultant’s secretary.
Summary
We have described what does it mean when a doctor gives you a referral – and what happens next. We hope you understand it better now.
