How long does NHS referral last?

8.2 Patient responsibilities

Patients who do not book an appointment are sent reminder letters (at two weeks and four weeks for routine referrals) and remain on a referrer's worklist for six months or until they book.

How long is my referral good for?

Generally, a referral from your GP will last around 12 months, but there may be exceptions depending on your personal health situation. In some cases, referrals can be as short as three months if the GP feels it's best to have more consistent and close points to check in on the patient's health and progress.

Can specialist referrals expire?

Some other things you should know about referrals: Referrals expire. You'll have anywhere from 90 days to one year to see the doctor you were referred to, depending on the specialty.

How long is an urgent referral NHS?

What does it mean to be urgently referred? An urgent two-week referral means that you will be offered an appointment with a hospital specialist within 2 weeks of your General Practitioner (GP) making the referral.

Why have I been given a 2 week referral?

A 'Two Week Wait' referral is a request from your General Practitioner (GP) to ask the hospital for an urgent appointment for you, because you have symptoms that might indicate that you have cancer.

NHS e-Referral service - Spotlight on: 2 week wait referrals

What is the two week rule NHS?

The maximum waiting time for suspected cancer is 2 weeks from the day your appointment is booked through the NHS e-Referral Service, or when the hospital or service receives your referral letter.

Why is my referral being reviewed?

Why have I been referred? Your GP will discuss with you and, if appropriate, your carer, about why a referral is being recommended for you. It is usually because your GP wants a specialist's help in deciding on the best way to treat your condition.

Is an urgent referral serious?

An urgent referral is that which clinicians consider being of sufficient seriousness to justify a rapid investigation.

Why do doctor referrals take so long?

In general, the longer you have had a problem and the more in-depth the workup is, then the longer it can take to collect the data the specialist requires. This is important because you want your appointment with a specialist to be as productive as possible and not repeat tests that have already been done.

What is a fast track referral?

A fast track referral happens when a GP has concerns that a patient's symptoms might suggest cancer. They make a referral to the hospital and an appointment to see a specialist is arranged within two weeks. The hospital contacts the patient by telephone to schedule the appointment or any tests that need to be done.

Can you see a specialist without a GP referral?

No, it's possible to seek private treatment from a consultant or specialist without being referred by your GP. However, the British Medical Association (BMA) believes that, in most cases, it's best practice for patients to be referred for specialist treatment by their GP.

Can my GP refuse to refer me to a specialist?

If you disagree with your GP's decision, you can ask them to refer you to another healthcare professional for a second opinion (an opinion about your health from a different doctor). Although you do not have a legal right to a second opinion, a healthcare professional will rarely refuse to refer you for one.

Do doctors get money for referrals?

Payment by or to a physician or health care institution solely for referral of a patient is fee splitting and is unethical. Physicians may not accept: Any payment of any kind, from any source for referring a patient other than distributions of a health care organization's revenues as permitted by law.

Can I use my referral for a different doctor?

You may accept the specialist referred to by your GP, however, you are entitled to present the named specialist referral to another specialist of your choice at any time within 12 months – so long as you have not attended an initial consultation with another specialist under that referral and your chosen specialist is ...

What are three common reasons for a referral?

Of nonmedical reasons for referral, meeting perceived community standards of care, patient requests, and self-education were cited most commonly, followed by patient education, reassurance, and motivation.

Can a GP backdate a referral?

It is unlawful to backdate a referral and GPs should not agree to such requests.

How long does it take to hear from a referral?

Most referrals take one week to process. In some cases, your PCP may ask for a “rush” referral, which will take three (3) days. Continued on back.

How long is too long to wait for a doctor?

How long should you have to wait to see a doctor? Fifteen minutes? Doesn't sound unreasonable to me, and one medical practice consultant says, "Research shows that an acceptable waiting time for patients is 15 minutes, 20 maximum, and if patients wait longer, they're really irritated."

How do I see a doctor immediately?

Call your doctor's office first and tell them you need an appointment as soon as possible. They might have an available walk-in slot or a cancellation if you're lucky. You should also tell them your symptoms, since you might be able to get an appointment quicker if they're severe.

What does it mean when a doctor puts in a referral?

A referral is a written request from one health professional to another health professional or health service, asking them to diagnose or treat you for a particular condition.

What is a 2 week pathway?

Your GP has arranged for you to see a hospital doctor (specialist) within two weeks – a process also known as the two-week referral. This is to investigate your symptoms further. You may have some tests to find out what is wrong and if it could be cancer. REFERRED IN THIS WAY ARE NOT DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER.

Can A&E refer you to specialist?

If your situation is more complicated, you may be seen by an A&E Doctor or referred to a Specialist Unit. For example, this could happen for eye problems, strokes or emergency gynaecology.

Can a referral be rejected?

As part of this review process, a provider can choose to reject the referral if they feel it's inappropriate for their service or they require additional referral information to make a decision.

What happens after a GP referral?

A GP referral is a request from your GP to another specialist to assess your health further. It's done for many reasons, such as the need for specialist treatment. Your GP can send you to the appropriate consultant, or you can decide on your own through the Choose and Book system.

Can I request a second opinion on the NHS?

Talk to your specialist doctor or GP

They can refer you to an NHS doctor who specialises in treating your condition. Or you could pay for a second opinion from a private doctor. Your relatives can also ask for a second opinion, but you need to give consent for them to do this.