William Fisher Medical Centre

Changes To Managing Specialists Referrals From 1/10/2025

Helping You Manage Your Specialist Referrals – What You Need to Know

From 1 October 2025, there will be a small change to how you manage your hospital or specialist referrals. You’ll now be supported directly through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS), which gives you more control and flexibility when booking your appointment.

What happens if I’m referred?

If your GP refers you to a specialist, you may be asked to book your own appointment using the NHS e-Referral system.

You’ll receive an email/ a letter within a few weeks explaining:

• What you’ve been referred for
• The hospital or clinic options available to you
• How to book your appointment

How to book or manage your referral

You can book or manage your appointment in a way that suits you:

• Online at www.nhs.uk/referrals
• By phone via the National Booking Service on 0345 608 8888 (Textphone: 0345 850 2250)
• Open Monday–Friday: 8am–8pm
• Weekends and bank holidays: 8am–4pm

If you have a question about your appointment or referral, please contact the hospital or service provider directly.

Additional support while you wait

We understand that waiting for specialist care can be difficult. There are local services that can help support your health and wellbeing during this time:

• Essex Wellbeing Service
  Offers practical, emotional, and health support.
  Call 0300 303 9988 or visit the Essex Wellbeing Service website
• My Planned Care
  Visit www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk for estimated hospital waiting times and local support options.
• Patients Know Best
  If you live in Mid and South Essex, you can access your hospital information (appointments, test results, letters) through the Patients Know Best portal. Find out more.
• NHS App
  Download the NHS App for quick and secure access to your referrals, prescriptions, and health advice from your phone or tablet.

A new medical examiner system is being rolled out in England and Wales over the next few months prior to it becoming a statutory requirement on 9 September 2024. GP practices in mid and south Essex will be implementing it at different times over the next few months. The medical examiner system will provide independent scrutiny of all deaths that aren’t referred to the coroner.

Medical examiners review medical records and work with doctors to complete a medical certificate of the cause of death (MCCD), commonly known as the death certificate. They talk to the family about their experience of care and discuss and agree the proposed MCCD with them. The MCCD must be completed before the death can be registered and the body released to the family.

You can read more information about the medical examiner service and the medical certification of the cause of death here: https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/health/choose-well/medical-examiners-service/

What these changes will mean

When the GP practice is notified of a death, information will need to be obtained to enable a GP to refer the death to the medical examiner office (or where appropriate to the coroner).

Information that will be required:

·         Date/time and location of death.

·         Occupation of the deceased (or last occupation if retired/not working at time of death).

·         Next of kin details (name, relationship, contact details.

These details will be passed to the relevant GP who can complete the MCCD. The GP will complete a referral form to the medical examiner officer indicating how they intend to complete the MCCD.

The medical examiner will then carry out an independent review of the person’s death. They will also have a discussion with the next of kin to establish whether they have any concerns and offer an opportunity to ask any questions relating to the cause of death or care/treatment.

The medical examiner will then contact the GP:

·         If they agree with cause of death, the MCCD will be issued by GP.

·         If they advise of an alteration, this will be discussed with the GP before the GP issues a MCCD.

·         They may advise a referral to the coroner for a specified reason.

You can find out more information about the medical examiners service on the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System website https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/health/choose-well/medical-examiners-service/

Be Part of Research is a free online service supported by William Fisher Medical Centre that helps people to find and take part in suitable health and care research, based on your interests. Sign up via the NHS App https://www.nhsapp.service.nhs.uk/login or visit www.bepartofresearch.uk