Homerton Referral Pathways Update- Key Messages on Managing Vulnerable Patients- 29^th May 2020

Dear colleagues,

The Homerton Hospital have published the latest interim guidance for GPs on referring to their outpatient and diagnostic services- it is available at the link here. We need to ensure that we are still referring once we have exhausted the options they have made available to us. It is important that we do not hold patients who could deteriorate quite quickly. Routine diagnostics should be used to rule out suspected conditions for these at risk patients. Specialists are still available via A&G on e-RS/Phone/Email to advise on managing a patient’s condition. Radiology should be contacted if it is important to rule out something via ultrasound or x-ray in order that the patient can continue to be managed by primary care. Routine bloods are often still required to ensure safe ongoing management in primary care – we must ensure this is still being done.

We understand that the Homerton have to safely manage patients and protect their service capacity during this crisis but we now need our patients to have access to specialist services and diagnostics again in order that we can keep them from emergency admission or to prevent their condition deteriorating.

Please let us know if you feel there is an issue with specific referral areas either at the Homerton or other secondary care provider.

Gary Marlowe – Planned Care Clinical Lead & Chris Carvalho – Planned Care Deputy Clinical Lead

Homerton Clinical Support - Information and Contact Details:

Advice and Guidance- e-RS/Telephone/email – Click here

Cancer Advice and Guidance during COVID-19 - Click here

Teledermatology

• Teledermatology is accepting requests for patients who meet the 2ww criteria. Please ensure that requests for patients who meet the criteria are clearly marked with 2ww so Dermatology understand the urgency.
• For photos taken by patients, please use Dermatology Advice and Guidance. Please ensure they are clearly marked with ‘Teledermatology- photo taken by patient’. Advice and Guidance/Teledermatology can both be found on e-RS under: Homerton – Dermatology - Not Otherwise Specified

Radiology

• For Radiologist On Call- call Homerton switch and request Radiologist on call- 020 8510 5555 –
• See GP Information section on Homerton Radiology Website for further information- https://www.homerton.nhs.uk/radiology/

Pathology

• Pathology Reception- 020 8510 7898/7174; they can pass on the query to the relevant sub-specialty
• Pathology Quality- for results issues or quality concerns- huh-tr.pathologyquality@nhs.net  / 020 8510 7503 / 5216
• More contact information for pathology sub-specialties can be found at the link here

Please contact James Courtney at the CCG if you have any queries with the above james.courtney1@nhs.net