23.3.20 UHS COVID-19 referral changes (2WW)
News
Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic UHS arrangements for new referrals are changing.
•
As of today (20/03) all non-2WW cancer services on e-referral will only allow
appointments to be booked one year in advance. (THIS IS FOR PLANNING PURPOSES
ONLY AND WILL NOT ULTIMATELY BE THE APPOINTMENT THAT THE PATIENT IS EXPECTED TO
ATTEND).
• All referrals will be reviewed by a clinician.
• Urgent referrals will be brought forward into an appropriate appointment. UHS
will communicate the new appointment details to the patients.
• Non urgent referrals will be reappointed at a future date once our capacity
is known. We will communicate this process with patients to reassure them
about the reappointing process.
• Where patients need expediting GP’s should submit an expedite letter through
one of the UHS expedite A&G services on eRS (there is one for adults and
one for children). This will be passed to the clinical team for review and
reappointment as appropriate.
We need all GPs/practices to make patients aware of these arrangements and tell
them to book the appointment using eRS, so that a clinical review can follow
and appointments be booked as appropriate. By communicating this in advance to
patients we hope to minimise queries to practices and the hospital.
At present, the Trust is continuing with 2 week wait suspected cancer pathways as normal and encourages all patients who do not have COVID-19 symptoms to attend these appointments.
