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British Lung Foundation
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Consultant to consultant

Hello All,

Can a consultant refer you to another consultant without the sanction of your GP? I only ask this as I have just had a letter saying as much from a consultant I am meant to be seeing with some urgency (its only taken them a month to respond to my respiratory consultants letter of referral!!!) It feels like I have too chase up all the time which isn't that great when you aren't feeling so :-(

Happy Christmas to you all :-)

14 Replies
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Hi Modola. I only know that my chest consultant referred me to a thoracic surgeon without going through the GP. She informed the GP of what she had done.

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It shouldn't be difficult - they do seem to struggle with appointments at the hospital I attend always have too chase them up :-(

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Do you mean in the same respiratory clinic or a different clinic shocking how long you have to wait for a referral

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Hi,

My respiratory consultant wants me to see an endocrinologist as she suspects that my long term steroid use maybe causing an adrenal problem as I have been struggling since the summer.

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Yes I think that's ok I see a consultant in the resp clinic and one in the rheumy clinic for the same thing because most of my conditions may be connected. It would be great if you were able to se one person for every condition you have

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One consultant transferred me to another in a different hospital, but checked with me first ............ring them up and enquire.

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I will, it seems strange that the letter I received has only been sent to my GP and they haven't copied in my consultant who referred me.

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Modola My Gp refered me to a Gastrologist who in turn referred me to Respiratory Specialist Gp was informed by letter of his intentions.

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I hope to see my GP tomorrow and make sure they have the letter as I can't wait too much longer as the problem isn't going away by itself and everything seems to take so long :-(

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Speaking from experience Modola, once you have been referred to the hospital by your GP it is up to them who you are seen by or referred to until such times as they discharge you back to your GPs care again. However they do work in conjunction with each other to manage your care, and try to keep you out of hospital. :)

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Hi,

Phoned hospital today only to find out that my respiratory consultant has now left - so managed to get an appointment to see my GP with letter in hand today to action this request - you really need to keep on top of this as it seems you can quite easily be forgotten.

Wishing you well :-)

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Hi Modola, your right you have to keep nudging them or you just get put on the computer till next time you visit the GP and staff come and go on a regular basis these days Glad you are on top of it now. Best wishes and enjoy Christmas :)

1 like
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Once referred to consultant it is out of the GP's Hands and the consultant can put you on any path they want without GP interaction. All they have to do is inform the GP of their findings. Ask to be cc'd into all letters if you want to.

My heart consultant put me in for an Aderson Farby test which had nothing to do with my heart and my GP had no idea what it was either. I did not have it but showed all the symptoms?

Be Well

1 like
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That's my take on it - keeping on top of appointments etc becomes almost a full time job otherwise you can fall into a black hole.

Wishing you well and a very happy Xmas

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