Transferring Care

[Ford7610]

Hi all, my daughter whose 21 and in her final year at Newcastle University was diagnosed with SLE last June and under the care of a Newcastle hospital. When she graduates in June she will be moving back home to Cheshire and will need to move hospital. Does anyone have any advice on how we do this as she won’t be registered with our gp till she moves. Also, do we pick the hospital/ consultant ourselves? Is anyone here under the care of the Kellgrin in Manchester or at any of the Liverpool hospitals and would recommend them? Any advice would be appreciated so we can get a smooth transition as she is still having adjustments made to medication. Thanks

Sarah

[solo99]

I don't know either area for hospitals, but I'm sure if you ask Newcastle Rheumatology to refer your daughter to another hospital that wouldn't be a problem. They may be in they best position to say which hospital she should be moved to and why.

I do hope it's a smooth transition for her and that all goes well with her last year.

[Ford7610 in reply to solo99]

Thanks for replying. She has asked Newcastle how to transfer and they told her to find the hospital/ consultant herself and then they will refer her. How do you know which are the ones for her? It’s a hard decision to take when you know nothing about them. Sarah x

[solo99 in reply to Ford7610]

Look for Lupus Centres of Excellence, she can't go far wrong with any of them.

[baba]

"Kellgren in Manchester" is a lupus center of excellence.

mft.nhs.uk/mri/services/rhe...

[Ford7610 in reply to baba]

Yes I had read that. Does anyone have any experience of it or can recommend a consultant?

[baba in reply to Ford7610]

No personal experiences sorry

[heatherevans28]

Transfers vary a lot. When I moved from Aberdeen to Glasgow it was very smooth. My consultant wrote to the new consultant directly and I had an appointment within a month or two of arriving. Unfortunately I have friends whose transfers have taken a long time recently and they've had to travel back and forth to see their old consultants for a while.

I'd recommend referring to a named doctor, and her consultant should write an up to date letter with current medications, investigations etc. This really helps them provide good follow up. Unfortunately with waiting lists at the moment it still might take time.

When it comes to picking, a major hospital with all different specialisms she might need is good for future proofing. Also if there's one nearby with a lupus specialist nurse or that's a lupus centre of excellence they are best.

All the best x

[Ford7610 in reply to heatherevans28]

Thanks for the reply. That sounds good advice. I did wonder if we would end up travelling back to Newcastle for a while as it gets sorted. X

[Tykle]

I recommend The Kellgren Centre at MRI. Everyone I've seen there has been great.

[Ford7610 in reply to Tykle]

Hi, I think that’s what she would like but has contacted them today and was told there’s a 15 month waiting list. What do you do in the meantime? I think she will have to contact her doctors and ask for some advice. Thanks for answering

Sarah

[BeeManShrop]

Hi Ford

I spent my first 20-odd years in Chester. My wife is treated at the Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen, Oswestry for SLE and RA -- easy to get to from Chester and plenty of parking available.

[Ford7610 in reply to BeeManShrop]

Thanks for the reply, I hadn’t thought of there, I will have a look at it. Sarah