GP referral to consultant

[hector12]

Hi I am from Scotland does anyone know if my GP can refer me to an english consultant I desperately need to see a good parathyroid consultant and have seen info on a english endo Mr Andrew Mclaren I don't know if this is possible does anyone have any knowledge of this being possible Thanks G

[yorkshiregirl44]

I would think that all the uk is the same reagarding referrals under the patients charter for choice.

[bantam12]

Have sent you a pm Hector.

[yorkshiregirl44 in reply to bantam12]

Hi Hector, not recieved it dont know if theres a techinal problem.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK in reply to yorkshiregirl44]

hypohen has sent hector12 a PM - so you wouldn't see it!

[yorkshiregirl44 in reply to helvella]

Thanks..i should have read it properly i thoght it was from Hector.

[hector12]

never got pm hypohen

[hector12]

has anyone had any experience or knowledge of good parathyroid surgeon

[bantam12 in reply to hector12]

Yes I saw a really nice pth surgeon this week, he is in Bristol.

[rosieno1]

From my experience as a gp office manager, you can only be referred 'out of area' if there is no specialist available locally. For example, within lanarkshire as is my area, you can't refer to Glasgow area. This is NHS referrals I am talking about. Private referrals are of course different!

[bantam12 in reply to rosieno1]

It may different in Scotland but in England we can be referred out of area. People on the pth forum travel all over the country for surgery.

[susymac]

I got told NO, when I lived up there and asked the same thing. Was told NHS Scotlad is independent from NHS England and that referrals were only possible if a consultant deemed it necessary in order to get specific specialised treatment that they could not offer.

I disagree with Rosieno s post as I did always get referred out of area even though specialists were available under my health authority, simple because I preferred to go to glasgow, maybe Lanarkshire has different guidelines that the healthboard I was under ( Argyll & Clyde)

[Hidden in reply to susymac]

Glasgow and Argyll & Clyde are now the one authority, Greater Glasgow and Clyde, so maybe always worked closer together?

[helen0701]

I think you will find that even if you can be referred to an English hospital you definately cant choose which consultant you see xx

[HarryE in reply to helen0701]

You can ask, especially if you have done research and found one you feel is a specialist in your issue. But I don't think you can insist

[bantam12 in reply to helen0701]

You definately can choose which Consultant you see. I am seeing the Consultant Surgeon i chose and my husband has recently been referred to the Endo of his choice and he made sure when he booked the appt that it was with the Consultant and not one of her team. We both go to hospitals out of our local area and it was our choice, no hassle whatsoever from the GP about referring us.