Referral Procedures and Protocols
in Stockport
See the bottom of the page for information on referrals outside Stockport
Referrals for Wet AMD
The referral criteria for the Wet AMD service are a less than 3 month history of any of the following:
- Visual loss.
- Spontaneously reported distortion.
- Onset of a missing patch/blurring in the central vision.
The vision should be better than 6/96 in the affected eye.
If your patient meets the criteria for potential wet AMD treatment, then you should fax the referral to the referral co-ordinator on 0161 426 5601 using the referral form.
If you wish to check safe receipt of the fax, then you may phone 0161 249 4221. It is important to note that this service is only for patients registered with a Stockport GP.
The Word file below can be filled electronically or printed. To edit the form choose 'Tools' then 'Unprotect', and use TAB to move between fields. The PDF can be printed only.
The wet AMD service has been contracted out in Stockport and is now provided initially from the Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle. Anti-VEGf treatment is available and the first eye will be treated. The patient has a free choice of Avastin or Lucentis for their treatment. Avastin will be provided from the Alexandra, whilst patients preferring Lucentis will be referred on to MREH. If you suspect wet AMD then, to minimise delay, please ensure that you refer to this service via the fax and not to the acute referrals service at Stockport Hill. There is a patient information leaflet available here:
Information Letter for anti VEGF patients May 2011.doc
Urgent Referrals - Ocular Emergency Hotline
If you feel a patient requires to be seen urgently you can phone the Stepping Hill Ophthalmic Urgency Service on 0161 419 5689 and speak to one of the nurse practitioners. They will issue an appointment time. You should give a referral letter to the patient to take with them.
Cataract Referrals
Any patient with cataract felt to require surgery should be booked a further appointment for dilated fundoscopy and discussion of the risks and benefits. If they wish to proceed with surgery they should be referred using the White Direct Cataract Referral form along with a completed health questionnaire. The completed forms should be faxed to the chosen treatment centre (do not send to the referral centre anymore). Current choices are:
Stepping Hill Hospital
Tel: 0161 419 4010
Fax: 419 4998
Macclesfield General Hospital
Tel: 01625 663 333
Fax: 01625 661 314
Withington hospital
Withington Hospital Fax: 0161 217 3052 (phone 217 3008 to confirm receipt)
Withington Hospital Cataract Centre Tel: 0161 217 3299
The Regency Hospital Macclesfield (Independent Provider)
Tel: 01625 501150
Fax: 01625 505433
Further information on the referral process can be found here:
Cataract referrals Sept 11.pdf
Any cataract referrals sent by non-accredited optometrists or without assessment forms will be asked to attend an optometrist for assessment. Accreditation documents are available on the Documents page.
The blue payment forms should be sent along with your GOS forms to LaSCA, either direct or via the PCT post room on Floor 8. DO NOT send the patient referral forms together with the claim forms.
There is a general information leaflet on cataract for all patients, referred or not:
Cataract Gen Info A5.pdf
Cataract Gen Info A4.pdf
The information to be given with the Health Questionnaire to assist the patient in making a decision is:
Should I have cataract surgery (Assessment) A5.pdf
Should I have cataract surgery (Assessment) A4.pdf
The information to be given to those patients being referred is::
Cataract Referral (Choice) A5.pdf
Cataract Referral (Choice) A4.pdf
If a patient returns because they have not heard about their referral, contact the appropriate treatment centre and be prepared to send a copy of all paperwork if it has been lost.
Waiting times as at Feb 2012
Stepping Hill Hospital - exceeds 18 weeks
Macclesfield Hospital - 3-4 months
Withington Hospital - 3-4 months
Regency Hospital - not specified bu guaranteed not to exceed 18 weeks
Suspect Ocular Hypertension
In cases of raised IOP in the absence of any other signs of glaucoma the pressures should be repeated on one or two occasions using Goldmann or Perkins tonometry. The results are reported via the www.servicepact.co.uk website for which all Stockport practices have a login. Practices can add new practitioners themselves but anyone new to the area who would like a refresher in contact tonometry should contact admin@stockportloc.co.uk. There is distance learning from LOCSU available on CD covering glaucoma, visual fields, discs, SLBIO etc. This is free and attracts 8 CET points. For details contact admin@stockportloc.co.uk.
There is patient information available:
Repeating Pressure Measurements.pdf
Safeguarding Children
NICE link for child maltreatment quick reference guide is:
www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/pdf/CG89QuickRefGuide.pdf
Stockport Local Authority lead for safeguarding adults Andy Armstrong 0161 427 7011
Designated PCT nurse for safeguarding children 0161 419 2020. Other contacts are in the following document:
Safeguarding Children Contacts.pdf
The Primary Care Trust has a website dedicated to protecting children:
www.safeguardingchildreninstockport.org.uk
A Level 1 training package is available from DOCET free of charge for all practitioners with GOC registration:
www.docet.info/cms/elearning/safe-children.cfm
Low Vision
The Low Vision Leaflet (LVL) for putting visually impaired people in touch with social services can be downloaded here. Note that the address for Disability Services has been updated (November 2010).
Referrals for patients registered with GPs outside the area
LOC websites will often contain details of local referral routes and contacts. The following links will take you to wesites for:
Heywood, Middleton, Rochdale & Bury
or the LOCSU host site for LOCs at www.loc-net.org.uk lists many more.