GP referral management
The Care Gateway Team manage GP referrals for patients registered with a GP in Manchester.
Why a referral has been made?
Your GP will discuss with you and, if appropriate your carer about why a referral is being recommended for you. It is usually because your GP wants a specialist’s opinion / help in deciding on the best way to treat your condition. This might involve referring you for tests or investigations that cannot be carried out at you GP practice.
What happens next?
If your GP decides that you need referring, a letter will be completed and sent to The Care Gateway to process on your behalf. Your referral will be reviewed and if appropriate will go for further clinical assessment for the condition you are being referred for or straight to the booking stage.
Further clinical assessment – triage
A clinical assessment is a detailed review of your referral letter carried out by a specialist clinician. This determines which type of service is most appropriate for you based on the information your GP has included in your referral letter.
The outcome of this process may be:
- The reviewing clinician recommends a course of treatment that your GP may not have tried and they recommend this to your GP.
- You are offered treatment by a clinician at a local community-based service with more specialist knowledge.
- You are offered treatment at a hospital by a clinician with more specialist knowledge.
When your referral reaches the booking stage, you will receive a letter or text asking you to call in to discuss the options available to you.
Patient transport services
The Care Gateway arranges transport via the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) for patients whose medical condition means they cannot get to their appointment any other way.
The service provides a range of vehicle types and levels of care appropriate for the patient’s medical need to ensure patients travel as safely and as comfortably as possible to their appointment.
The areas The Care Gateway books for in Greater Manchester are:
- Central, North and South Manchester
- Salford
- Stockport
Types of bookings made by The Care Gateway:
- First out-patient appointment for all area’s
- Follow-up appointments for Stockport NHS Foundation Trust
Booking blood tests
On behalf of South Manchester GPs, The Care Gateway books blood tests at the following clinics:
- Wythenshawe Forum
- Wythenshawe Hospital
- Withington Community Hospital
