GP Referrals

GP referral letters

To facilitate effective triage, it is helpful if GPs include the following information in referral letters:

  • Sub-specialty that patient is being referred to
  • Referrer details
  • GP name
  • Practice name
  • Address
  • Telephone number
  • Date of referral
  • Patient details
  •  Name
  •  Sex
  • Date of birth
  • NHS/RXK number
  •  Address
  •  Telephone number (daytime or mobile if possible)
  • Medical history
  • Current medication
  • Significant history, including previous consultations for the same condition, name of consultant seen previously
  • Active problems
  • Clinical information
  • Referral priority (urgent/routine)
  •  Reason for referral
  •  Preliminary investigations and results, as well as management appropriate to reason for referral
  • Information regarding special/social circumstances (Does patient have hearing, mental health difficulties or mobility impairment? Is an interpreter needed?)