Hospital Referrals

[lefkes]

I have an appointment to see my cardiologist at the general hospital in September and discovered that my three month referral expired in June . I have rung my local doctor,s surgery and was informed that as I am in the system I do not need to bother with a new referral. Does anybody know if this is in fact correct ??.
Thanks in advance for any replies.
Lefkes.

[Lincoln]

You will defo need a NEW referral. Go and see your GP and insist

[trevnhil]

I too believe you need a New 'in date' referral..

[memory man]

I also had an appointment already booked with the chest clinic @ General Hospital,
and my referral had also expired. I went into my local docs. surgery to get a new
referral and was told that I didn't need a new referral as I had an appointment booked.
At the hospital desk I just showed my appointment card and paid my eu6.
This was last week.

[PolemIan]

I had to renew a consultant referral recently to attend an appointment that was delayed due to Covid as the revised date was beyond the expiry date printed on the original referral. My GP issued a new one ok.

[trevnhil]

At least with the G P we are with, you do not have to attend the surgery.. You just phone up and tell them that you need a referral ...... or a blood test..... or a repeat prescription ... It will be entered onto the system by the end of the day

[mike strand2]

According to my PD yesterday, if a consultant will want to keep seeing you because of a long term illness/condition, the consultant should request from your PD for you to have a 12 month referral.

[darrow]

MOH has regular visits to the cardiologist and they are arranged by him before we leave, never asked for a referral.

[daveg]

Mikestrand2 that is correct, my wife has a 12 month referral to see a Neurologist.....

[JB1]

I thought I had a 12 month referral letter too as date expired February 2021 and there was a number 12 in one of the boxes. Apparently the number 12 is number of visits, they expect you to need one a month. Due to complications I had exceeded that in 6 months and was forced to pay €25 to see surgeon instead of usual €6. On last 2 visits I was told I had reached limit of my contributions so future visits would be free and I wasn't charged anything. I'm not sure how it works but on the whole have no complaints about the system. Joyce