Menu

Protocol for referrals into Ophthalmology

There have been recent changes in how to refer into UHL Ophthalmology – please see the attached  TRIAGE TOOL   to help ascertain the level of urgency required for the referral.

URGENT REFERRALS

All eye emergencies and urgent referrals are managed by the eye casualty team  (this is all referrals to be seen within 2 weeks according to the above Triage Tool).

Please email ophthalmleyecasualty@uhl-tr.nhs.uk for any emergency or urgent referrals that need to be seen in rapid access clinics.

Please be assured that a clinical triager will be able to prioritise the urgency of the referral, as we know that some suspect pathologies need to be seen sooner than others.

Eye Casualty Referral form

ROUTINE REFERRALS

Cinapsis is the preferred referral platform for all ROUTINE cases.

To onboard your practice to Cinapsis, please see the attached guidance.

Please ensure you include the patient’s NHS number with each referral.  Adding the patient’s official first name, surname and DoB will allow you to find the patient’s NHS number on NHS Spine which is available on the Cinapsis platform.

E-referral routes

If your practice is not on-boarded with Cinapsis, please use the email routes below:

Direct Referral form

When sending referrals via email, please ensure they are either in Word or PDF format. We will not be able to accept referrals in other formats.  Please include the following:

  • Correct patient details: name, address, DOB and phone number
  • A clear reason for referral and relevant clinical findings
  • Best Corrected Visual Acuity and up-to-date refraction result
  • Ensure the referral is legible when scanned from a printed sheet
  • Name and practice address of the referring optometrist.

Optometrists can use their own business email address if it is encrypted and is suitable for sharing patient identifiable and sensitive information.  An NHS.net email account meets all of the relevant standards and is therefore the preferred method of sending referrals.

All of the above inboxes are monitored during weekday opening hours by staff and appointments are arranged depending on the level of urgency and availability.

Please note: we may change the urgency of the referral once it is assessed by our clinician. 

NB. please state in your referral letter if a patient you are referring to UHL Ophthalmology dept has a language barrier and will need an interpreter.
The necessary examinations and interventions cannot be carried out if there is difficulty with communication. We have to request interpreters in advance of patients attending, as they are not available on the day at short notice.

Advice and Guidance

Please use the  “Advice & Guidance” tab on Cinapsis if you want a clinical opinion on a case and wish to know which pathway might be appropriate.  Clinical Triage will take place every working day (Monday to Friday).

Contact

If you want to discuss an emergency or urgent referral, please contact the eye casualty reception on 0116 258 6273.

County Hospitals

County hospitals are part of the Alliance and not UHL NHS Trust. They do not have an emergency eye service, so please follow the UHL protocols for emergency eye care.

The Alliance Community Hospitals have ophthalmology clinics which you can refer into as it will mean patients can be seen closer to home. The attached table gives email address to refer and also services covered in these community clinics:

Alliance Ophthalmology Referrals

Where is the Eye Casualty Department in UHL ?

The Eye Casualty department is based in the Windsor Eye Clinic, Windsor Building, Level 1 at the Leicester Royal Infirmary.

Eye Casualty Opening Hours:

Monday to Friday – 08:30 to 16:30

Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holidays – 8:30 to 12:30

Outside these times emergency patients can attend the main Accident and Emergency Department and will be referred to the on-call eye team if necessary.