Aneurin Bevan University Health Board PATIENT INFORMATION - Referral to Hospital Services

This information applies to people living in England who are registered with General Practitioners in , this predominantly relates to the following Practices: Town Gate Practice – Chepstow and Vauxhall Practice – Chepstow & Practice – St. Briavels & Wye Dean Practice, Mount Pleasant Practice, Chepstow Chippenham Surgery, Dixton Road Surgery, Monmouth

Referral to Hospital When you attend an appointment with your GP, they may feel that you need to be referred to a hospital for diagnosis or treatment. With effect from 1st September 2013 your GP can refer you to the following hospitals for any routine treatment without any need for prior approval.

The Wye Valley NHS Trust – Hospital North NHS Trust – Frenchay & Southmead United Bristol NHS Trust NHS Trust – Royal & Cheltenham Hospital Gloucestershire Care Services – Lydney & the Dilke Hospitals The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board hospitals

The above NHS Trusts provide a comprehensive range of routine secondary care services and therefore the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board does not have agreements with other English providers. For these reasons, referrals for English residents will be directed to one of the above NHS Trusts or Aneurin Bevan University Health Board. You may ask for a referral to one of the above during a course of treatment or package of care.

What kind of treatment is not included in this Policy? There are no changes to existing health care arrangements for:

Emergency treatment e.g. Accident and Emergency GP, Dental, Pharmacy or Optician’s services normally referred to as Primary Care Services Services e.g. Health Visiting, District Nursing Mental Health and Learning Disabilities services Services identified as specialist which requires specialist treatment. Requests for funding exceptional treatment (treatment that is not routinely provided because it is new, developing or only provided in very specific clinical circumstances). A separate process exists for this referred to as the Individual Patient Treatment Request process. Requests for treatment in countries of the European Economic Area

What if I need treatment that is not available within these Trusts? The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board will then look to provide the treatment from another hospital within or England. In these cases, your GP or referring clinician would need to send a request to the Health Board demonstrating that that there are circumstances which, if unaddressed, are likely to have a serious impact on your continuing health and wellbeing. The Health Board will then consider the request on a case by case basis in conjunction with a senior clinician.

If approved, your referral will automatically be forwarded to the hospital where your GP has requested treatment takes place. You and your referring GP/clinician will be informed of the decision within two working days.

If the request is not approved, the referral will be sent to a service within the Aneurin Bevan University Health Board area and you and your GP/clinician will be informed of the decision. This will not affect your waiting time for treatment.

What if I disagree with the outcome of the decision? If you do not agree with the outcome of the decision you have the following options: Your referring GP/clinician can make a formal request for a review of the decision by the Health Board’s Review Panel. The Review Panel will meet within one month of the request being received and consider the evidence presented to them. Once again you and your referring GP/clinician will be informed of the decision. You may prefer to register with an English registered GP Practice but this may mean you have further to travel to your GP surgery and you will no longer be eligible for free prescriptions.

I live in Wales, not England and am registered with a Monmouthshire GP practice, how does this affect me? There is no change to the current Health Board Policy for Welsh residents, referrals should continue be made to Aneurin Bevan University Health Board services. For a referral to any of the above English providers as a Welsh resident, prior approval continues to be required and the Policy guidance applies. Your referring GP/clinician should make a request to the Health Board team.

For further information contact:  Aneurin Bevan University Health Board 01633 623994 or Headquarters at St Cadocs Hospital on 01633 436700  Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group 0300 421 1950  Herefordshire Clinical Commissioning Group 01432 260618

On request, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has access to interpreters who can speak other languages. This leaflet can be made available in other languages, large print, Braille or on audiotape