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Referring Patients to Specialist Care
How We Refer Patients to Specialist Care
At Hulme Hall Medical Group, we are committed to ensuring you receive the right care, in the right place, at the right time.
As part of this, we use a system called Advice & Guidance (A&G) to help us make the best decisions about your care.
What is Advice & Guidance?
Advice & Guidance allows your GP or clinician to seek expert advice from a hospital specialist before deciding whether a referral is needed.
This means we can often:
- Get specialist input more quickly
- Start treatment sooner
- Avoid unnecessary hospital visits
Our Approach
Before making a referral to a hospital specialist, we follow a simple approach:
Advice → Alternatives → Referral (if needed)
We will:
- Consider whether your condition can be managed with specialist advice
- Explore alternative options where appropriate
- Refer you to secondary care if it is necessary
We also make use of tools such as Consult Connect to access timely specialist support.
When We Use This Approach
We commonly use Advice & Guidance for conditions relating to:
- Cardiology (heart)
- Gastroenterology (digestive system)
- Respiratory (lungs)
- Dermatology (skin)
- Gynaecology
- Urology
- ENT (ear, nose, and throat)
- Trauma & Orthopaedics (bones and joints)
- Paediatrics (children’s health)
- Neurology (nervous system)
When We Will Refer Immediately
There are situations where we will always refer straight to hospital services, including:
- Suspected cancer (urgent “2-week wait” referrals)
- Emergency or urgent conditions
- When a referral is clearly the best and safest option
Safety Comes First
Your safety is our top priority.
We will never delay your care if a referral is needed, and our clinicians always use their professional judgement to decide the best course of action.
Working Together for Better Care
This approach allows our clinical and administrative teams to work together effectively to:
- Improve patient care
- Reduce unnecessary referrals
- Ensure we meet NHS guidelines
What This Means for You
By using Advice & Guidance:
- You may receive quicker advice and treatment
- You might not need to attend hospital unnecessarily
- If a referral is needed, it will still be arranged
If you have any questions about your care or referral, please speak to a member of our team.
