Most specialists, including private services, will require a letter of referral from a GP. That is because GP practices hold patient records with all of your medical history. There are some services you self-refer to, including sexual health clinics and some mental health services. You can read more about self-referral services here.

This will depend on the service and hospital. You may need to book your appointment online or over the phone, or the hospital may contact you with a date for you to confirm. In some cases, we can book an appointment for you. You can read more about booking a referred specialist appointment here.

In most cases, you will need a GP to refer you to a specialist. You can ask a GP to refer you, but they will only do so if clinically appropriate. The Doctor will discuss the reasons for referring you and send you a copy of the letter sent to the specialist. You can read … Continued

A referral is when your GP wants the help of a medical specialist to decide how best to treat you. You can read more about referrals.