NHS referral routes

NHS Referral Routes & Information
Cotswold Surgical Partners offer a range of NHS funded and commissioned services. NHS referrals are subject to various referral guidelines and clinical policy issued by Integrated Care Boards and NHS Trusts. The information provided on this page is designed to provide an overview and we continually review and update our website to improve clarity and ensure the most up-to-date and accurate information is provided. If you are a patient or GP, and would like more information and/or guidance on referral routes, please contact us if you have any questions and our Patient Care team can guide you through the available options.

For certain NHS services that we provide, you can manage and make your initial appointment with us for a triage telephone call direct. During this call we discuss your referral, the procedure/treatment required and can book you in for your surgical procedure with dedicated time set aside to answer any questions that you have and provide you with all of the information you need.
If you have received an NHS Referral Choices letter/email asking you to arrange your appointment you have three options detailed.
- NHS App: If you are registered on the NHS app, you will receive an email containing your unique booking reference number and access code. For more information on the NHS app, please click here.
- Online: If you have received your unique booking reference number and access code, you can manage your referral by visiting the booking site here. NHS Digital have proceduced a handy step-by-step video guide which we have shared below.
- Telephone: You can contact the NHS e-Referal Service Appointments Line on: 0345 608 8888.
Once you have received your booking letter/email, you can choose where you would like to be seen. This does depend upon your referral. If your condition/lesion meets the standard for which we have been commissioned by the NHS, you can choose to have Cotswold Surgical Partners treat you. The available options to you will be explained on the NHS app, online or via the telephone service above.
NHS e-Referral service: Putting patients in control of their outpatient appointments (youtube.com)
You may also find the below patient information useful.
Patient choice: about your choice of service and using the NHS.
Cotswold Surgical Partners has been commissioned to provide a specialist surgical and medical dermatology service in a community setting to increase access to community based care. This applies to patients registered with a BSW ICB GP surgery, and that meet their referral specification. This model aims to provide care closer to home for patients and reduce preventable referrals to acute trust-based secondary care.
Further information on our services can be found here:
Medical dermatology – info
Skin Plastic Surgery – Info
Following a GP appointment patients should be consulted on their referral options including location, and indicative wait times for any first outpatient appointment and/or surgery. For patients who meet referral criteria and ask to be seen by Cotswold Surgical Partners Referrals this can be noted on the referral and sent via the GP to the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB Referral Service.
The Referral Service triage your referral and send it to the most appropriate care provider depending upon the clinical triage outcome and any location preferences noted. For any referrals received that have no preferences noted, the Referral Service will either liaise with the patient or send it to the most appropriate provider.
Referrals are then electronically sent to us that are within our contracted scope of service under the ICB’s clinical policy. The patient will receive an automatically generated letter from the Referral Service confirming where the referral has been sent, with contact information for your service provider.
Once Cotswold Surgical Partners receives a referral, it is triaged by our lead clinican and our Patient Care Team then make first contact to discuss the referral received, what is required and co-ordinate the appointment / procedure / surgery as indicated.
If you would specifically like to be referred to us, ask your GP to note this on the e-referral. This will ensure that the Referral Service pass your details to us as long as clinically appropriate. Further information on the Referral Service can be found here.
If you are a GP and would like further information on how to refer to us, please contact us here.
Appointments:
To request your NHS appointment to be with us, please see the first section. If you need any help with the process, you can contact the BSW ICB NHS Referral Service by calling 0333 332 0051. Their telephone line is open Monday to Friday 09.30 to 16.00hrs, excluding bank holidays.
Alternatively, you can email the team at bswicb.referralservice@nhs.net where they will aim to respond within 5 working days.
You can also seek advice on their helpful web page here.
There are two ways in which we can receive referrals from patients with a Gloucestershire ICB registered GP.
Direct referrals from GP / patient choice
The GP can make a direct referral to us via the National Secondary Care e-Referral Service as long as the condition meets the ICB’s clinical policy. A patient can also choose to send a referral direct to us, as long as the clinical policy is met. The below services are available to refer to on the e-Referral Service menu. These service ID’s will provide full clinical detail, inclusions, exclusions and referral requirements.
Service ID: 7986372 – Plastics / Surgical Dermatology – BCCs & Skin lesions – See & Treat @ Cotswold Surgical Partners
Service ID: 7986371 – Surgical Dermatology / Plastics – BCCs & Skin Lesions – See & Treat @ Cotswold Surgical Partners
If you are a GP and would like further information on how to refer to us, please contact us here.
Referrals from Gloucester Royal & Cheltenham Hospitals – Wait List Initative
Cotswold Surgical Partners is delighted to work alongside Gloucester Royal Hospital as an initiative to support their wait list. If you are currently on a wait list for a Dermatology Outpatient Procedure or Skin Surgery (also known as a Day Case procedure), you can ask the referral management team to consider expiditing your care to our service.
Cotswold Surgical Partners is a Consultant-led service, and as such, any patient that meets their local ICB referral policy can ask to be referred via their GP to us electronically from anywhere in England under ‘Choice’.
The below services are available to refer to on the eRS menu.
Service ID: 7986372 | Plastics / Surgical Dermatology – BCCs & Skin lesions – See & Treat @ Cotswold Surgical Partners |
Service ID: 7986371 | Surgical Dermatology / Plastics – BCCs & Skin Lesions – See & Treat @ Cotswold Surgical Partners |
Cotswold Surgical Partners works in partnership with the Plastic Surgery team at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, as part of a waiting list initiative. Applicable patients may be contacted and offered referral for treatment at Cotswold Surgical Partners to reduce their waiting time.
If you would like to know if your care can be referred to us, contact the Great Western Hospital booking team direct and explain your circumstances. Their contact details will be on the original referral documentation or on your last clinic letter.
Cotswold Surgical Partners are asked to complete the surgery only. All aftercare and follow-up clinical care will be discharged back to the referring hospital.
Cotswold Surgical Partners works in partnership with the Plastic Surgery team at North Bristol NHS Trust, as part of a waiting list initiative. Patients who meet clinical criteria and require surgery will be offered the choice of location for their surgery at their initial face to face consultation in Bristol. For patients that elect to be referred to Cotswold Surgical Partners for their treatment / procedure, we will work in close partnership with North Bristol NHS Trust to continue your care jointly.
If you would like to know if your care can be referred to us, contact the North Bristol NHS Trust booking team direct and explain your circumstances. Their contact details will be on the original referral documentation or on your last clinic letter.
Cotswold Surgical Partners are asked to complete the surgery only. All aftercare and follow-up clinical care will be discharged back to the referring hospital.
Contact
Got any questions about NHS referrals? Get in touch with us today.