Cardiology e-mail service
Introduction
This is an e-mail advice service to enable GPs to obtain Cardiology Consultant advice rapidly.
Inclusions
- Non-emergency queries.
- Patients with cardiology conditions or potential cardiology conditions being managed by the GP.
- For queries on community/direct access investigations eg. ECG, holter monitors, echo reports
Exclusions
- Routine advice for patients already under the care of a named cardiologist (advice correspondence in writing to named consultant).
- Advice already published on RMS website.
- Formal referrals for investigations or outpatient appointments (use normal RMS referral system)
- Emergency queries (use telephone contact for emergencies only)
How To Refer
- Check query is not answered by advice already available on the RMS website.
- Check patients are not already under a named consultant or have been seen by a consultant in the last 6 months (if so contact named consultant rather than using the email service)
- Complete e-mail ensuring it includes key information and is in the correct format, as described below, and send to: rch-tr.CardioAdvice@nhs.net
- Cardiologist on duty will respond within 2 working days (Mon – Fri).
- If the response is a recommendation to refer to cardiology this will be the responsibility of the GP submitting a referral through RMS as normal.
- In future correspondence, when referring to the advice given, it must be made clear that the advice quoted was from the e-mail advice service.
- Correspondence for advice received by Consultants through other routes will be returned to the GP with the request to use the e-mail service. (NB fax machines are being withdrawn from RCHT)
e-mail Format
Please use the format as described below. The Subject should contain your GP code, Practice Code and a Category for the subject matter concerned selected from the list below (this list may be amended as the service progresses depending on use):
- Chest Pain
- Syncope
- Heart Failure
- Arrhythmia
- Medication
- Atrial fibrillation
- Other
E-mail format from GP Requesting advice
Subject: GP code Practice code Category
Message body
Patient, NHS number, Last Name, First Name, DoB
Detail as necessary.
GP Name
Practice Name
Contact Tel no
Practice Name
Contact Tel no