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  (NB fax machines are being withdrawn from RCHT)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

 

 

Date reviewed                     01/04/2019

Next review due                  01/04/2020

Sifter name                          Elizabeth Fell

Contributors                        Dr Louise Melley – Assistant Specialist Cardiology RCHT

 

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