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A RIGHT TO REFER: OUR CAMPAIGN
What we have found
An increasing proportion of GP referrals are being screened by referral management centres, with some areas seeing a raft of complaints from patients and serious untoward incidents. Other GPs are facing a ban on locum referrals, or being limited to as few as four referrals a week.
What we are campaigning for
1. Every referral management centre must be put to a ballot of GP practices at the clinical commissioning group, and should only continue if it has a mandate to do so.
2. The Department of Health or NHS Commissioning Board should make funding available for GP peer review of referrals, as a cost-effective, evidence-based alternative to referral management centres.
3. The secretary of state must provide a written guarantee that GPs have the ultimate right to refer a patient whenever they believe it is unequivocally in that patient¹s best interests.
4. The DH must launch an investigation into the serious incidents and patient complaints that have arisen at some referral management centres.
How you can join our campaign
1. Submit examples of how your referrals have been blocked, to be featured in Pulse, using the form below or emailing: feedback@pulsetoday.co.uk.
2. Tell us if you want us to highlight your cases to your local press to pile on the pressure for local change.
3. Sign our online petition to the DH backing our campaign.
