By Lilian Anekwe
The latest figures from the Department of Health show that despite PCTs' efforts, GP referrals continued to rise in the second quarter of this financial year.
DH figures published today show the number of GP referrals has increased by 176,000, or 6.2%, to 3.0 million, compared to the equivalent quarter of 2009-10.
The number of other referrals made has increased by 178,000, or 11.3%, to 1.7 million, compared to the equivalent quarter of 2009-10.
It follows similar rises announced in August, when the number of GP referrals made from April to June this year increased by 169,000, or 6%.
Prior to then PCTs had appeared to have been successful in clamping down on GPs, and had slowed the rate of the rise in referrals to just 2.6% in the first quarter of 2009/10 compared with the same period 12 months earlier.
GP referrals rose by 6.2% in Q2 of this year compared with last year
