Referrals
Please note: we only accept referrals from medical professionals. If you are a member of the public and would like to be referred to us please make a request via your GP or consultant. For mental health referrals, it is possible for individuals to self-refer to the Forward Thinking Birmingham mental health service. This service is for 0-25 year-olds who are registered with a Birmingham GP.
Some services such as Liver use a different referral system so please check individual department pages before making a referral.
Referrals from GPs (secondary-level referrals)
Choose and Book: To make a referral GPs can use the national electronic referral service, Choose and Book, which gives patients a choice of place, date and time for their first outpatient appointment in a hospital or clinic.
Make a referral using Choose and Book
Advice and Guidance: GPs can also request a clinical opinion using the Choose & Book Advice & Guidance portal. This has the great advantage that the patient does not need to travel to hospital. Clinical photographs can easily be uploaded and attached to the referral. Download information about the Choose and Book Advice & Guidance service.
We also have assessment tools and guidelines which you can follow for the most common referral pathways.
Please note: we no longer accept GP referrals by letter.
Referrals from other hospitals (tertiary-level referrals)
Referral by letter: Consultant referrals currently have to be made via the traditional referral letter to the relevant department. Referrals from other hospitals must include a completed Inter-provider minimum data set form.
Future NHS plans include an e-referral route similar to choose and book for any professional-to-professional referral, see http://systems.hscic.gov.uk/ers
Telemedicine: Many of our consultants are world-renowned authorities in their specialities and will offer telephone or email advice to fellow professionals in the UK and overseas. Please contact the relevant department for more information.
Private patients
Non-NHS patients can be seen as outpatients, or admitted to hospital, if they are covered by health insurance, government/agency sponsoring or self-funding. A referral letter from a consultant is required. For contact information see Private Patients.