RMS Changes Since March 2020

 

Referral Management Service changes since March 2020

The RMS has received questions about the service since the COVID pandemic began and this briefing aims to answer some of these questions.

 

Is the RMS closed?

No.  The service remains open and we are processing referrals as you submit them.

The RMS main telephone number is now open for calls between 9am – 12pm Monday – Friday.  Team members can also be contacted by email at KCCG.health@nhs.net. 

 

What is a RAS and has this replaced the RMS?

The term RAS (Referral Assessment Service) relates to a function on the e-Referral Service (e-RS) and not a department such as the RMS.

The RMS is still operating and processing referrals.

RCHT have replaced their previous directly bookable services on e-RS with RAS’s for all specialties. 

RAS’s are not being used by smaller providers, UHP or NDDH.

 

What is the purpose of a RAS?

RAS’s allow RCHT and other providers to clinically triage all referrals prior to any traditional outpatient appointment being booked. It allows the provider to triage the patient to the most appropriate form of management which could include advice and guidance or telephone/video consultation. RCHT had planned to move to the RAS approach this financial year but as a response to COVID, this was expedited.

 

Should we still be submitting referrals on e-RS to the RMS?

Yes, there is no change to how practices should refer to the RMS compared to pre-COVID.

 

Are the GP sifters still triaging referrals?

No. Virtually all referrals are being triaged by a provider. 

As highlighted above, RCHT are triaging all referrals that they receive through the RAS approach.  UHP, NDDH and the MSK Interface service also triage referrals that they receive.

 

Why are some referrals being rejected by email and not on e-RS?

If the RMS returns a referral back to you, it will be on e-RS.

If the referral has been processed by the RMS but is then rejected by a provider, the RMS cannot return the referral on e-RS so we will pass the provider comments back to you by email.

 

Can we still obtain referral data for the practice from the RMS?

Yes.  The RMS is still collecting the same referral data and can provide this to your practice on request.