RCHT Hepatology Advice and Guidance

From 1^st April 2020 Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust will be offering an advice and guidance service on e-Referrals for general Hepatology queries.

 

GPs will be able to request consultant advice on Hepatology queries for potential referrals into secondary care for the following conditions –

• New onset ascites

• Abnormal liver blood tests (not covered by RMS guidelines)

• Virology results for Hepatitis B & C ( not under hepatology follow up)

• Isolated  raised serum alkaline phosphatase

• Persistent hyperferritinemia

• Positive liver autoantibodies

• Abnormal radiology reports (benign disease)

The service is to offer advice on management and treatment options for GPs to consider prior to referral with the aim of reducing the number of patients who need to be seen face to face (as set out in the GP Forward view). 

Clinical responsibility remains with the GP until the patient is seen within secondary care.

 

Exclusions to this service include:

• Routine advice for patients already under the care of a named consultant

• New onset Jaundice – refer to jaundice hotline

• 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)

 

If the patient is already under a hepatology consultant, please include the details of which consultant in the request, in order that discussions can be had with the relevant consultant as required.

 

27^th March 2020