Because We All Care - Are you or your loved one waiting to get a GP referral? Share your views

News - 4 October 2022

Have you or your loved one been left frustrated after struggling to get a GP referral for tests or treatment? You’re not alone. You can tell us your views in this phase of the campaign until Monday 10th October.

One concern we’ve been hearing from the public is how hard it can be to get a GP practice referral to another NHS service. GPs are the first point of call for many health issues and the gateway to specialist support. But with many GP surgeries stretched thin and under pressure, it’s not surprising to hear people feel they’re stuck and unable to get the right support.

Few examples of services your GP can refer you to:

· Mental health support

· Joint replacement surgery for knees, hips and support with arthritis

· Eye surgery

· Non-urgent heart problems

· Diagnostic conditions, such as hearing, skin issues, allergies, other symptoms you have had a while that could be a long-term condition like asthma, diabetes etc.

The impact of delayed referrals

GP referrals affect people of every age group, every background, and every region across the country. Some of the things we’ve already heard include:

· People feel like their symptoms are dismissed

· They have to try multiple times before they’re successful

· They are left in the dark about how serious their condition is.

We want to hear from you

There’s currently little data about people’s experiences getting a referral from a GP. We want to change this.

As the independent champion of health and social care services in Darlington we want to hear your experiences of trying to get specialist NHS support, like physiotherapy, talking therapies, hospital scans and consultations.

By sharing your story, we can use your feedback to help the NHS better understand your challenges and improve how people access the care they need.

So, if you’ve got something to say about GP referrals, don’t just talk to your friends and family – tell us too.

Complete our survey: www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/GPreferralssurvey

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