Referrals

The Respiratory Practitioner team provides an integrated care pathway for adult patients with a diagnosis of COPD, delivering advanced clinical management to all COPD patients registered with a GP in west Kent.

Patients are reviewed predominantly at home, with the aim of supporting them to manage their condition and avoid hospital admission where possible. Patients are also educated on the correct use of inhaler devices, breathing techniques and the importance of physical activity.

The team also has access to multidisciplinary meetings and to rapid access (‘HOT’) clinics.

Referrals are welcome from primary care, secondary care and other community services. Patients who have previously used the service can also self-refer.

The Respiratory Practitioner team provides the following support in the community:

• Review of patients with a rapid deterioration of symptoms
• Review and management of patients having frequent exacerbations or recent admission to hospital
• Assistance with inhaler management
• Management of atypical COPD symptoms

As part of the integrated pathway, the team also receives referrals to pulmonary rehabilitation and the home oxygen assessment and review service.

For further referral information and advice, email  mtw-tr.ICP-RESP@nhs.net

Referral forms

• West Kent Pulmonary Rehabilitation referral [docx] 40KB
• COPD integrated care pathway referral form [doc] 80KB

In an effort to streamline the large number of referrals for migraine or primary headache disorder we have worked with the Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board (ICB) to create resources to support GP colleagues managing headaches in the community.

Resources include a guideline for Management of Adults with Headaches and Migraines in Primary Care, developed by pharmacists, GP and neurologists which offers current, evidence-based guidance for management of all common headache disorders.

A chronic migraine referral form [docx] 86KB is a mandatory part of headache referral to our neurology services. The form can also be found on the DORIS GP system.

As we are a tertiary centre, there is no need to refer patients to London-based hospitals in the first instance. They can be referred directly to us at the earliest opportunity, using the normal referral procedure.

Urgent referral routes are available for conditions such as DDH, clubfoot, slipped epiphyses, etc.

Please contact the Trauma and Orthopaedics Clinical Admin Unit on 01622 228221 (adults) or 01622 228225 (paediatrics) for more information.

The consultants are also happy to discuss problems by email. Please note, Mr Katchburian also takes adult hand referrals.