Referral

GP Referrals and Pre-choice Triage

Rapid Referral Review (RRR) or Specialist Advice Guidance and Expertise (SAGE) is now going to be called Pre-choice Triage (the acronym will no doubt be PCT!).

In those specialties where this is happening your referral will be seen by a consultant within 48 hours.

Currently this is only happening in urology for the whole of Devon. There are pilots in a variety of other specialties including rheumatology, gastroenterology, gynaecology, paediatrics, dermatology and cardiology.

The plan is to roll out Pre-choice triage consistently across all localities and specialties.

Because your patient may be suitable for advice and guidance, or to go straight for a test, when making a referral please do not promise a face to face consultation with a specialist.

DRSS have produced an initial advice sheet to explain the above options for patients which you can use within your practice.

When the consultant reviews the referral letter this may result in:

  • Advice and Guidance (A and G) back to the practice
  • Sending the patient straight to a test
  • An upgrade to an urgent appointment
  • An upgrade to a 2ww appointment
  • A consultant or non consultant outpatient appointment

As a result of closer collaboration with secondary care and in line with the roll out of Pre-choice Triage many more CRGs are already in production. We will keep you updated prior to their publication.

Please see below a list of those specialties where PCT is currently live, please note this will be updated as new specialties go live:

Specialty Northern Eastern
Cardiology

No

No
Orthopaedics Yes No
Dermatology No Yes
Ear, Nose & Throat Yes Yes
Gynaecology No Yes
GI & Liver Yes No
Urology Yes

No

Diabetic Medicine

No

Yes
Endocrinology

No

Yes
Haematology Yes Yes
Health Promotion, Weight Management No Yes
Rheumatology Yes Yes
Neurology No Yes
Nephrology No Yes
Respiratory Medicine Yes No
Pain Management Yes Yes
Paediatrics Yes Yes
Vascular Yes No

Updated: 03 January 2018
Published: 30 November 2016