Referral Guidelines

This service is currently available to all practices in Eastbourne Hailsham and Seaford CCG.

The service will see most non-urgent Cardiology patients.

The service is for patients aged 18 and over – under 18’s must be referred to appropriate Hospital Service.

The service does not see:

• Urgent Cardiology Patients.
• Patients with undiagnosed chest pain – these should be referred urgently to the Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic.
• Patients with NT-proBNP levels of more than 2000 pg/mL – these should be referred urgently to the Rapid Access Heart failure Clinic.

All referrals MUST include an ECG and relevant Blood Tests.

To Refer a Patient

Complete a referral form here and enclose recent:

• ECG
• Relevant Blood Tests:
  • Full Blood Count
  • GP Screen
  • TFT
  • HbA1c
  • Lipids
  • NT-proBNP (only if suspected Heart Failure)

Send to:
The Community Cardiology Service
Herstmonceux Health Centre
Hailsham Road,
Herstmonceux,
East Sussex BN27

Tel 0333 332 6946

The clinicians working for The Community Cardiology Service will inform you of any necessary prescribing.

If a referral appears inappropriate, we will return it with suitable explanation. If the patient requires acute care, the referral will be sent to Eastbourne DGH to ensure no delay for the patient with feedback sent to the GP.

NB – We cannot accept referrals which are not on the referral form and do not have a recent ECG and relevant blood tests. This will delay patient triage and potentially affect waiting times for appointments.

Please let us know on the referral form of any special accessibility requirements, e.g. language spoken and if they will be able to bring own interpreter, signing requirements etc.

Following referral

GPs are sent letters clearly stating final diagnosis, management plan and onward referral where necessary within five days of completion of investigations.

All patients are sent a personalised care plan within five working days following the completion of their investigation. This will reflect the discussions between the patient and clinician during their appointment at the clinic and is written in language that is easily understood.

In appropriate cases patients are given a six-week ‘open door’ to contact us directly without having to go through their GP if specified follow up or investigation is required. Case example is a patient referred with palpitations who, when seen has no symptoms but is given a further six weeks to have a monitor fitted for an appropriate length of time if their symptoms recur.