How Do You Cancel A NHS Referral?

[Psamathe]

I'm in a completely mad Catch 22 situation. Late last year a Private ENT consultant wrote to my GP asking I be referred to NHS Neurology. I have already been seen (and "no follow-up") by neurology (twice). Since the referral (6 months ago) things have improved (same symptoms but not as bad).

I don't believe I need the referral and feel guilty I'm taking a place in a long waiting list holding out people who really do need to see a neurologist. I also cannot get travel insurance as the medical screening (necessary because of Consultant referrals within last 12 months) then asks if still under consultant and condition diagnosed (or dismissed) and without having even seen the consultant they can't even exclude any conditions so no cover (I've been maybe a bit naughty and called for screening under a false name). If I unilaterally cancel the appointment I'm blocked from travel insurance for 12 months (due to the fact that the referral has been made and my judgement is inferior to medical judgement).

I've asked the Private NET consultant to cancel the request and he says it's for my GP to do. I've asked my GP who says they can't because they are just "admining" the referral. I've asked NHS neurology to do something like a 2min phone call "Symptoms same but better" Ans: yes - "we don't need to see you" but all they can do is tell me to wait in the queue and go for an appointment. None of those medics in the above believe I need to see a neurologist.

It all seems complete madness, particularly with such long wating lists and so many on those lists in desperate need (and me not being one in the same need).

So how does one get out of a NS referral? (Without just me cancelling it and blocking travel insurance for 12 months)

Ian

[simonineaston]

Jonathan will know!

[Jdsk]

You write to the consultant saying that you don't wish to be seen, if possible including the reasons. And you copy that to your GP. Preferably both by email.

You can then consider that NHS referral as closed.

The effects on eligibility for travel insurance are a different matter. That's a commercial agreement that is nothing to do with the NHS. If you post the exact conditions that they are applying we might be able to find a form of words that satisfies them.

Jonathan

Edited: Crossed post!

[Psamathe]

You write to the consultant saying that you don't wish to be seen, preferably with the reasons why. And you copy that to your GP. Preferably both by email.

You can then consider that NHS referral as closed.

The effects on eligibility for travel insurance are a different matter. That's a commercial agreement that is nothing to do with the NHS. If you post the exact conditions that they are applying we might be able to find a form of words that satisfies them.

Jonathan

Edited: Crossed post!

Travel insurance is not imposing conditions but saying "no cover". The question that forces the medical screening is "Have you been referred to a consultant within the last 12 months" (which I have to say yes to as I am also under ENT for a related issue but one that will not be a problem for travel insurance). With the neurology referral, insurers said they cannot just exclude conditions as there I have don't have an identified condition to be excluded (as I've not yet seen the consultant I've been referred to). It need the consultant to say along the lines of "you have <xyz>" or "No treatment, no follow-up".

The existing ENT consultants will not say "no need for neurology" as they didn't request it. The balance specialist group cannot say "no need" as they are not the ones requesting it. The private consultant who requested it says it's for my GP to cancel.

I appreciate I can cancel it but then the "within the last 12 months" still applies. We're at 6 months since the referral and the NHS neurology still have no idea about when I'll get an appointment (they initially say "waits are long but not that long", they check and then comeback saying they have no idea when I'll be seen - I suspect because they assess me as of low clinical urgency when truth is I'm probably even lower clinical need than that i.e. 0).

Ian

[Jdsk]

When I said conditions I meant contractual rather than medical.

Jonathan

[Jdsk]

I've asked my GP who says they can't because they are just "admining" the referral.

The GP who made the referral is professionally responsible for it.

You could ask them again to cancel it. Tell them that and why you don't want to be seen.

But from what you have written I'm not sure that that will remove the problem of eligibility for the travel insurance. You'll still have been referred within the last 12 months.

Jonathan

[Psamathe]

When I said conditions I meant contractual rather than medical.

Jonathan

They are not applying contractural conditions. They are saying they cannot provide travel insurance cover. I've had to do medical screening quite a few times in the past for an irrelevant condition but I have to answer "yes" to one of the high level questions which means a phone call with loads more detailed questions and the answer is always "not an issue" and I get full standard cover, medical screening clear. With a pending referral for an undiagnosed condition they have no answer to "what do you have" and they are not interested in symptoms.

I've asked my GP who says they can't because they are just "admining" the referral.

The GP who made the referral is professionally responsible for it.

You could ask them again to cancel it. Tell them that and why you don't want to be seen.

But from what you have written I'm not sure that that will remove the problem of eligibility for the travel insurance. You'll still have been referred within the last 12 months.

Jonathan

GP said they can only write cancelling it saying "Patient requested cancellation" which is the same as me calling neurology to cancel it (from the insurance perspective).

Ian

[axel_knutt]

If you don't want the appointment, I'll have it. I might get more sense out of him than the one who discharged me saying that I can't have a brain problem if I get headaches because there are no pain sensors in the brain.

[Psamathe]

If you don't want the appointment, I'll have it. I might get more sense out of him than the one who discharged me saying that I can't have a brain problem if I get headaches because there are no pain sensors in the brain.

Part of my concern is that I'm holding others behind me in the queue out. But I don't have an appointment and they don't have any idea when I might get one (which is fair enough with long backlogs clinical need must be used to prioritise and even I say my clinical need for neurology is low->0.

Ian