Referrals

From Saturday 1 September 2018, all GP referrals to Moorfields Eye Hospital services will need to be made via the e-referral system. Moorfields Eye Hospital will not accept any GP referrals made outside of this system. An agreed process will be in place to ensure that there is no delay processing urgent and two week wait referrals.

NHS e-Referral Service

In line with national Department of Health priorities, Moorfield Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is committed to receiving primary care referrals via NHS e-Referral Service.

Benefits to referrers in using NHS e-Referral Service.

As well as offering a simplified and fully integrated booking service covering virtually all specialties, the NHS e-Referral Service is a key opportunity to improve the patient pathway and experience.

For referrers this includes a safe, secure and reliable system, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, which supports patients in their choice, provides referrers with an easy and reliable way of identifying appropriate services, helps to filter provider services by shortest waiting times and helps optimise the clinical appropriateness of referrals.

The NHS e-Referral Service concept of "book now-refer later" allows the referrer to fully involve the patient in the decision making process at the time of the consultation.

The correct implementation of NHS e-Referral Service allows for more efficient referral processes, such as reduced time spent chasing written referrals and tracking progress of existing referrals online.

NHS e-Referral Service, with its built in search tools, allows the correct service/clinic to be selected. The increased visibility of available services supports more appropriate care closer to home. It also informs the referrer of new services as they become available in the area or further afield.

We ask all those referring to Moorfield Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust to use NHS e-Referral Service wherever possible.

NHS e-Referral Service team at Moorfield Eye Hospital

Click here to visit the NHS e-Referral Service website for referral guidance.

Important information about referrals for GPs

When referring a patient to our services, please ensure that the referral includes a full medical history and a full drugs and allergies history. If you envisage a surgical outcome, please include information which may be useful for an anaesthetist, such as cardiac investigation reports and whether the patient is able to lie flat.

Providing this information will help enhance patient safety and reduce delays in ‘referral to treatment’ time and cancellations. It will also prevent our team from having to request further information from primary care teams later in the patient pathway. 

Referral forms

With e-RS

These forms can be filled out and attached to the e-RS system:

Important information about referrals for GPs

When referring a patient to our services, please ensure that the referral includes a full medical history and a full drugs and allergies history. If you envisage a surgical outcome, please include information which may be useful for an anaesthetist, such as cardiac investigation reports and whether the patient is able to lie flat.

Providing this information will help enhance patient safety and reduce delays in ‘referral to treatment’ time and cancellations. It will also prevent our team from having to request further information from primary care teams later in the patient pathway. 

Contact information

Main Switchboard:  020 7253 3411
Booking centre: Tel: 020 7566 2357
e-RS national helpline: 0345 6088 888

Moorfields Booking Centre
Moorfields Eye Hospital 
162 City Road
London, EC1V 2PD

Email: Meh-tr.moorfieldscityroad@nhs.net

or

Urgent Cancer Referrals (2WW)
Moorfields Eye Hospital 
162 City Road 
London, EC1V 2PD

Non-emergency patient transport - information for GPs

From 1 September 2019 patients who wish to request to book transport need to call the patient transport assessment centre where each journey booking will be assessed by applying the eligibility criteria in line with Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) guidance.

The assessment centre number for patients is 0333 240 4909 and calls are charged at a local rate. The assessment centre is open Monday to Friday from 8am to 5pm excluding bank holidays.

Bookings can be made no earlier than four weeks in advance. It is expected that whoever is making the booking, whether it is the patient, a relative, carer or healthcare professional, that person will be able to answer the questions that form the eligibility assessment accurately and in full.

Ocular oncology referrals

Ocular oncology referrals should be made to Mr Sagoo as follows:

Ocular oncology service
Moorfields Eye Hospital
City Road
London
EC1V 2PD

Emailmeh-tr.ocularoncology@nhs.net if you have any queries on how to refer a patient. All GP referrals must be made via the ERS system. 

Tel: 020 7253 3411 x 4872 secretaries

0207 566 2357 option three appointment queries only.

Retinoblastoma referrals 

Referrals for retinoblastoma should be made to Mr Sagoo and Mr Reddy, consultant ophthalmologists in retinoblastoma, as follows:

Retinoblastoma Unit
Royal London Hospital
London E1 1BB
Tel: 020 3594 1419

Referrals to the vitreo-retinal emergency (VRE) clinic

The VRE clinic at Moorfields Eye Hospital in City Road is open from 8.30am to 1pm Monday to Friday and from 7.30-11am at weekends. Outside of these hours, patients cannot be seen but may be discussed with the on call VR doctor until 5pm. To contact a VR doctor regarding patient referrals please call our main switchboard on 020 7253 3411 and ask for the VR doctor on call. 

All cases must be discussed with the VR service upon referral and must not be sent to the clinic without doing so. Please ensure that the name of the doctor who accepted the referral is written on the letter.

In order for patients' expectations to be managed appropriately, it is important that the referring clinician does not give a guaranteed date of surgery. Upon arrival, patients will be triaged in the VRE clinic and managed according to clinical priority. Following assessment, certain patients will be advised to return home and await further contact from the department with a view to date of surgery. As the unit is equipped for day cases only, patients with significant systemic comorbidities may be deemed unsuitable for emergency surgery at Moorfields. It is therefore imperative to discuss such cases upon referral.

When to refer

IMMEDIATELY
Contact the on call
ophthalmologist at your local hospital

WITHIN 24
HOURS
Make an appointment
with a local eye clinic

WITHIN ONE
WEEK
Send (by first class post) referral
letter to eye clinic

NON
EMERGENCIES
Routine referral if unable to manage
in practice

Acute glaucoma Arc eye Sudden/recent onset of diplopia Allergic conjunctivitis
Chemical burn (check PH and irrigate 1st) Corneal abrasion Sudden/recent onset of distortion of vision or suspected wet AMD Mild to moderate conjunctivitis
 Corneal laceration  Corneal foreign body Painful entropion Blepharitis
 Globe perforation  Subtarsal foreign body HZO with eye involvement  Chalazion
Intraocular foreign body  Blunt trauma  Episcleritis (if cannot manage appropriately)  Dry eyes
Hypopyon (pus in anterior chamber) Contact lens related problems  Scleritis  Ectropion
Iris prolapse (cover with an eye shield) Corneal graft patients  PVD   Watery eye
 Orbital cellulitis  Corneal ulcers or painful/corneal opacities  Bells’ palsy Subconjunctival haemorrhage
Central retinal vein occlusion (less than eight hours onset)  Hyphaema   Optic neuritis  Non prolific diabetic retinopathy
Giant cell arteritis with visual disturbance  Iritis Severe infective conjunctivitis Squint – gradual onset/long standing
Sudden unexplained severe visual loss of less than 12 hours  Lid laceration  Vein occlusions  Cataract
Painful eye in postoperative intraocular surgery (less than 2 months post-op) Orbital fractures Proliferative diabetic retinopathy  
Acute 3rd nerve palsy if pupil involvement or pain Painful eye    
  Retinal detachment/tear    

When and where location guide

For information on our different clinics and the site they are located at, please see our when and where location guide for GPs, to the right of this page.

Last updated: 10th August 2023