Sparc North Central London

Please send your referral form (GOS 18 or equivalent) electronically to:

• eyerefer.ncl@nhs.net for North Central London

• nelondonicb.eyerefer@nhs.net for North East London

• eyerefer.swl@nhs.net for South West London 

please note this mailbox is monitored Monday to Friday 8am-6pm

 Please do not use this pathway for the following:

• Accident and emergency cases eg: retinal detachments, angle closure glaucoma and suspected stroke: Please refer to the nearest A&E or emergency eye service

• Suspected wet AMD cases: please complete the correct WET AMD Performa and send to WET AMD email address for relevant Trust.

• Primary care pathways, including Evolutio: Pre and post cataract, GRR and macula imaging.

Please use the Sparc contact blocks at the bottom of the page.

• Urgency: Routine/urgent

• Sub-speciality: e.g. Cornea

• Hospital preference, if expressed. 

• Please include NHS number, if known

• Please do not provide any information in the email body as all essential information (see checklist below) should be captured in the GOS 18 or equivalent proforma 

• GOS 18/equivalent proforma (essential to submit referral) 

• Other relevant test results e.g. visual fields

The Sparc model has been designed to streamline access, reduce variation, and ensure patients are directed to the most appropriate service first time. Key benefits for you and your patients include:

• A single, consistent referral route for all non-emergency ophthalmology cases across SWL

• Fast clinical triage and consistent clinical decision-making

• Improved pathway navigation, ensuring patients are seen by the right clinician in the right timescale

• Clear feedback loops, to support future decision-making

• Provision of patient choice for elective, routine pathways including cataract

You will receive an automatic email receipt if you have an nhs.net email. 

If you have a secure nhs.net address, you will receive an email, confirming submission of your referral, with a clinical summary attached. The GP will be copied in.

If you do not have a secure nhs.net address, you will receive an email confirming submission of your referral, but we will not be able to attach the clinical summary. The GP will be notified separately.

Here’s a reminder on how to set up an nhs.net account https://support.nhs.net/knowledge-base/registering-optometrists/

Optometrists have a duty to notify the GP when referring a patient, however the Sparc will forward the clinical summary, generated by eRS on referral submission, to the GP.

This will happen irrespective of whether an nhs.net address has been used or not.

Your patient will receive an ‘appointment request letter’ as confirmation that their referral has been submitted to eRS.

Details of the confirmed hospital appointment will be sent out in due course from the hospital.

In the unlikely event that the GOS 18/equivalent proforma is not attached or essential information necessary to process the referral is missing, we will email you or your practice within 3 days of receiving the referral.

If required we will chase this up, with a phone call within 7 days of receiving the referral.

This pathway processes eye referrals only. If you would like your px to have other supplementary tests, e.g., blood tests, in addition to being referred to the Hospital Eye Service (HES), please email the eye referral via this pathway AND also contact the GP separately (stressing that the GP does not need to generate a referral to HE

Sparc is committed to ensuring that all ophthalmology referrals are processed efficiently, accurately, and transparently. When patients or optometrists experience issues during the referral process, Sparc provides a clear pathway for raising and resolving complaints. All complaints are logged, audited, and used to improve service quality.

Read the Sparc complaint process

Please contact the relevant EyeAdmin inbox:

• nclicb.eyeadmin@nhs.net for North Central London

• eyerefer.swl@nhs.net for South West London 

• nelondonicb.eyeadmin@nhs.net For North East London

Please note this is for administrative queries only- please do not use this inbox for referrals.