Dermatology referrals
e-Referral advice and guidance
Dermatology currently offers an e-Referral advice service to Oxfordshire GPs for routine clinical enquiries in addition to our telephone on-call service for urgent consultations.
The service is checked daily and consultants try to reply with advice for all enquiries within 48 hours.
To help us, please can you keep the image size to about 2 MB (1600 x 1200 pixel resolution) and send it as an attached .jpeg rather than embedded within documents, to make it easier to handle.
Please do not send dermoscopy alone, always include a clinical image.
Routine mole screening is also not possible with the service.
Directly Bookable Service for Dermatology
The GP surgery will generate an appointment referral request with appropriate priority (urgent or routine) for the service on e-Referral and UBRN in the usual way.
An electronic proforma or appropriate letter needs to be attached to the e-Referral system by the surgery within 48 hours for a routine or urgent appointment.
In the case that the Trust cannot provide an immediate appointment, 'Defer to Provider' can be selected and Trust processes will be in place to contact the patient within 48 hours for an urgent or routine appointment.
18WW clock will start on the date the GP or patient makes the appointment booking.
GPs should check their patients have appointments on their e-Referral worklist. This applies to all appointment requests made through e-Referral.
For further information please visit 'e-Referral':
e-Referral
2 Week Wait patients
Only patients with suspected melanoma and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) should be referred via the 2 Week Wait.
Please refer patients with suspected basal cell carcinomas (BCCs) via e-Referral.
2WW referrals for suspected skin cancer: e-Referral
Requirement
There is a requirement by the Department of Health and an expectation that all NHS trusts will move to the booking of all 2 Week Wait patients through the e-Referral Service.
2 Week Wait Dermatology appointments are booked by the OUH 2 Week Wait Bureau via the e-Referral Service.
- The GP will generate appointment request letter on e-Referral and UBRN.
- GP should select the Churchill site on e-Referral for each patient.
- GP will check the patient understands they must make themselves available for any date offered within the next 2 weeks.
- GP will give the patient the 'TWEEK' leaflet at the appointment.
- Electronic proforma must be attached to the e-Referral Serviceby GP within 24 hours.
- GP or patient will book the appointment online.
- Clock will start when GP or patient books the appointment.
- GPs should check their patients have appointments on their e-Referral worklist.
Gold standard would be that the patient leaves the GP Practice with their 2WW appointment booked.
Non-Oxfordshire GPs
e-Referral is the preferred method of referral for GPs referring to OUH. This supports the safeguarding of patient information and provides an audit trail for referrals.
If you have any technical queries or questions relating to e-Referral / OUH Directory of Services please contact:
Tel: 01865 743399
OUH Dedicated GP Line: 01865 572696
Referring direct
If the patient has chosen to use the Department of Dermatology at the Churchill Hospital, please send a letter to a named consultant (if known) to:
Department of Dermatology
Churchill Hospital
Old Road
Headington
Oxford OX3 7LJ
Guidelines for GPs
Guidelines on the management of a number of skin conditions can be found on the British Association of Dermatologists' website.
British Association of Dermatologists guidelines
Patients with psoriasis
Psoriasis and your heart (pdf)
Patients with vulval disease
Common conditions
A large number of specialist clinics and services are run including the following.
- Acne
- Allergy
- Bullous disease
- Contact dermatitis
- Cutaneous lymphoma
- Day care
- Hair and nail
- Laser treatment
- Male anogenital disease
- Paediatric dermatology
- Phototherapy (PUVA/TL01)
- Psoriasis
- Skin cancer
- Vulval dermatoses
- Wound care and leg ulcer inpatient beds at the Churchill Hospital
Exclusions from this clinic
Cosmetic skin lesions
Last reviewed:04 March 2024