In 2010, we at Allied Health Professionals Suffolk CIC embarked on a journey to develop an online system to enhance how we handle self-referrals – putting the power into patients' hands with an information delivery system driven by the clinicians who use it.
We have increased accessibility, productivity, and the overall quality of self-referrals coming into our service across the county. Now, we are extending U Refer to other organisations so they can reap these benefits for their self-referral services.
Benefits
Primary Care
• Reduced primary care burden
- Fewer GP appointments
- Reduced clinical and administrative referral burden
• Supports self-management approach with safety net
Community Care
• 1.6 fewer appointments / episode of care
• Improved attendance rate
• Excellent patient engagement and empowerment
• Supports care stratification for waiting list management
Citizens
• 24/7/365 availability
• No need to see a GP
• Refer in the way that works best for them
• Translation service available
Patient Journey
Explore our patient journey and discover personalised insights, expert guidance, and resources that empower service users on their path to a healthier future.
Testimonials
The self referral portal is easy to access and complete by patients including those with language and IT barriers. It provides excellent self help exercises with advise and education whilst a patient waits for an appointment which means that rehab starts straight away once the referral has been triaged. Pts are seen in a timely manner and we now do not have excessive waiting times because rehab starts early and so this early intervention can resolve some of the simpler conditions/ issues thus reducing the need for a physiotherapy appointment. The referral provides the clinician with an indepth knowledge of the patients signs and symptoms so that the initial assessment can be more focused.
Louise Thomas, Advanced Practice Physiotherapist, North Mids in the Community NHS FT
Self-referral to MSK and pelvic physiotherapy is a great time saver for GP as patients can be care navigated to physiotherapy earlier and thus they receive their assessment and treatment sooner and the process reduces GP appointments/contacts. It also reduces GP administration time by us not having to fill out an electronic referral form.
Dr David Egan, GP Debenham Group Practice, Suffolk and North East Essex ICB
‘The telephone referrals option provides a welcome improvement in patient accessibility to the system, and we are also very pleased that we now have referrals linked to NHS Patient Demographic Service.’
Rachel Richardson, Podiatry Clinical Lead & Service Manager, Suffolk GP Federation