Referral Pathways in Coventry and Warwickshire
Update 13/10/2025 – Referral Pathways:
Comment from LOC
As of 1st November, 2025 the Cov/Warks ICB has decommissioned the Optometry CUES/MECS schemes.
Below, we have attached the signposting referral pathways that the ICB dictates (with little consultation with the LOC) for a patient that presents to you that you have not examined. The LOC strongly advises its members to reflect on whether a slit-lamp examination will be necessary by the diagnosing Healthcare Professional. If you feel that a slit lamp examination will be necessary for accurate assessment of the patient then the only pathway available to you is UHCW Eye Emergency, as no Pharmacy and few GP’s have the Slit-lamp access/skillset required.
Should you have examined the patient, please be aware that the appropriate pathway from Cinapsis / Ophthalmology Coordination Service (OCS) could be used for routine referrals. Urgent referrals should be directed to UHCW as the Urgent Referral pathways on Cinapsis/OCS may not have the urgency that you require. I.e. Weeks/Months rather than days.
For weekend & out of hours Emergency patients, please be aware of the current limited service from UHCW. This means that your only viable pathway outside the times highlighted below would be to a normal A&E or minor injuries. In the following briefing, the ICB have not commented on whether Optometrists should continue to try to contact the on-call Ophthalmologist via telephone in an Emergency or just send the patient directly to A&E. Under these imposed conditions, you may feel it prudent to just send your patient to the nearest A&E.
ICB Referral Pathways Communication 13/10/25: ICB Referral Pathways Communication document
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Updated 13/12/2024
All Optometrists in Coventry, Rugby, North and South Warwickshire must refer ALL routine and urgent eye conditions (including cataract, medical retina and paediatric referrals) through the Electric Eyecare Referral System (EeRS)/Cinapsis. For emergencies, optometrists should continue to use Swift Queue. For Urgent Suspect Cancer, please direct these referrals to the patient’s GP.
The OCS offer patients a choice of suitable providers and transfers the referral to eRS to go to Secondary Care providers. Please check where the patient’s GP is based and refer as appropriate. At the moment the referral system is only for patients with a GP within the Coventry, Rugby & Warks ICB. If your practice is outside the ICB area but you refer patients with GP’s from the ICB area, please apply for EeRS registration.
Optometric practices will be notified of referral acceptance via Cinapsis, with a UBRN number for communication with secondary care, and can track referrals using EeRS. GP practices will be informed by email from Cinapsis and receive a copy of the referral letter for the patient record.
University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire Eye Casualty (UHCW) – Emergency
UHCW Eye Casualty accepts adult and paediatric referrals for emergency and urgent cases from Optometrists in Coventry, Rugby, North Warwickshire, and South Warwickshire area.
UHCW eye casualty is NOT A WALK IN SERVICE (please do not advise a patient to come straight down to eye casualty)
Please advise patients to book a telephone triage appointment via UHCW Eye Casualty Swift Queue or offer TRIAGE NUMBER FOR PATIENTS: 02476964800
Referral process:
When you log onto Swift Queue as a clinician, you’ll find a dedicated tab to create referrals. You can either fill out the online form—identical to the one previously circulated Word document—or upload a PDF directly.
How to register for Swift Queue:
How to refer:
This system simplifies tracking the referral status. You’ll be able to see whether the patient has been accepted, and if additional information has been requested. The system will automatically send you a notification email to let you know the details have been updated. Important: Please ensure you also book the patient for a telephone consultation.
The eye casualty line is open Monday to Friday (9:00am – 1:00pm and 1:30pm – 5:00pm) excluding bank holidays. Saturday reduced hours (9:00am-12:00pm)
TRIAGE NUMBER FOR CLINICIAN TO CLINICIAN (this is available through the practice – if you are a Locum Optometrist, please ask the store for this number). This number should NOT be given to patients and is only for health care professionals to speak to eye casualty directly regarding their patient either for advice or for their patient to be seen.
When you call the eye casualty line, you will be spoken to by a clinician (either an Orthoptist, Optometrist, or Ophthalmologist)
For advice out of hours, please call NHS 111 or seek advice from Minor Injuries/On-call Ophthalmologist.
Making Safe and Effective Referrals to the Eye Emergency Referral Service
UHCW has produced an updated recording of its recent referral teaching session and is asking all optometrists to view it. The recording provides guidance on making safe, high-quality referrals to the Eye Emergency Referral Service and includes refinements to the referral scoring framework, along with further clarification on the information that should be included within referrals. These updates are intended to support UHCW’s triage team in making timely and informed clinical decisions for patients. All optometrists are encouraged to watch the updated recording, including those who attended the original session.
Making Safe and Effective Referrals video
Fast Track Referral Pathway for WET AMD / DMO / RVO
The Urgent Medical Retina section of EeRS can be used to make urgent medical retina referrals for WET AMD, DMO and RVO. This replaces the NHS.net email pathways. Patients will be offered a choice of suitable providers e.g. UHCW, SWFT, Camphill NewMedica, CHEC, SpaMedica.
Choroidal naevi can also be referred via the urgent medical retina section on EeRS. Please refer to this guidance below when referring. The MOLES algorithm highlights the most important indicators of malignancy.
SOUTH WARWICKSHIRE UPDATE
The CHEC portal has been decommissioned and therefore for patients with a South Warwickshire GP, referrals are to be sent via the pathway above using EeRS/Cinapsis. However, CHEC post-op cataract service will still use the CHEC portal.
Out of Area Referrals:
Those registered with a Worcestershire GP can be referred via Cinapsis. Should your practice need access please contact support@cinapsis.org
More ICB’s will be possible in due course.
Referrals via GP
Optometrists should continue to contact the GP’s directly via nhs.net email or referral letter as per current set up for systemic conditions.
Urgent suspect cancer referrals should be referred to the patient’s GP within 24 hours as per current set up unless it is considered to fall within the Emergency referral as above.