Referral Contacts List, Is the GP in E+N or S+W?, CPD Event in Essex, CPD and AGM Feedback

1 May 2025

We have 6 items for you today:

1. Updated Referral Contacts List following change to EyeV in S & W Herts
   As all urgent, wAMD and routine referrals for patients with GPs in south and west Herts (but NOT emergencies) must now go via EyeV, we have updated our popular Referral Contacts List, HERE. 

   We have also highlighted in red the most relevant emergency email addresses and instructions, to assist you. We are always grateful for any corrections, suggestions or feedback on this to help us to support you, email admin@hertsloc.org.uk

2. Checking if a GP is in East and North Herts, or South and West Herts
   As you know, the referral pathways in Hertfordshire vary significantly based on the patient’s GP’s location.

   To assist you with this, we are passing on, with thanks, the following web links to help you check which area the patient’s GP is in, and so where to refer non emergency referrals (EyeV in S+W and via GP in E+N): 

   East and North Herts:
   https://www.hertsandwestessex.ics.nhs.uk/primary-care-networks-enherts/  

   and South and West: 
   https://www.hertsandwestessex.ics.nhs.uk/primary-care-networks-swherts/

   You will need to click on the area your patient’s GP is in, then try each PCN until you find the practice you need. Not straightforward but we hope this will still be useful.

3. How long after referring via EyeV will my patient be contacted?
   One of the questions we have been asked several times regarding the new EyeV Referral Pathway (Single Point of Access) in South and West Herts has been “how will patients be contacted, and how quickly?”

   From their FAQs section, it says:
   Patients will be contacted immediately, by email and message in their NHS App. Then, approximately 2 days later, by letter. Then by SMS and phone.
   
   
   For routine referrals, this will be on days 1, 3, 5, and 10. After these attempts, the referral will be sent to the nearest suitable provider, based on the patient’s GP’s location.

   For wARMD referrals: the patient will be contacted on day 1 only. If the patient does not respond, the referral will be passed straight to the nearest suitable provider, based on the patient’s GP’s location.

   We recommend that you advise patients to monitor their NHS App for a message about the next steps of their referral, and to contact you if they do not hear from EyeV within the expected time. We would also be grateful if you could notify us at admin@hertsloc.org.uk of any significant issues around this new process.

4. CPD Event in Essex
   Essex LOC have kindly agreed for us to share details of a CPD event they are running in Chelmsford next Wednesday, 16th April:
   
5. CHEC Watford Face-to-Face CPD Event – Monday 19^th May 2025
   CHEC are running a CPD event on Monday 19^th May 2025, from 18.30 to 20.30 at their Watford Centre, “Urgent Eye Conditions”, the speaker is Dr Koushik Roy. They advise that there will be 1 interactive CPD point for Optometrists. Further information and registration can be found at the following link: https://info.chec.uk/watford-cpd-event-2
6. Feedback wanted on our recent CPD session and AGM at Tewinbury, Welwyn
   Following our successful CPD and AGM event recently, Newmedica have sent a feedback request to attendees regarding the CPD aspect of the event. We would also love to know what you thought of the venue, food, AGM, or the comms (which were provided by Newmedica), or any other aspect of the event, to help us plan and improve future CPD. Please email your feedback and suggestions to admin@HertsLOC.org.uk
7.  

Kind regards

Herts LOC