Documents/ Referral info

Arrowe Park Referral Forms

emergency referral (all other emergencies)

email emergency referrals to wih-tr.Wirralemergencyeyecare@nhs.net

using nhs.net email account only

Do not use OPERA for emergency referrals to Arrowe Park

Please do not send patients directly as walk-ins to the Eye Clinic at Arrowe Park, email in the referral first (during their operating hours) and wait for the patient to be contacted.

Please see the below quote from Arrowe Park Eye Clinic Triage:

“Triage is available from 08:30 – 16:15 Monday to Friday. Any referrals sent after this time will not be reviewed until the following day. Any referrals sent in over the weekend from 16;15pm Friday evening will not be reviewed until 08:30 Monday morning. The email referral system is checked constantly during triage working hours so we ask optometrists not to try and ring for a receipt or to send a patient up to the unit. The triage nurse will call the patient directly.”

NB – EMERGENCY (Immediate referral/ Trauma) – Phone triage desk 0151 552 1830 during triage working hours (08:30- 16:15 Monday to Friday) or on-call ophthalmologist via main switchboard 0151 678 5111 if out of hours.

Please note that out of hours cover is provided between Arrowe Park Hospital and Countess of Chester Hospital 01244 365 000 on an alternating basis.

Hospital on call rota Spring summer 2026

For info on stroke referrals to WUTH/ Arrowe Park, scroll further below

For routine referrals please use OPERA now (rather than sending GOS18 via the GP)

Please note that Pre-cataract referral and Glaucoma Referral refinement (repeat IOP, repeat fields) schemes are in place on the Wirral. See “Enhanced Services” links below for participating practices.

Guidance for Arrowe Park Referrals

Triage Guidance for Emergency Care and other referrals – July 2022 (5)

Query optic disc swelling only with no other problems:

If you query disc swelling in an adult Px, ( who can give an accurate history) and they are without headaches, please refer via the urgent pathway (Via OPERA) rather than the emergency pathway. This will be triaged by the optometrists rather than the emergency nurse. There is a new clinic started, called the neuro asymptomatic diagnostic pathway, run by Victoria Smerdon. She will be reviewing these patients

Wirral Primary Care Ophthalmology

Please see the website below for a list of conditions that can be diagnosed and treated:

https://www.wchc.nhs.uk/services/eye-clinic/

Based at St Catherines Hospital WCNT.WirralPrimaryCareOphthalmology@nhs.net

Use OPERA

Wirral Vision

Please see the website below for a list of conditions that can be diagnosed and treated:

https://stgeorgesmedicalcentre.com/wirral-vision/

Based at St George’s Medical Centre in Wallasey. Previous referral form: Wirral-Vision-Ophthalmology-Referral-Form

Email address WICCG.wirralvision@nhs.net

Use OPERA

Cataract referrals

We’ve been advised by APH on 23/4/25 to send cataract referrals on OPERA (mark as routine) from now on.

The old “routine referrals” email is no longer in use, please do not send anything to that email now.

If you don’t have access to OPERA, then send via GP (mark as routine)

Arrowe Park old/ previous Cat Referral Form

SpaMedica

Clinics in Wirral, Chester, Liverpool & more

Previous form: SPA MEDICA cataract referral

spamedica.referrals@nhs.net (PDF form preferred)

Use OPERA

Please see their website for more information:

https://www.spamedica.co.uk/healthcare-professionals/nhs-referrals/

Spa Medica Wirral (St Cath’s Hospital) have a Wet macula degeneration service. Use OPERA (previously was email of PDF document using an NHS email account)

SpaMedica-AMD-fast-track-referral-form

Spa Medica Chester now have a glaucoma service

ACES

Clinics in Liverpool City Centre, Chester & more

https://www.aces-eyeclinic.co.uk/our-clinics/liverpool

NHS services: Cataract, YAG laser capsulotomy, Oculoplastics

Use OPERA

Private services also available

Newmedica Cheshire Oaks-Ellesmere Port & more

https://www.newmedica.co.uk/clinics/cheshire-oaks/

NHS services: Cataract, YAG laser capsulotomy, Glaucoma

Use OPERA