North Essex

Referrals Pathway Colchester – document showing correct referral methods for Colchester hospital.
Emergency Referrals – (link at the top HES details page) information about emergency referrals only, but to multiple eye departments.

Out of Area Referrals
If you have a patient with a GP in a specific ICB but they want to be seen in a hospital within a different ICB, can you ensure you refer via the patients GP. This also applies to patients who want to be seen at a hospital out of Essex.

List of GP details for North Essex
List of GP details for Suffolk region

A list of drops (including dry eye drops) that GP’s are allowed to prescribe in NE Essex NE Essex Prescription list

The following document lists the restriction policies issued by North East Essex and Suffolk CCGs.  Please note the blepharoplasty, cataract, chalazia and thyroid eye disease sections.  ICS Restriction Policies.
North Essex cataract policy

Please only send suspect wet AMD referrals to this address.  Include VA’s, describe what was seen and ideally attach imaging.  Use the Wet AMD Referral form.

Suspect Stroke Referrals to Colchester Hospital

Colchester Hospital will accept the following from Optical Practices:

• Transient Painless unilateral loss of vision (TIA/Amaurosis Fugax)
• New painless bilateral field defect

These can be sent directly to tiareferrals@esneft.nhs.uk

Do not use the tiareferrals@ for the following:

• Unilateral visual field defect eg Retinal detachment – phone / eyereferuegent@
• Pain/redness/pupillary abnormalities Ongoing visual loss – phone / eyereferuegent@
• Features suggestive of Giant cell arteritis  i.e. headache, jaw pain, scalp tenderness and visual loss – must go to A&E
• Systemic issues with visual symptoms – should be referred to acute care under A&E
• Syncopal symptoms where visual symptoms followed by loss of consciousness and patient remains symptomatic – refer to A&E
• Painful diplopia , red eye, ongoing deteriorating acute vision loss – phone / eyereferurgent