Self referrals
There are a number of services locally that you are able to make self referrals to.
- Carers
- Children’s speech and language therapy
- Drugs and alcohol
- Exercise
- Maternity
- Mental health
- Sexual health
- Stop smoking
- Youth counselling
- Weight management
Tracking a referral:
To track an existing referral:
- fill out a track a referral form
- phone us on 01379 642 023
Hospital referrals:
We offer the choice of referring to one of our five local hospitals. These are as follows:
- The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
- West Suffolk Hospital
- James Paget University Hospital
- Ipswich Hospital
- Queen Elizabeth Hospital Kings Lynn
Your GP will discuss this choice with you at the point of referral. If you would like to be referred to a different hospital elsewhere in the country, please let your GP know where you would like to be referred to. You can choose a hospital based on what matters the most to you. To compare information about hospitals, services and consultants, please visit: http://www.nhs.uk and search for “Services Near You”.
NHS e-Referral:
You will receive a letter from the provider giving details of how to book your appointment.
Here is the information you need if you wish to get an update on your referral:
For NNUH radiology appointments:
- X-Ray – 01603 286544
- CT – 01603 286081
- MRI – 01603 286107
- Ultrasound – 01603 288478
For orthopaedic referrals, including physiotherapy:
Phone: 01493 809 977
For mental health referrals:
Phone: 0300 790 0371
For NNUH first out-patient appointments:
For NNUH first out-patient appointments, please refer to the letter you received from the hospital, this will have a contact number for you to ring. The NNUH switchboard number is: 01603 286286 if you need it.
For WSH first out-patient appointments:
For WSH patient referral management centre 01284 713 713
For up to date hospital out-patient waiting times, please visit the Knowledge Now website: Outpatient Waiting Times – Knowledge NoW (nwknowledgenow.nhs.uk)
For follow up appointments at any hospital, use the number at the top of your appointment letter or contact your consultant’s secretary.
Related information
NHS ADHD and Autism Referrals for children:
If your child is over the age of 6 and attends school, then your child’s school should be referring them rather than the GP. A new referral pathway was established in June 2024 allowing schools to refer directly for ADHD and autism assessments. This change recognises that the schools are better placed to gather the necessary information rather than the GP. Please see this website which goes through the referral process. If needed, please pass this information on to the school so they can refer: http://www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk/6-years-plus-assessment/
If your child is over the age of 6 and is either home schooled or does not attend school at all, then referrals in these circumstances will need to come via the GP.
If your child is under the age of 6, we cannot refer for ADHD assessment. You can get support if needed via Just One Norfolk: https://www.justonenorfolk.nhs.uk/
ADHD and Autism Referrals for adults:
ADHD- We can refer adults for suspected ADHD. There are very specific pieces of information which we need to include with the referral. We have prepared an electronic pre-referral questionnaire to send to patients seeking referral to gather all the necessary information. You can contact us via our appointment system to request one of these questionnaires.
Autism- Adults 18+ can self refer for an NHS autism assessment via Autism Service Norfolk. You do not need a GP appointment to access this service and the details on how to refer are outlined on their website. It does mention that if you self refer you should inform your GP. You can do this either by calling our Reception team or filling in a request form on our website. To self refer please visit this link: http://www.norfolkcommunityhealthandcare.nhs.uk/autism-service-norfolk/
Right to Choose (RTC) Adults and Children:
If you are based in England under the NHS, you now have a legal Right to Choose your mental healthcare provider for referrals for Autism and ADHD assessments. This service is offered through the NHS and is free.
Who can offer Right to Choose assessments? There are a number of clinics throughout the UK that can offer Right to Choose ADHD and/or ASD assessments for adults and/or children. To become a Right to Choose clinic provider, the clinic must supply the same service to the NHS somewhere in England, they cannot be a private only clinic. The provider’s website is usually a good place to start to find out if they offer the service you need.
For more information on ADHD and/or ASD Right to Choose Providers, please go to the ADHD UK website:
What happens when I have chosen my clinic? Once you have made your choice, please visit the provider’s website and ensure you have filled out all the pre-referral information and questionnaires. Please then write to us confirming who you have chosen, including any letters, forms and questionnaires the provider requires.
Please provide us with a current email address, as most providers will contact you this way. This information enables us to process the referral efficiently. Without this, we will not be able to process the referral.
For all Right to Choose referrals, the patient, or their family if a child, will need to research and select a clinic themselves, it is not something the GP can advise on.
Things to consider about Right to Choose
It is important to note that many of the clinics mentioned can offer diagnosis but not all are able to offer medication titration. This means that you may be able to obtain a diagnosis with the named clinics, but you will then need a local NHS referral, should you need to start medication to control your symptoms. Due to high demands on the service, the NHS waiting lists are long.
For additional information regarding Adult ADHD Right to Choose referrals, please see the following link: https://nwknowledgenow.nhs.uk/content/what-is-adhd-attention-deficit-hyperactivity-disorder/
For further information on Right to Choose Neurodevelopmental Services for children and young people, please see the attached document:
Private Referrals:
If you would like to be referred privately, you will need to advise us which private hospital you would like to be referred to. This is not something the GP can advise on. Our local private hospital is Spire Norwich, but we will require you to advise us if you wish to be referred here or to another private provider.