CONSULTANT ADVICE SERVICES

Advice and guidance services are now available from both Homerton and BLT. (Please scroll down to the bottom of this page for details on how to access the BLT A&G services)

There are a number of new advice services available to GPs from Homerton Hospital. These services are provided by Consultants who are available to support you with managing your patients without the need for an opd referral. You can use the services if you arent sure about a diagnostic result, need to work out a management plan/discuss a clinical dilemma.

NB: All these services are free – i.e. won't cost you anything against your PBC budget

  • Under all these services you will retain clinical responsibility for your patient and remember that the consultants can only advise on the basis of the information you provide
  • Please remember to let the consultant know how best to get hold of you - eg provide a mobile phone number/surgery bypass number/when you are available

URGENT OPD REFERRALS

  • If you need to make an urgent opd referral to Homerton:-
  • Cancer - fax the 2ww proforma to the Cancer Referrals Office on 020 8510 7832
  • Paediatrics - fax to Starlight on 020 8510 7537 or call 020 8510 7764 to speak to a doctor between 09:30 and 13:00
  • Care of the Elderly - call 07766 703 203 which will get you one of the Consultants
  • For other urgent referrals - mark letter URGENT and fax to 020 8510 7339

CONSULTANT ADVICE SERVICES NOW AVAILABLE

A&E-Urgent Care

Consultant Advice Line

CARDIOLOGY

  • Email
  • If you need help or advice with a patient, interpretation of diagnostic tests, help with development of a patient management plan

CARE OF THE ELDERLY URGENT CLINIC

  • Contact: 07766 703 203
  • This mobile is carried by one the Care of the Elderly consultants so they are ready to talk to you about your patient
  • A new urgent clinic has been launched at Homerton run by the Care of the Elderly consultants, so if you are worried/concerned about one of your older patients and think you need to do something within the next 24-48 hours to avoid a hospital admission
  • Or if you need to get them seen at Homerton by a consultant who can organise tests and then give you some urgent advice and a management plan

DIABETES

  • Email:
  • Fax: 020 8510 5015
  • Phone: 020 8510 7647
  • Post to Diabetes Advice Service, c/o Diabetes Secretaries, Homerton University Hospital, Homerton Row, London, E9 6SR
  • You can request a call back phonecall if required – please provide contact details (mobile and when best to call you back)
  • This service should help you with the general advice about diabetic medicine and help with complex diabetic patients

GASTROENTEROLOGY ADVICE

  • Phone: 020 8510 8942
  • Mahvish Qureshi will be dealing with all calls
  • If for whatever reason your call is not answered, please leave a message.
  • Messages will be checked twice daily and you should receive a response to your query within 24 working hours from one of the gastroenterology consultants
  • If your query has not received a response within 5 days, please contact the main office number (0208 510 7473/7435)to speak with Janet Smith (Senior Gastroenterology Secretary

GYNAECOLOGY

  • Email:
  • To obtain advice from a Consultant Gynaecologist at the Homerton in discussing a patient, developing a management plan, advice on diagnostics, not quite sure what to do about a gynae problem.
  • If you want to talk to the consultant use the email to agree a suitable time and remember to supply mobile phone and best contact details
  • If you have a woman that needs to be seen urgently, bleep the Acute Gynaecology Nurse at Homerton 020 8510 5555 on bleep 295 who will take the patient’s details and book a slot for the patient in the Emergency Gynae Service for that day

HYPERTENSION

  • Email:
  • For advice on hypertension patients, medication from Louise Abrams

INFERTILITY

  • Phone: 0208 510 7660
  • Email:
  • For information and advice from Dr Gudi about Infertility issues at Homerton.

MATERNITY AND OBSTETRIC ADVICE EMAIL

NEUROLOGY

  • Email: huh-tr.NeurologyHomerton@nhs.net
  • Please email request with patient details including demographics

ADVICE ON EPILEPSY is available from Harriet Spencer - Epilepsy Nurse Specialist

  • Phone advice: 020 8510 5912
  • Please leave your contact details and availability.(manned Monday to Thursday only)
  • Alternatively, email harriet.spencer@nhs.net
  • If you need advice at other times please contact the Neurology Secretaries directly on 020 8510 7651

PAEDIATRICS - GP rapid referral clinic at Homerton

  • Phone: 020 8510 7764
  • Fax: 020 8510 7537
    • This clinic is run by a consultant each weekday between 10am and 1pm.
    • GPs who feel that a child needs to be seen by a paediatrician fairly urgently may refer the child by this hotline.
    • After discussion we will jointly decide the most appropriate action. Usually we will see the child within one to two days.

GP Paediatric Advice telephone line at Homerton

  • Phone: 020 8510 7764
    • The hotline is open every weekday 10am to 12pm.
    • It can be used by GPs to discuss patients, ask for advice or request an urgent referral to the GP Rapid Referral clinic

COMMUNITY PAEDIATRICS

  • Download details of Community Paediatric advice services - Compaed.doc

POLCV / Individual Funding Requests (IFR)- Queries on eligibility for restricted procedures:

  • Phone the IFR team: 020 7683 2724
  • Or email elcasacu.ifr@nhs.net
  • If you are unsure as to whether to submit an IFR for a patient, or have queries about the commissioning policy on 'Procedures of Limited Clinical Value', please do not hesitate to contact the Procurement Contracting and Performance Team (PCP).
  • The lead is Anna Stewart (AD) with Nita Bull (Manager)and Rejna Begum (Programme Support)

RENAL SERVICES

  • Email:
  • For advice about CKD and renal issues

RESPIRATORY MEDICINE

  • Phone: 020 8510 5769
  • To talk to one of the Respiratory Medicine consultants about a patient, please leave a message with your details and the patient details
  • A Consultant will call you back within 24 hours (Mon- Fri)
  • If you want specific advice ask for:
    • Dr Raj on allergy problems
    • Dr Bhowmik on lung cancer
    • Dr Bothamley on TB

RHEUMATOLOGY

  • Email:
  • Provide your contact details and availability if you want a call back
  • This service is available for advice on:
    • Flare of disease
    • Drug adverse reaction
    • DMARD monitoring
    • Non-response to treatment
    • Clarify changes of medication made in clinic
  • General rheumatology queries
    • Management of Vitamin D deficiency
    • Appropriateness of referring patient to rheumatology
    • Significance of serological tests

TIA/STROKE SERVICES

  • Phone: 020 8510 5555 (Homerton switchboard) and ask to Aircall Dr Lehmann or the TIA nurse on bleep 227

UROLOGY

  • Email: huh-tr.Urologyadvice@nhs.net
  • You should receive a response in 48hours
  • Urology Nurse Specialist advice is also available:
    • Bruce Turner on 0208 510 7962 on a Tuesday am. Bruce can advise on cancer f/u issues and PSA
    • Clare Smart on 0208 510 7862 Clare can advise on catheter, prostate and erectile dysfunction issues (leave a message on Clare’s number and she'll call back!)

VASCULAR SURGERY

DRUG AND ALCOHOL PROBLEMS

  • To obtain Consultant advice from Dr Sarah Metcalf on patients with drug problems
    • Complete this form booking form drugs.doc
    • Fax your form to 0208 510 8270 (fax is the quickest way)
    • Or email to sarahmetcalf@nhs.net if non urgent
  • To obtain Consultant Advice from Dr Sarah Metcalf on patients with alcohol problems
    • Complete this form alcohol.doc
    • Fax your form to 0208 985 3807 fax is the quickest way)
    • Or email it to sarahmetcalf@nhs.net if non urgent
    • If urgent advice is required, it is best to call the Alcohol Recovery Centre (17 - 20 Tudor Grove E8) tel: 020 8985 3757 and speak to the Duty Dr
    • Patients can also self refer or drop in to the one-stop shop at the Alcohol Recovery Centre
    • In both cases you will receive confirmation back with a suggested time for the discussion with the consultant

FOR URGENT PROBLEMS

  • Call 0208 510 8629 between 09:00-17:00 M-F for DRUG problems
  • Call 0208 510 4470 between 09:00-17:00 M-F for ALCOHOL problems
  • Call the Clinical Nurse Specialist service (for both drugs and alcohol problems) between 1700 and 2000 M-F and 0800-1600 at weekends
    • 0208 510 5555 Bleep 308

PHLEBOTOMY SERVICE

SPECIALIST ADDICTION SERVICE
EASIER ARRANGEMENTS FOR RESULTS FROM THE BLOOD BORNE VIRUS TEAM

  • The Mental Health Trust now has a website which details how to contact BBV for information and they have also set up an email account which you can use to request vaccination and blood test results.
  • When you email you will receive a reply asking you to confirm you have patient consent to request the info from the Trust and to remind you to request info on one patient only per email
  • As soon as you reply confirming consent the requested info will be sent to you

BLT Advice and Guidance Services:

  • Click here for details of all BLT email addresses BLT advice and guidance services
  • Choose from the top three choices on the 'how to contact us' list to find the relevant NHS.net email addresses to send in your queries.
  • All the main specialties have developed non-urgent advice and guidance for GPs and other referring clinicians in response to feedback
  • This includes Cardiology, Orthopaedics, Gynaecology, Gastro and Respiratory services amongst others
  • So if you use BLT services remember these can be an alternative to a referral
  • Services will respond to queries within 5 working days.

Updated: 20.4.12