Oldham Referrals

Opera Electronic Referral System

All referrals by practitioners within Greater Manchester for a patient with a Greater Manchester GP should be made through the Opera electronic referral platform. This will route the referral appropriately and also enables patient demographic and GP look-up.

The referral information below is for information and for the use of practitioners outside Greater Manchester who have a GM patient, or for practitioners within GM only if Opera is unavailable for some reason.

Practices outside the GM border that see GM Patients can register for the Opera GOS18 function. Where Opera is already used for extended services this will be an easy addition.

You can find information on the urgency of referrals in Greater Manchester here:

Download pdf Guidance on the Urgency of Referrals in GM

This page provides referral details for patients registered with a GP in Oldham CCG. For patients outside this area, use the GP search to find which CCG area protocols to follow and then consult that area's referral page.

Click on the headings below for more information.

• Routine Referrals

  Routine referrals that are not part of an extended service (e.g. cataract,) go to the Oldham Integrated Care Centre via the GOS18 tab on Opera. You should assume it will be up to 3 months before the patient is seen. "Soon/Urgent" is not generally recognised by GPs or by HES appointments, so for anything that you feel is more urgent you should still send your referral using the GOS18 tab on Opera but following the Emergency Eye Referrals protocol below.

  Oldham NHS
  Integrated Care Centre
  Tel : 0161 778 2233
  

  Remember that with routine referrals you should assume it will be up to 3 months before the patient is seen. “Soon” is not generally recognised by GPs or by HES appointments, so for anything that you feel is more urgent you should phone eye casualty for advice.

  Patients already under care In cases where a patient is already under the care of an ophthalmologist and a new routine condition has arisen, you should write to the ophthalmologist rather than re-refer.

  An electronic GOS18 template is available here for practices outside the area without access to Opera for referral:

  Learn More Vist the Documents for Practitioners page on the GMLOCs website:

  The Rochdale Ophthalmology Clinical Assessment and Treatment Service (CATS) is run by Care UK. They have been appointed Any Qualified Provider status for Cataract Surgery, Oculoplastics and Yag Laser Capsulotomy.

• Emergency referrals

  Rochdale Eye Unit 9-5pm
  Tel : 01706 517 838
  NHSMail : urgentreferrals@nca.nhs.uk
  Out of hours ask for on-call ophthalmologist
  via switchboard 01706 377 777

  If you feel a patient requires to be seen urgently you can phone the Rochdale Eye Unit from 9.00 till 5.00pm on 01706 517 838 and ask for advice. You should then send the referral on Opera but also contact the Eye Unit where they will issue an appointment time. Out of hours ask for the on-call ophthalmologist via the switchboard on 01706 377 777

  Pennine Acute now see emergency eye referrals between 09.00 and 17.00 at Rochdale Infirmary and they have same-day appointments available for emergencies. You should refer via Opera but phone first. Pennine Acute have provided the following information regarding the current out of hours arrangment.

  For weekends or out-of-hours referrals telephone:

  Royal Oldham Hospital
  Tel : 0161 624 0420

  and ask to speak to the Ophthalmologist on-call.

  Where a patient attends with acute onset eye problems and your practice does not deliver CUES, a referral to CUES may be the most appropriate outcome for the patient. Please see the Primary Eyecare Services website CUES page for more information.

• Wet AMD

  The referral criteria for the Wet AMD service are a less than 3 month history of any of the following:

  • • Visual loss.
    • Spontaneously reported distortion.
    • Onset of scotoma (or blurred spot) in central vision.

  The vision should be better than 6/96 in the affected eye.

  If your patient meets the criteria for potential wet AMD treatment, then you can refer to either of the following providers using Opera. You may phone afterwards to confirm receipt:

  Oldham NHS Integrated Care Centre
  Tel : 0161 778 2233
  NHSMail : urgentreferrals@nca.nhs.uk
  

  Practice Plus Group (Macula Service – van-based in T&G)
  Croft Shifa Health Centre and Tameside Tel : 0333 200 4058 (Mon-Fri 08.30-17.00) NHSMail : practiceplusgrp.macular@nhs.net

  The referral form (a Word doc) can be downloaded here for use by practices outside the area without access to Opera for referrals:

  Download WetAmd Referral Form

  This can be filled electronically or printed. To edit the form, if you wish to add your practice details as a template, choose 'Tools' or 'Review' then 'Unprotect'. In protected mode use TAB to move between fields.

•   CUES - Urgent Eyecare Service

  If your practice does not participate in this service, then eye problems such as:

  • • Red or painful eye or eyelids
    • Recently occurring flashes and floaters
    • Recent and sudden loss of vision
    • Foreign body in the eye

  should be referred to one of the CUES accredited optometry practices.

  Full details and a practice search are available on the Primary Eyecare Services website CUES page here

• Cataract

  Cataract referral is via the extended service provided by Primary Eyecare Services. Any patient with cataract who you feel will require surgery should be managed using the Opera online IT system. The referral will be directed automatically by the system to the chosen treatment centre.

  Cataract referral is via the extended service provided by Primary Eyecare Services. Any patient with cataract who you feel will require surgery should be managed using the Opera online IT system. The referral will be directed automatically by the system to the chosen treatment centre. If you do not participate in the service or are out of the area a practice for pre cat can be found by using OPERA GOS18 – primary care services – pre cat. You should call the practice to check they will see the patient before referring it on OPERA.

  Post-operative cataract assessment and reporting is also via the Primary Eyecare service and Opera

• Referrals for Retinal Vein Occlusions

  Any CRVO or BRVO should be referred by Opera. An urgent referral should also be made to the patient’s GP practice for assessment for any underlying cause of RVO. The HES referral is not normally urgent unless there is oedema or hamorrhaging at the macula. If there are any unusual features (such as the patient is unwell, optic nerve head swelling is present or the patient is of a young age, then please ring the clinic to discuss the case.

  Referrals go to the Oldham ICC using Opera:

  Oldham NHS
  Integrated Care Centre
  Tel : 0161 778 2233
  NHSMail : urgentreferrals@nca.nhs.uk
  

  A dedicated RVO referral form is available here for use by practices outside the area and without access to Opera for referrals:

  Download Form Generic RVO Referral Form

  This includes the GP referral as a 2nd page which fills automatically from page 1.

•   Suspect Glaucoma / OHT

  Glaucoma repeat readings

  In cases of raised IOP or suspect visual fields in the absence of any other signs of glaucoma the pressures and/or visual fields should be repeated on one or two occasions using Goldmann or Perkins tonometry as per the extended service provided by Primary Eyecare. The results are reported, and fees claimed, via the Opera online IT system.

  If you have a patient with raised pressure or suspect visual fields, and you do not take part in the extended service, you must refer them to a GERS optometrist for further assessment. Follow the referral information for GERS detailed below.

  Glaucoma Enhanced Referral Service (GERS)

  The Glaucoma Enhanced Referral Service now uses a Single Point of Access (SPoA) for patients. Greater Manchester patients eligible for GERS should be be referred to the PES GERS single point of access (SPoA) and NOT directly to a GERS practice. You should use the:
  "PRIMARY EYECARE SERVICES – GLAUCOMA ENHANCED REFERRAL SERVICE (GERS)"
  option on Opera’s GOS18 module.

  Remember that hospitals may reject referrals if they have not come through the correct pathway.

  Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma

  Acute angle closure glaucoma and/or IOPS of >32mmHg is an emergency referral and is NOT suitable for GERS.

  Patients already under HES care for OHT or Glaucoma

  These patients are not suitable for GERS.

  Out of AreaPatients from outside the area should be referred according to their own area's protocol.

  Practices outside the area and without access to Opera for referrals can find a list of participating practices using the link below. Use a referral letter and provide full details as you would for a GP referral.

  Learn More Find a Practice

• Safeguarding Children & Adults in Oldham

  Safeguarding in the Oldham Area for Children (0-18 years)

  If you have concerns that a child or young person is at risk of or is being abused or neglected you can contact Oldham Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (M.A.S.H) to report your concern to:

  Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 0161 770 7777 (child.mash@oldham.gov.uk) Out of hours contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0161 770 6936

  Further information is available on Oldham Council's website. Please see the below link for the quick guide to making a child protection referral

  Learn More Tameside Safeguarding Children

  Safeguarding in the Oldham Area for Adults

  If you have concerns that an adult is at risk of or is being abused/neglected you can contact Oldham Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (M.A.S.H) to report your concern on the appropriate number below.

  If you have concerns about an adult, who does not meet the Care Act (2014) criteria, please seek advice.

  Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub: 0161 770 1122
  Out of Hours (Adult Social Care): 0161 770 6936

  Further information is available on Oldham Council website:

  Learn More Search for safeguarding

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  The Optical Confederation has guidance on safeguarding:

  Download Guidance on Safeguarding

  Confirmation of reading this OC guidance is equivalent to Level 1 training for non-professional practice staff.

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  The NICE link for a child maltreatment quick reference guide is:

  Learn More Child Maltreatment Guidance
  

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  Online training packages for both children and adults are available from DOCET free of charge for all practitioners with GOC registration at

  Learn More Enrol Children Safeguarding Level 2
  
  Learn More Enrol Adults Safeguarding Level 2
  

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  Female Genital Mutilation

  As of 31 October 2015, the Department of Health has introduced a duty for all healthcare professionals to report any case of female genital mutilation in girls (FGM) under the age of 18 to the police.

  FGM is considered as child abuse, and is illegal under UK law. It is now a legal duty for healthcare professionals to report any cases they may suspect or be made aware of. For optometrists and dispensing opticians, one scenario in which FGM could come to their attention is if a child tells them that it has happened to them.

  Full guidance, posters and other resources can be found on the Department of Health's website at:

  Learn More FGM Mandatory Reporting-in-Healthcare

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• Strokes & TIAs

  Current symptoms of an acute stroke or acute TIA require a 999 call and emergency transfer of the patient to hospital.

  Where a patient has a past history of a TIA, with symptoms that have fully resolved, they should be advised to consult their GP as soon as possible.

  For further information see:

  Learn More Stroke : Act FAST

• Children

  You can refer a child directly to the Orthoptic Department at the Integrated Care Centre using Opera if you believe a full orthoptic assessment is required. Parents can also self-refer their child if they have concerns.

  Orthoptic Dept.
  Integrated Care Centre
  New Radcliffe St.
  Oldham
  Lancashire
  OL1 1NL
  Tel : 0161 621 3489
  NHSEmail : orthoptics-oldham@nca.nhs.uk (only send from NHSMail)

• Low Vision & Sight Loss Services

  Sight Loss Support Service (RNIB)

  With the agreement of the patient you can refer them to the RNIB Sight Loss Support Pathway through the Opera GOS18 module:

  • • Priority: Routine

  • • Speciality: Ophthalmology

  • • Clinic type: Sight Loss Support Service

  • • Provider: RNIB advice & Support

  You can access the support flow diagram here

  Download Sight Loss Support Flow Diagram

  The RNIB support booklet is here

  Download RNIB Support Booklet

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  Social Services

  The Low Vision Leaflet (LVL) for putting visually impaired people in touch with social services can be downloaded here.

  Download Form Low Vision Leaflet

  It should be sent to:

  The Physical and Sensory Disability Team
  2nd Floor, The LInk Centre
  140 Union Street
  Oldham OL1 1DZ
  Tel : 0161 911 4799

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  The Sightline Directory allows you to search for support services for a patient by town or postcode, and by type of service if you wish.

  Learn More Sightline Directory