Health Secretary, Alan Johnson yesterday announced that even NHS patients should be able to refer themselves for specialist treatment. This was in the context of physiotherapists, speech therapists and dieticians, but it is clear to see that this is only the start. He went on to say that it was necessary to do this in order to do without the "unnecessary hoop jumping" of seeing a doctor first.
Alan Johnson told the Chief Health Professions Officers conference in London that self-referral means more flexibility for patients, quicker treatment and less time off work. It’s pretty obvious, why put at least two people out (yourself and the GP) with an unnecessary appointment in order to get to the person you really need to see?
He said: "I am giving the green light to physiotherapists, podiatrists and all Allied Health Professionals that they can accept patients who self-refer. Services provided by Allied Health Professionals play a vital part in building a society that's fair and inclusive.”
Self-referral is; ‘a system of access for patients to refer themselves to a clinician directly, without having to see or be prompted by another healthcare practitioner’. The trouble is – who do you refer yourself to? Previously you might have relied on the good advice of your GP, but the world has moved on in many ways. For example, your General Practitioner probably only knows the more local providers of specialist services and in an era of ‘choice’, the internet and the ‘informed’ patient this may not be sufficient.
We hope the expert information provided on this website will assist you to make informed decisions over your self-referral.
A healh professional who specialises in physical therapies, such as exercise, massage and manipulation.
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Another term for chiropodist, a healthcare professional (not medically qualified doctor) specialising in foot care.
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