Referral options During the Corona Virus emergency
Referral Options across Sefton And Liverpool During the Corona Virus Emergency (Liverpool Foundation Trust Hospitals)
St Paul's Eye Department
Effectively anything of urgency will still be assessed.
This would include the patients with:
· wet AMD
· retinal detachment
· disc swelling
· Giant Cell Arteritis
Things of this nature are characterised by the threat to sight or life, and the speed with which it would occur.
We are balancing the risk to sight / life from the ‘eye’ problem with the risk of contracting COVID 19.
The evidence would indicate that patients aged 70 and over are most at risk, but younger patients are not risk free.
We are also trying to prevent the unnecessary movement of people who may be carrying the virus and are capable of spreading it, even though they have little to no symptoms.
If you are unsure whether a patient should be sent to St Paul’s Primary Care, give them a call on 0151 706 3955, and they should be able to obtain some advice for you from one of the doctors.
Aintree Ophthalmology
(NB During the hours of 12noon till 2pm from Monday to Friday)
COVID-19 Daily telephone advice line for Ophthalmology - minimising patient attendance at eye casualty and urgent clinics.
Telephone advice line for GP practices and primary care optometrists in Liverpool, South Sefton, Southport and Formby and West Lancashire CCGs is to go live from Thursday 2nd April 2020.
The telephone advice line is for advice and guidance on referrals or managing urgent cases in the community. This advice will be provided by Mr Ian Marsh, Consultant Ophthalmologist – Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
The advice line telephone number is 0151 529 0197
Monday to Friday from 12-2pm
Following the telephone call, the GP/ primary care optometrist will be emailed a summary of the discussion and detail of the management plan/ proposed treatment/ self-management advice.
GPs/ primary care optometrist can also send images/ photographs with patient consent to [email protected] along with a brief history and advice required.
Existing telephone lines for ophthalmology are still in operation. This provision is temporary and will be reviewed on a regular basis.
If you have any further questions, please contact [email protected]
Outside of 12-2pm, the Aintree Ophthalmic Acute referral Services (OARS) can be contacted
Monday to Friday 9-5 pm
0151-529-0186
For practitioners in the North Of Sefton
Southport and Ormskirk Hospital :
Acute Referral
Mon-Fri 8.30am-5pm
Triage Line 01704 705218
Fax 01704-705229
NHS.NET Triage email address for sending patient identifiable data:
5pm – 9pm Weekdays & 9am-9pm Weekends:
contact the on-call ophthalmologist They can be contacted via main switchboard (Southport - 01704 547 471).
iSight Clinic
iSIGHT Clinics NHS patient services are being curtailed to urgent and essential face to face consultation only. iSIGHT Clinic has also taken the decision to extend these restrictions to the private patient service.
The Senior Management Team, with the agreement of the Medical Director have decided to take the following measures:
- iSIGHT will be cancelling all non-urgent surgery and clinics from Tuesday 24th March 2020, including community clinics in West Lancashire.
- We will provide an opportunity for telephone triage and advice. Face to face consultations will be offered to the patients in the following groups who are classed as essential:
1. High risk glaucoma patients
2. New WET AMD patients (excluding West Lancashire CCG Patients)
3. AMD patients undergoing injections
4. Urgent/emergency patients recently treated at iSIGHT only
- Any patient following triage, telephone discussion, and who is deemed urgent by a member of the clinical team will be offered face to face, but only where appropriate.
Should you require any clinical advice or support please contact us on 01704 552217