Referral information

As we are an acute service, referrals for a SLT assessment of communication and swallowing difficulties are received directly from staff on the ward.

To refer a patient to the Head and Neck Cancer SLT team, please use our referral form.

Download the Head and Neck SLT referral form

Please visit the Kent Community Health Foundation Trust website for information regarding community SLT services.

Our breast screening service is for women without symptoms.

GPs can arrange to refer patients for a mammogram or other tests if needed.

Very high risk referrals

Please send very high-risk referrals to us at ekhuft.kentbreastvhr@nhs.net.

Please download, fill and email the appropriate form below:

GP cardiac investigation referral form GP echocardiogram request form

Health professionals who have gained consent from the child’s parent or carers can send a referral to our service, providing details of the hearing or balance concerns. 

We only accept electronic referrals to our email: ekh-tr.eastkentchildrenshearingservice@nhs.net

Referrals will be triaged by our clinical team to the most appropriate clinic using the information given on the referral form or referral letter.

A child/young person can be referred to our service by someone who knows them well and has all the relevant information to complete the referral.

Sometimes we may decide on receiving a referral for your child that it is not appropriate or necessary for your child to be seen by our service. A letter will be sent explaining our reasons to the referrer.

When a child is referred to the service, they may need to be assessed by only one therapy or a combination of two or three.

Our therapy staff will triage the referral and at that point will accept or reject the referral according to the therapy criteria. They will also decide who needs to see the child at their first appointment and the details of this are included in the appointment letter. Referrals that are identified as particularly urgent are fast-tracked while all other referrals are offered an appointment as soon as possible.

Please note children and young people with a Canterbury, Faversham or Thanet GP need to refer to Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust.

Providing additional information

Additional information is required with some referrals, listed below. If there is insufficient information on the referral form to make a clinical decision on the appropriate route to the service, the referral will be rejected with a request for more information.

Completing the relevant forms will provide the therapist(s) with valuable information for planning the assessment.

We thank you for your time in completing these. If you have any queries relating to these forms please contact your local service for advice. 

Occupational Therapy

Children with mild to moderate motor coordination difficulties affecting school progress are required to have participated in a structured motor programme (FIZZY, Jump Ahead) at school for a minimum of 50 sessions.

Referrals will be returned where this is not the case. This must be evidenced on the additional information form.

If you are referring a child for Occupational Therapy assessment, please attach the Occupational Therapy Additional Information Form:

Download the Occupational Therapy Additional Information form

Speech and Language Therapy

A referral to our Speech and Language service is only required for children who:

• are home schooled

• have a significant hearing impairment

• have a voice disorder

• have issues with eating, drinking and/or swallowing.

All other Speech and Language needs are addressed via school link therapy meetings and Special Education Needs Coordinator.

For pre-school children who need help with communication, see our walk-in speech and language service (Talking Walk-ins) - no referral required.

Feeding and Drinking

If you are referring a child specifically for a feeding or drinking related concern then please attach a completed:

Feeding, Eating, Drinking and Swallowing additional information form

Hearing Impairment

If you are referring a child with a recognised hearing loss, please include with the referral form:

• a recent report including details of their hearing loss, e.g. Audiogram / ABR

• an indication on the referral form how the hearing loss is impacting their speech, language and communication skills.

Physiotherapy

Where available, our Physiotherapy referrals require a clinic letter/report to accompany the referral form.

Complete our referral form

Complete our Children and Young People's Therapy referral form

Please note this link is secure, and you do not need to password protect any additional documents.

For referrals to Kent Portage Service please complete the Portage referral form.

When you feel that a pre-child would benefit from support from more than one health professional (including key workers, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and community Paediatrician), use this form to refer children to the NHS Children's Care Co-ordination Team (formerly known as Early Support). 

NHS Children's Care Co-ordination team referral form

Referrals for preschool children

Referrals for preschool children must be made via the NHS Children’s Care Coordinating Team (NHSCCCT). All children < 4 years old with difficulties in 2 or more developmental areas should be referred into this service using our referral form.

Download our Kent Children’s Care Coordination Team Pre-School referral form

A referral to Portage can be made at the same time for those children not in nursery. If children are in nursery a nursery report should be included.

Children not yet in nursery but with concerns about possible ASD should also be referred via the NHSCCCT.

Children in nursery with concerns about possible ASD should be referred  with a nursery report, and any other assessment reports e.g. speech and language.  

Children referred for a developmental assessment can be referred using the referral form; please include any assessments already completed and a clear reason for the request.

Where a child is due to start school in the September (and the concerns relate to social communication) the referral should go via the school age below if the referral is being sent after April. 

The referrals should be sent to the relevant email address on the referral form.    

Referrals for school age children

Referrals from school must be completed via our online school referral form.

Children with concerns about possible ASD – please include a school report and any assessments already completed.

Transfers into our area – please send copies of all reports.

Please download, fill and email the form below which contains all the necessary tests prior to the referral at the EKHUFT fertility service.

Fertility Assessment Referral Form

Email: ekhuft.womenshealthenquiries@nhs.net

Tel: 01227 864369

For further information, please contact Karen Beagley.

Visit our KMCAT pages for health professionals for more information

Referrals from local dentists and/or medical professionals are accepted via Vantage Rego. 

Once the patient is accepted for a new patient consultation via the triage process, they will undergo a full and comprehensive restorative assessment at William Harvey Hospital, this may include further radiographs (if needed), and a comprehensive treatment plan.

All patients undergoing treatment within the Restorative department will be seen either at William Harvey Hospital or at Kent and Canterbury Hospital depending on what condition the patient has and who they need to see for treatment. Following the consultation appointment, a detailed report and treatment plan will be sent back to the referring clinician (and a copy to the patient). We may accept the patient for a course of treatment within the department. This treatment will be carried out by a Restorative Consultant or a member of their team working under the Consultant’s supervision. We expect patients to continue to see their local dentist for routine dental check-ups during their care within our department. This is based on the NHS shared cared model of patient care.

Please note; we cannot accept patients for treatment until all primary dental disease (caries and periodontal disease) has been stabilized. For Periodontal referrals, we can only accept referrals after the Primary care Dentist has completed 2 courses of non-surgical periodontal treatment under local anaesthesia (for all pockets ≥ 4mm) and the patient has good oral hygiene with plaque scores < 20%.

Restorative dentistry referral criteria

Please see below guidance for referring dental practitioners on Restorative complexity case acceptance at William Harvey Hospital.

Complex Periodontal acceptance criteria

• Periodontitis, Stage III/ IV or Grade C - after you have completed 2 courses of non-surgical periodontal therapy (with local anaesthetic for all pockets ≥ 4mm) and the patient has good oral hygiene with plaque scores < 20%

• Infrabony/Vertical defects

• Recession defects

• Periodontal surgical management

• Crown lengthening surgery

• Peri-implant disease advice only.

Complex Endodontic acceptance criteria

• Dental trauma

• Open apices

• Separated instrument cases

• Perforation management

• Single/ Multiple root canals with curvature > 40°

• Sclerosed canals

• Peri-radicular surgery

• Resorption cases.

Complex Prosthodontic acceptance criteria

• Severe tooth surface loss requiring full mouth rehabilitation or increase in occlusal vertical dimension

• Extra-coronal restorations requiring significant changes to occlusal vertical dimension

• Implant supported restoration

• Removable prosthesis (after the local dental practitioner has made 1 new/ or set of dentures within the last 1 year)

• Prosthesis involving sectional dentures

• Oro-facial defects requiring obturation.

GP referrals and outpatient clinics

The demand for appointments in Neurology Outpatients is very high. It is essential that waiting times are kept to a minimum to ensure patients with serious neurological illnesses receive timely assessment and management. Patients with some conditions may be better served by other specialities or be adequately managed in primary care. For these reasons please refer according to the guidelines below.

Please be reminded that only referrals made by general practitioners, through E- referral service will be accepted. 

Download our guidelines for acceptance criteria

Acute Neurology Ward

Please note this is for referrals relating to Acute Neurology ward (Mount) & East Kent Neurorehabilitation Unit (EKNRU) Wards only.

All acute neurology referrals and repatriation of patients from King’s to Neurology at East Kent Hospitals must be addressed to the generic East Kent Neurological Unit (Treble Ward) Please send to: ekhuft.acuteneurologyreferrals@nhs.net.

They must be accompanied by a completed referral form.

Download the acute neurology ward referral form

Repatriation to East Kent Neurological Unit is dependent upon acceptance by the Neurology Team.

Where a patient is accepted the Bed Manager for East Kent Hospitals will be aware as they are on the generic email list.

The generic email list regarding Repatriation includes all Neurology staff concerned with East Kent Neurological Unit, the Bed Manager at Kent & Canterbury hospital and the Neuroscience Bed Managers at King’s College Hospital and the particular referring Doctor in any case will be added to the list in relation to that case.

If rejected and referral to East Kent Neurorehabilitation Unit (EKNRU) is suggested, please refer as per process below.

If Rejected and referral to Medicine is suggested than the referring doctor should contact the medical registrar on call at either acute site QEQM Margate or WHH Ashford please ask through switchboard Phone: 01227 766877 (switchboard).

Refer to East Kent Neurorehabilitation Unit (EKNRU)

All Neuro-rehabilitation referrals and repatriation of patients from King’s to The East Kent Neurorehabilitation Unit (EKNRU) should send their completed EKNRU Referral forms to ekhuft.eknrureferrals@nhs.net for review by the MDT.

The East Kent Neurorehabilitation Unit (EKNRU)  is at the Kent and Canterbury Hospital with 19 dedicated neurorehab beds. More information about the Unit and its service can be found in the Neurorehabilitation Unit patient leaflet. 

If you need to discuss your referral with a member of the clinical team please contact the ward on Phone: 01227 868713

If Rejected and referral to Medicine is suggested than the referring doctor should contact the medical registrar on call at either acute site QEQM Margate or WHH Ashford please ask through switchboard Phone: 01227 766877 (switchboard)

Please fill in the form below for referrals to EKNRU and send to ekhuft.eknrureferrals@nhs.net

Download the neurorehabilitation unit referral form

Address: Harvey Ward, Kent & Canterbury Hospital, Ethelbert Road, Canterbury, CT1 3NG

First seizure referral

Referring from anywhere within the trust for patients who present with a first seizure or suspicion of a first seizure. This is a referral form for first seizure only. Referrals for other neurological indications will not be accepted through this pathway. 

Download the first seizure referral form

Refer for motor neurone disease

Referrals to the team can be made by:

• Person with M.N.D, family/relative or carer(s)

• Consultant Neurologist (specialist in diseases of the nervous system)

• GP

• Other professionals involved in persons care.

• Referrals can be made via letter, provided the person with MND is aware of and has a definite diagnosis.

Referrals should be made to:

• Dr Moran, Consultant Neurologist

• Cheryl Wright, Secretary to Dr Moran, telephone: 01227 868716

• Christine Batts, MND Nurse Specialist, telephone: 07771 841690 (mobile)

• Amelia Roberts, MND Specialist Nurse, telephone: 07768 272516

• Kay Shaw, Secretary to MND nurse specialist, telephone: 01227 868093

Working hours: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 8.30am to 2.30pm.

Tower Neuro Rehab Unit
Kent and Canterbury Hospital,
Ethelbert Road,
Canterbury,
Kent,
CT1 3NG

For referrals to the Radiological Science departments within our Trust, referrers include:

• Registered medical and dental practitioners employed by EKHUFT

• Registered healthcare professionals from EKHUFT and Community Health referring under agreed protocols

• General Practitioners

• Nurse practitioners and other registered healthcare professionals referring to EKHUFT under agreed protocol

• Registered dental practitioners referring from the Community Dental Service and private practice

• Registered medical and dental practitioners not employed by EKHUFT, referring from other NHS Trusts or private hospitals.

If you wish to refer a patient to the EKHUFT for an X-ray or Nuclear Medicine examination, then you need to follow the recommended referral guidelines. This is important to ensure that your request is appropriate and justifiable, and hence that delays for your patient can be avoided. For registered healthcare professionals other than General Practitioners, it is also important for there to be an agreement with EKHUFT that entitles you to refer. If you work within a GP practice, then this agreement should be set up through your practice.

Key referral criteria

Login to iRefer, username (case sensitive): EastKent-2018 / Password (case sensitive): EastKentXray1.

For advice on setting up an agreement to refer for registered healthcare professionals, other than medical or dental practitioners, or regarding referral guidelines please contact:

Deputy General Manager, Radiological Sciences on 01227 864266 or via switchboard 01227 766877.

Please complete our referral form below and email it to ekhuft.mrcreferral@nhs.net

Download our Major Revision Centre Knee Service referral form

Clinical responsibility for vascular services in east Kent, Medway and Maidstone areas is with the Kent and Medway Vascular Network, provided by East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (EKHUFT).

Acute referrals

Patients requiring inpatient vascular treatment in the Medway, Maidstone and east Kent areas will be treated at Kent and Canterbury Hospital (EKHUFT).

Complex cases, especially thoracic aortic emergencies, will be treated at St Thomas’ in London (Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust).

Day surgery is provided at both Medway Maritime and Kent and Canterbury hospitals.

Patients access vascular outpatient clinics and diagnostic tests at their local hospitals in Medway, Maidstone, Ashford, Canterbury and Margate.

Download the referral pathway for vascular surgery

Emergency referrals

Discuss with East Kent Vascular Surgery Registrar on 07974 612680

• Ruptured or symptomatic AAA

• Acute limb ischaemia

• Critically unwell vascular patients / bleeding.

Discuss with St Thomas’ Vascular Surgery Registrar on 07717 513348

• Aortic dissection / thoracic aortic problems.

Urgent referrals: require urgent inpatient review or follow up

Discuss with Vascular Surgery Registrar on 07974 612680

• Severe diabetic foot infection

• Critical limb ischaemia with sepsis

• Stroke/TIA for carotid endarterectomy

• Upper limb and iliofemoral DVT

• Digital ischaemia.

Semi-urgent: may require inpatient review or outpatient follow up

Use Careflow app to discuss with Vascular SpR on call

• Chronic critical limb ischaemia

• Incidental AAA

• Acute uncomplicated DVT.

Non-urgent: require outpatient appointment / follow up

Refer to: ekh-tr.vascular-kch@nhs.net

• Claudication

• Asymptomatic carotid stenosis

• Leg ulcers (venous / non-arterial / diabetic)

• Symptomatic varicose veins.

Primary care referrals

All new primary care referrals for vascular services for patients in Medway, Maidstone and east Kent are to be made to East Kent Hospitals and will be managed by the Kent and Medway Vascular Network.

If you are a GP in Medway, east Kent or the Maidstone area of west Kent please select EKHUFT on the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) when referring patients to vascular services, and not a London hospital.

Contact details

Kent and Medway Network vascular team: 01227 868686

Kent and Canterbury Hospital switchboard: 01227 766877 (for named consultant)