Information for Healthcare Professionals

• Patients must be registered with a GP in the Great Yarmouth and Waveney area.
• Neurology nurses: Any patient aged 18 years and over, with a diagnosis of Parkinson’s (including Parkinson’s-plus conditions e.g. PSP, MSA, CBD), multiple sclerosis, or Motor Neurone Disease.
• Neurology Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy: Any patient aged 16 years and over, with a confirmed diagnosis of a neurological condition.
• Patients who require active rehabilitation following an acute neurological diagnosis or episode. This may include cognitive, visual, sensory, upper limb, gait or functional rehabilitation.
• Patients with long-term neurological conditions who would benefit from ongoing monitoring and support - this may be from diagnosis through to palliative stages.

• We cannot accept patients who are more than 2 years post-stroke, unless there are complex spasticity management issues.
• We are unable to accept patients with new neurological symptoms who do not yet have a diagnosis; these should be referred to the consultant neurologist in the first instance.
• Please be aware that we are not an urgent service. Therefore, for any urgent reactive needs such as equipment or manual handling issues, please refer to the local Primary Care Home team: https://www.ecch.org/our-services/primary-care-homes-pch/  

E-Referral to this team is available through SystmOne

• We are currently unable to accept referrals for Vocational Rehab.
• Patients who require long-term equipment needs which are not health related, or housing adaptations, should be referred to social services.
  Norfolk: https://www.norfolk.gov.uk/41762  or call 0344 800 8020 
  Suffolk: https://www.suffolk.gov.uk/care-and-support-for-adults/how-social-care-can-help/contact-adult-social-care  or call 0800 917 1109

SystmOne users can quickly and easily send a direct e-Referral to us. Please ensure all relevant sections are completed with as much detail as possible. An ‘Advice & Guidance’ option is also available to SystmOne users.

If you are a non-SystmOne user, you can refer your patient by completing this form and emailing to access@ecchcic.nhs.uk 

We operate a review system, which means that patients with a long-term neurological condition can remain open on our caseload. Patients receive regular reviews and, as part of their self-management, are encouraged to contact the service directly themselves if their needs change.

If you are a SystmOne user, you can check the ‘referrals’ section in the clinical tree. As demonstrated in this document.

If you are a non-SystmOne user, you can email us to check before sending a new referral: NEUROLOGYSERVICES@ecchcic.nhs.uk or by calling 01493 809977.

We do not currently accept self-referral for patients unless they have been under the care of our service before.

Patients who previously been supported by our team may self-refer again in future if further input is needed. This supports timely access to care and helps optimise clinical capacity across primary and secondary care.

This can be done easily and quickly online.

We aim to triage all referrals within 24-48 working hours of receipt.

Once we’ve accepted the referral, we will contact every patient to let them know they are under our care. As a digital-first service, this will normally be via text or email, but alternatives are available to meet the needs of all our patients.

Patients will be invited to complete a more detailed initial assessment, then will remain on our waiting list until the next available appointment.

Whilst on our waiting list, we will remain in contact to support and encourage patients to explore what other self-help options might be suitable for their specific needs.

We offer a choice of how patients can book their appointments with us.

Option one: Booking online

Option two: Booking via our call centre

Patients are encouraged take the responsibility for booking their own appointments, where able.

We aim that once a patient is under our care, we will take responsibility for all their rehabilitation needs.

If your patient has a concern, question or an issue with any aspect of the Neurology Service and their care, please encourage them to contact us on 01493 809977 or via email neurologyservices@ecchcic.nhs.uk 

Alternatively, feedback can be given directly to our Patient Advice and Liaison Service on 01502 445447, or via email: PATIENTLIAISON@ecchcic.nhs.uk 

*Please note, our service is separate to the consultant-led neurology service at the James Paget University Hospital. Therefore, any concerns or queries about consultant neurologist appointments should be directed to the neurology secretaries on 01493 453685.

We are happy to answer any questions related to referrals, patient care or any other aspect of the Community Neurology service.

Email: neurologyservices@ecchcic.nhs.uk 

SystmOne users: Please submit an Advice & Guidance request.

Call: 01493 809977 (Monday-Sunday, 07:00-20:00)