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How to refer

Any healthcare professional can refer a patient to us.

Patients and families can also ask directly to be seen by the Palliative Care Team. There is a single point of access for referrals.

Referrals for Inpatient Assessments

To refer during office hours - 8:30am and 5:00pm - Monday to Friday please contact  (01223) 274404

Out of hours - There is an answer machine to take non-urgent referrals.

Out of hours urgent Specialist Palliative Care advice is available via the consultant on-call contactable via Addenbrooke's switchboard (01223) 245151.

The team aims to respond to all referrals within 24 working hours, but is not staffed to provide an immediate response.

When referring please have the following information to hand;

• Name of patient
• Hospital number
• NHS number
• DOB
• Sex
• Patient address and telephone number
• Consultant the patient is under the care of
• GP Name, address and telephone number  
• Details of any other professionals involved in the patient's care (e.g. Community Palliative Care Team) 
• Diagnosis
• Diagnosis date
• Reason for referral
• If the patient is aware of the referral
• Urgency of referral

Please ensure that the patient has been informed of, and agrees, to the referral. 

Referrals for Outpatient Assessments

For a referral to Addenbrooke's Palliative Medicine Outpatient Clinic please write to Dr Dee Traue or Dr Sara Booth, Box 193.

Referrals for community support or outpatient clinics at hospices should be made directly to the appropriate Community Palliative Care Team. This is determined geographically by the location of the patients GP.