NHS e-Referral Service
Referrer screen changes
If you're an e-RS (initial) referring user, for example a GP, find out about the upcoming referrer screen changes and those implemented in June 2021.
Advice and guidance toolkit
Advice and guidance allows a clinician to seek advice from another, providing digital communication between two clinicians: the “requesting” clinician and the provider of a service, the “responding” clinician.
Find out more by reviewing the advice and guidance toolkit.
Using the service
If you're a patient, find out more about appointment booking on the NHS.UK website.
Whether you're using e-RS for the first time, or an existing user wanting to make the most of the service, NHS Digital provides a range of material for referrers (such as a general practice), providers (a hospital or clinic) and commissioners.
This demonstration video shows a typical patient journey using e-RS:
This shows how to:
- create a service
- raise an Advice and Guidance request and receive responses
- create a referral
- a patient makes an appointment online
- a provider accepts a referral
Benefits of the service
Cost and time savings
Fewer missed appointments
Fewer inappropriate referrals
Shorter referral to treatment times
Choice of hospital or specialist
Choice of appointment date and time
Improving the service
We are continually improving the service and many changes have already been made, and more are planned. Find out how the service is improving.
Contact us or find out more
Have a question about e-RS?
Discover how you can find further information and how to contact us.
Further information
More referrals are being made electronically with the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). Using e-RS means practices have the chance to save time by helping patients manage their referral online.
Download guidance and implementation documents for the NHS e-Referral Service.
Find out about the improvements we're making and our user feedback process.
Find out about NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) planned maintenance and service availability
These reports are intended to be used in addition to local NHS e-Referral Service reports and extracts available from within our application. Each report includes a cover page detailing the contents, and the criteria used for any data analysis.
Find information and training to help you get started with making referrals in the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS), as well as guidance and help to make the most of the system.
Information and training for providers using the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS), as well as guidance and help to make the most of the system. You can also learn about benefits and best practice.
The NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) is used to make around 70,000 referrals daily. A full record of these is available in the application, with a wealth of information that can be used when making commissioning decisions and managing referrals.
This guidance has been prepared to help General Practitioners and their staff understand the most effective way of using e-RS and thereby support them in the management of their patients.
Covering lessons learned and personal experiences, these case studies provide an insight into the implementation, benefits and use of the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) across primary and secondary care.
Find out more about integration and how to connect systems to the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS)
Why and how we process your data in the NHS e-Referral Service, and your rights.
If you're a patient or a professional system user with a question, the section below will help to provide an answer.
Last edited: 27 May 2021 9:54 am