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Case studies

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.

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Using Advice and Guidance to reduce the burden on patients and secondary care specialisms

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s Musculoskeletal (MSK) and Pain Service reduce referrals to Secondary Care specialisms by up to 50%.

Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust’s Musculoskeletal (MSK) and Pain Service reduce referrals to Secondary Care specialisms by up to 50%.

Referring from the prison healthcare system

The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust worked with prison health care services to align referrals from detained estates with other e-RS referrals the trust receives

Read more about referring from the prison health care system

Going 'e-referrals only' in a mental health trust

More than 90% of GP referrals into South West London and St. George's Mental Health NHS Trust are now sent using the NHS e-Referral Service.

Read the case study

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

This case study focuses on the successful implementation of the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS) advice and guidance functionality at the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The trust is one of the largest providers of e-RS advice and guidance services in England.

Learn more about Gloucestershire

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust: advice and guidance case study

Paediatrics was the first speciality to open e-RS advice and guidance in 2009, followed by an expansion across a range of specialities. The majority of services provide a 48 hour turnaround for advice and guidance.

Learn more about Somerset

York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust advice and guidance case study

York e-RS advice and guidance services are consultant-led, with the majority of consultants being based in York Hospital, but some providing advice and guidance from the nearby Scarborough General Hospital.

Learn more about York

Imperial College Integration of clinical referral information

Imperial College Healthcare partnered with e-RS to maximise the full range of paper switch off benefits to reduce administrative costs and achieve quicker patient care through API integration.

Learn more about Imperial College

Cutting waiting times using the e-RS Advice and Guidance channel

Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust gastroenterology team reduced its patient waiting times by using the e-Referral Service (e-RS) to give gastroenterology advice and guidance to GPs

Learn more about Northumbria

Earlier case studies

From 2018 we also published a series of primary care and secondary e-RS case studies.  These case studies are still available from the national archive. 

Last edited: 24 January 2025 9:18 am