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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.
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The e-RS Manage Your Referral (MYR) website is easy for patients to use. It allows them to book, check, change and cancel their appointments online without help from the practice.
Most patients will be directed to a booking webpage which provides information about the referral process. From here they can access the MYR website from the 'Start now' button. The patient will need their booking reference number and access code to manage their referral online.
Where patients have been provided with a shortlist of services, they will be able to choose a service or book their own appointment at a convenient date, time and location.
This means fewer patients contacting the GP practice to find out what is happening with their referral.
Patients who have registered with NHS Login and have downloaded the NHS App on their device, can easily manage their referral or first hospital appointment via the NHS App.
This is great news for patients and will hopefully encourage more of them to manage their referrals online.
Emails to patients
Patients are now able to receive information on how to manage their referral or first hospital appointments via an email sent to them, instead of (or as well as) having a printed letter given to them. The email is sent via e-RS to the email address registered when the patient created their NHS login account. This makes it easier and quicker for patients to securely access their digital health and care services with a single login account.
For patients who have an NHS login account, a ‘Send Patient Email’ button will be displayed to the initiating referrer and when a provider is redirecting the referral, after a shortlist has been created and submitted. The button will not show for patients who do not have an NHS login account.
The patient will receive an email with a link. When this link is selected, it will prompt the user to login with their NHS Login account details. Once they have successfully logged in, they can choose a clinic or book or manage their appointment. Where appointments are not available for their chosen provider, the patient can still send the referral and ask the provider to arrange an appointment for them.
Should it be required, the email can be resent or printed out.
Watch this short video which explains how patients can access their referral information online.
What you can do
Please talk to your patients about managing their own referral online.
We know the online service isn’t suitable for all patients, so the telephone appointment line is still available. Practices may still need to help those patients who need the booking made for them and for more urgent or two-week wait appointments.
This video shows an overview of the application as well as the benefits of using this for both patients and professionals:
