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Information for GPs

An image of patients talking to a nurse

The Rapid Diagnosis Centre (RDC) accepts referrals from any GP practice registered within the Swansea, Neath Port Talbot or Bridgend areas.

Patients need to be above the age of 18 and well enough to attend.

Referrals are only accepted electronically through WCCG and can be found under Neath Port Talbot Hospital and Rapid Diagnostic Centre.

All referrals are vetted within a couple of days of being received. Any referrals that are inappropriate, are rejected electronically with a full explanation for the reason why.

  • GP Clinical Suspicion of a serious disease, GP “gut feeling”
  • There is no other suitable urgent referral pathway for this clinical scenario
  • ≥18 years of age
  • The patient is well enough and agrees to go through the process
  • The patient understands the process and is able to attend the RDC, possibly for a whole morning at a time at short notice
  • Provide a working telephone number for the patient
  • Set A in progress

Set A

The following minimum amount of information to be requested is required on each patient before being referred:

  • Panel A bloods (CRP, FBC, U&E, LFT, Bone, TFT, Glucose, HbA1c, Ferritin, Coeliac Screen, either PSA or CA125
  • Dip urine (and record result in referral text)
  • Physical examination including a breast exam for women and a PR exam for men (and record result in referral text)
  • Chest X-ray
  • To counsel patients as to why they are being referred.

With regards to bloods and Chest X-ray, you do not need to wait for the results before referring to the RDC. For convenience we have created a blood form to help, linked here.

 

If you would like to discuss patients' cases further, please contact Catherine Lloyd-Bennett, RDC CNS on 01639 862805 for clinical reasons, or Helen Gray, RDC Manager on 01639 862803 for administrative purposes.

After patients have been seen in the RDC, a detailed clinic letter will be sent electronically within a couple days, detailing a plan going forward.

If a patient is not found to have a diagnosis, we ask that patients are reviewed in a month to re-check symptomatology.

If a significant diagnosis is made on the day, we will contact the practice and advise of it for information purposes only.

Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth a galwadau ffôn yn y Gymraeg neu'r Saesneg. Atebir gohebiaeth Gymraeg yn y Gymraeg, ac ni fydd hyn yn arwain at oedi. Mae’r dudalen hon ar gael yn Gymraeg drwy bwyso’r botwm ar y dde ar frig y dudalen.

We welcome correspondence and telephone calls in Welsh or English. Welsh language correspondence will be replied to in Welsh, and this will not lead to a delay. This page is available in Welsh by clicking ‘Cymraeg’ at the top right of this page.