The General Medicine department at the WGH offers an inpatient service and outpatient clinics. This page concerns outpatient clinic referrals.
Patients who require same day assessment should be referred to Same Day Emergency Care (SDEC) via Flow Centre.
Where a medical opinion or advice is required, or if you wish to discuss an urgent review, the Medical Registrar or Consultant on call should be contacted via the switchboard (0131 537 1000).
If you have a question or concern relating to the review of a patient by the acute General Medical team at WGH, please contact the medical secretary of the named Consultant rather than making a new SCIgateway referral. However, if it is unrelated please direct your query to the zoned hospital.
C.W. & J.C./M.K. 01-11-23
Who to refer:
- Unknown diagnosis despite appropriate GP investigation and General Medicine is the most appropriate specialty
- Weight loss and suspected cancer, where the primary site is not clear. Primary Care can refer direct for CT CAP for suspected cancer in this circumstance. Please consider if this would be appropriate
- Unexplained syncope and “funny turns” (not first fits, see “who not to refer” below
- Electrolyte imbalance of unknown cause
- Provision of a medical second opinion, although also consider a more specialist opinion if appropriate.
Who not to refer:
- Patients who cannot wait for an outpatient medical appointment. See service information above
- Patients who are known, or have been referred, to other services and have ongoing specialty-specific issues unless seeking a second opinion
- Confirmed cancer patients should be referred to oncology, including unknown primary
- Patients with suspected cancer in which the primary site is apparent should be referred to the appropriate specialty
- First seizure (specific clinic available)
- Patients with allergy issues – consider Dermatology or out of region immunology referral. There is presently no Lothian immunology/anaphylaxis specialist
- Chronic Fatigue – see CFS / ME
- Headaches – refer to neurology
- Elderly multi-morbidity patients may be more appropriate for day hospital or Medicine of the Elderly review
- Possible stroke/ TIA – see Stroke/TIA
- Hyperhidrosis – see Resources and Links tab
- Night sweats – please see Haematology guidance
How to refer:
Please make an electronic referral via SCIgateway selecting WGH > General Medicine > Basic Sign Referral.
Hyperhydrosis leaflet Please also see Dermatology – Hyperhidrosis
