- Please note that all patients up to their 16th birthday should now be referred to paediatric service for both acute and out patient services, this includes RHCYP and SJH
- The inpatient and outpatient services are offered across different sites so the following information is site specific.
Edinburgh, Mid and East Lothian (RHCYP site)
Please refer via RHSC SCI Gateway according to urgency. Urgent referrals that do not necessarily require same day review, cases can either be discussed with a senior paediatrician (as per telephone advice below) or referred urgently as an urgent OPD referral via SCI Gateway.
Emergency care: The Paediatric ED (Emergency Department) is based at RHSC. All children requiring emergency assessment or care should attend the ED. If the child has been discussed with a medical or surgical specialty team prior to being sent to ED then a referral letter should ideally accompany the child unless in acute life threatening cases where this would delay transfer.
Telephone advice for health professionals (GP or Health visitor) is available via Lothian Hospitals switchboard 0131 537 6000, request bleep #9250 (weekdays 9am -5pm) and bleep #9424 “out of hours”
Outpatient Phlebotomy Service
Paediatric radiology. Patients who require imaging can be referred directly to radiology at RHSC – see the Paediatric Radiology Homepage for guidance
West Lothian (St John’s site)
General Paediatric clinics are held at multiple sites across West Lothian and children up to their 16th Birthday. Please refer via SJH SCI Gateway according to urgency. For urgent referrals that do not necessarily require same day review, cases can either be discussed with a senior paediatrician (as per telephone advice below) or referred urgently as an urgent OPD referral via SCI Gateway.
Telephone advice for health professionals (GP or Health visitor) is available via St John’s Hospital switchboard 01506 523000 – please ask to speak to the paediatric registrar on-call Bleep #3564
Paediatric phlebotomy service in St John’s site: Please see paediatric phlebotomy information Phlebotomy – RefHelp (nhslothian.scot)
Who to refer for emergency care:
- Children with an ongoing health problem which is already looked after at RHCYP of any age. (i.e. 16 years and older)
- Some neonatal problems e.g. excess weight loss in the first few days of life may be more appropriately discussed with / referred to the neonatal unit registrar at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh via 0131 536 1000
Who to refer to out-patients:
- Children with a new presentation from birth to their 16th birthday at RHCYP and SJH
Types of referrals:
- Please refer to General Paediatric Pages on RefHelp for further general paediatric advice to help decide if referral is needed and to gain advice on investigation and management options prior to decision to refer for outpatient attendance.
- Common general paediatric conditions, such as constipation, gastro-oesophageal reflux, simple diarrhoeal problems and recurrent abdominal pain can usually be managed in General Practice. If red flags are present or concerns persist despite GP management they may be referred to the General Paediatric Service.
Non-urgent Advice (No service after 17:00 or on weekends)
- If you do not know whether a paediatric review is necessary and/or wish to obtain some non-urgent advice, please write or refer via Sci Gateway indicating that you are seeking advice and not necessarily expecting an appointment.
- We are happy to offer advice by telephone as this may well expedite management
- If a particular child is already under current follow-up with a Paediatrician at RHCYP please consider contacting that paediatrician via their Medical Secretary:
Fiona Troy on 0131 312 0439 (Drs Jones/Stark/Nwafor/Ellis/Joseph)
Betty Offerman on 0131 536 0971 (Drs Millman/Biggerstaff/Hathorn/Horne/Kirk/Sharma)
Clare Traynor on 0131 312 0438 (Drs Broomfield/Patwardhan/MacInnes)
St John’s site: contact details :
Lorraine Hamilton 01506 524379 (Lorraine.l.hamilton@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk) – Secretary to Drs Rashid/Tybulewicz
Heather Rogers 01506 514389 (heather.rogers@nhs.lothian.scot.nhs.uk) – Secretary to Drs Lilitos/Rhodes/Babani/Duncan, Kay Morrison 01506 524381 (kay.c.morrison@nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk) – Secretary to Drs Valentine/Cordiner/Barclay
Who Not to refer:
Please see further speciality Links in Resources Page below
- Child Protection concern – see link to Child protection service in Lothian or Pathway on RefHelp
- Communication / speech delay / hearing loss – see link to Community Paediatrics
- Developmental delay as the only concern – see link to Community Paediatrics
- Assessment for autistic spectrum disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder see link to Community Paediatrics
- Daytime and Nocturnal Enuresis – see Paediatric Incontinence Pathway
- Young people who have left school
- Less than 3 episodes of lower/cystitis confirmed UTI with a typical (E coli organism)
- Children with minor behavioural problems not impacting medical health e.g. poor sleep, picky eaters
How to refer:
RHCYP site
Emergency care: Children requiring emergency care can be directed straight to the Paediatric Emergency Department (ED) at RHCYP for triage and management without contacting the on-call medical team or a referral letter.
Urgent referral: Children who need urgent review but not necessarily that day can either be discussed with a senior paediatrician as above or if more appropriate referred in urgently as an urgent OPD referral via SCI Gateway.
Routine referral: OPD referrals are via SCI Gateway.
Advice: Telephone advice can be accessed via switchboard on 0131 536 000 Bleep 9250 (Paediatric Consultant or Tier 2 ) between 09:00 and 1700 .
St John’s site
Emergency care: Children (Up to 16th Birthday) requiring emergency care can be referred to the paediatric team directly on 01506523000 ask for the Paediatric Tier 2 on Bleep 3564
Urgent referral who need urgent review but not necessarily that day can either be discussed with a senior paediatrician as above or if more appropriate referred in urgently as an urgent OPD referral via SCI Gateway.
Routine referral: (Up to 16th Birthday) OPD referrals are via SCI Gateway. e advice can be accessed via switchboard on 01506523000 ask for the Paediatric Tier 2 on Bleep 3564. Alternatively, please send a request for advice via SCI Gateway.
Long Covid and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in Children and Young People – a resource – Children and young people with COVID – Your COVID Recovery
Community Paediatrics (developmental concerns/looked after children – RefHelp page)
Children with behavioural and emotional problems – Community Paediatrics – RefHelp page
Prolonged-Jaundice-Parent-Information-Leaflet_final-28-10-20.pdf
PROLONGED-JAUNDICE-25-10-21.pdf
Paediatric Pain Management – RefHelp page
Radiology (advice on paediatric imaging in primary care – Ref Help page)
Renal service – Guideline for the management of Acute UTI in Childhood
