What will happen when my GP refers me?

If your GP decides that you need referring for treatment a referral letter will be completed and sent electronically to the Manchester Integrated Care Gateway (MICG) centre.

What will then happen to my referral?

Your referral will be checked and will either go for clinical assessment, if this is in place for the condition you are being referred for, or will go straight to the booking stage.

What does clinical assessment involve?

Clinical assessment is a detailed assessment of your referral letter carried out by a specialist clinician. This determines which type of service is most appropriate for you based on the information your GP has included in your referral letter. This may be:

• Your GP, if the assessing clinician can recommend a course of treatment which your GP may not have tried
• A service provided by clinicians with more specialist knowledge/training
• A hospital-based service provided by a consultant and their team

What happens when my referral reaches the booking stage?

A member of staff from the MICG will contact you to discuss the choice of treatment providers available to you and, in the majority of cases, will be able to book an appointment for you. They may also be able to answer any other questions you have about the service.

What do I do now?

If you have a mobile phone, check that your GP practice has the correct number so that this can be included in your referral.

Be ready for the MICG team to contact you and check any dates that you may be unavailable. If you have not heard from the MICG within 7 working days of your GP referring you please contact the team on 0161 947 0770.

Where can I find out more about MICG and the options that are available to me?

Further information can be accessed via the following websites

• www.micg.nhs.uk