Veterinary professionals

How to refer

Request a referral by phoning us and sending us details of the case.

If you are a veterinary surgeon looking to make a referral to one of our referral services within the Hospital for Small Animals, you can find information  below.
 
Please make initial contact on  0131 650 7650.
 
You can request a referral using our form or by sending a letter or fax on headed notepaper, signed by the relevant vet. We require this as soon as possible after your call and before the patient is seen.
 
Please note that any contact via e-mail must be made from an identifiable practice e-mail address.
 

Case details

To help us manage the case, we must receive full details of all tests and treatments administered, and the responses. We need the vet’s summary of the case, along with any background material, as printouts of case notes are rarely satisfactory and can be misleading.

You can post us this information with full details of the client’s name, referral service involved, and the appointment time. You can also fax the details to 0131 650 7652.

In an emergency, the referral letter can be brought by the client, but we would prefer to receive it in advance.

Dealing with clients

We ask that you make first contact with us, rather than asking your client to contact us. This avoids any confusion about whether the event is a true referral or a client seeking a second opinion without having informed your practice.

Should your client wish to reschedule an appointment or ask for any information, they should call the main reception, on 0131 650 7650.

Emergencies

For emergencies within normal working hours, please phone 0131 650 7650 and submit this form as soon as possible following the call.

If you wish to make an emergency referral out with normal office hours (Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 5:30pm), please contact our emergency service on 0131 650 7883.
 
You should still submit the above form and email the history, lab results, xrays etc to HFSAreception@ed.ac.uk