How to contact our GP liaison service

The Royal Free London (RFL) GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent service.

Please contact us using the following details:

In line with NHS mail policy, the RFL GP liaison inbox has a new email address. The old address rf.gpliaison@nhs.net is no longer active.

The above are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information.

We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Patient referral and appointment queries

Patients should contact our outpatient appointments call centre if they have any questions about their care. This includes information about referrals, appointments, and test results.

If the team is unable to answer a patient’s question, they will forward the call to the relevant service.

Please contact us using the following details:

  • Queries about North Middlesex University Hospital: 020 8887 3663 or 020 8887 3664. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8.15am to 4.30pm.
  • Queries about other hospitals and satellite sites: 020 7443 9757. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 5pm.

Information about outpatient appointments

Royal Free London maternity and neonatal services: open as usual 

Following the approval of recommendations to change how maternity and neonatal services will be delivered across north central London (NCL), we want to reassure everyone across our communities that our services are open as usual and there are no changes to the care we provide. 

We continue to offer high quality, safe services at all of our hospitals.

Please advise your patients that we are accepting new bookings and to continue attending any appointments that they may have. 

More information about our maternity services is available on our website. 

Changes to immunology and allergy testing blood tubes

The Royal Free Hospital and Barnet Hospital have changed the blood collection tubes for immunology and allergy testing. Red top vacutainers have been replaced to gold top vacutainers.

This change will help ensure faster results, better sample preservation and a reduced risk of haemolysis.

Please read this document for Health Services Laboratories for further information.

If you experience problems, please contact rf-tr.pathologyadminsupport@nhs.net.

Reminder: ordering pathology tests

All pathology tests must be requested electronically via tQuest. Handwritten requests will not be accepted.

GPs are asked to create a new order for every test requested through tQuest as this will ensure tests are processed without delay.

If you have any queries, please contact the Health Service Laboratories helpdesk: helpdesk@tdlpathology.com.

The helpdesk is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Leadership news

Barnet Hospital chief executive Deborah Sanders has announced that she will be retiring in July after nearly 40 years of service to the NHS.

Deborah joined the RFL in 1994, having previously trained as a nurse at the Royal Free Hospital.

In addition to his current role as Chase Farm Hospital and group clinical services chief executive, Palmer Winstanley will provide interim chief executive leadership for Barnet Hospital.

Minimally invasive gastroenterology diagnostics available at Hadley Wood Hospital

Hadley Wood Hospital is offering minimally invasive gastroenterology diagnostics for bowel health checks.

The package includes capsule endoscopy, heart rate variability monitoring and breath testing.

For more information, please visit the RFL's private patients' unit website or contact Joseph Mekkattukulam, sales and engagement manager: rf-tr.ppugpconsultantliaisonoffice@nhs.net.

Please share this information with patients who might be interested.

View indicative waiting times

Indicative waiting times for routine first appointments, cancer two-week waits, and diagnostics across north central London are available on the North Central London GP website.

Indicative waiting times

How to contact our GP liaison service

The Royal Free London (RFL) GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent service.

Please contact us using the following details:

In line with NHS mail policy, the RFL GP liaison inbox has a new email address. The old address rf.gpliaison@nhs.net is no longer active.

The above are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information.

We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Start Well: important update about the Royal Free London's maternity and neonatal services

Following extensive public and staff engagement, recommendations to change how maternity and neonatal services will be delivered across north central London (NCL) have been approved by the NCL Integrated Care Board (ICB) and NHS England (Specialised Commissioning).

The agreed recommendations include:

  • Closing maternity and neonatal services at the Royal Free Hospital after several years.

           Maternity services will be consolidated onto four hospital sites: Barnet Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, University College London Hospitals, and Whittington Health. 

These hospitals will all provide at least level two neonatal care, and both obstetric and midwifery-led maternity care. Home births will also continue to be available across NCL.

  • Closing the birthing suites at Edgware Birth Centre and expanding neonatal and postnatal care at the site.
  • An additional £67 million of capital investment to improve the quality of the estate across NCL's Integrated Care System maternity and neonatal services.

The decision comes after a rigorous process, including a public consultation and extensive work with clinicians to develop recommendations.

What this means for our service users

We want to reassure everyone across our communities that our services are open as usual and that there is no immediate changes to the care we provide.

We continue to offer safe, high-quality services and patients with upcoming appointments at the Royal Free Hospital or Edgware Birth Centre should continue to attend.

Please advise those visiting your practice that our services are open and that they are able to book to have their baby at both sites.

Read more on our website

Patient referral and appointment queries

Patients should contact our outpatient appointments call centre if they have any questions about their care. This includes information about referrals, appointments, and test results.

If the team is unable to answer a patient’s question, they will forward the call to the relevant service.

Please contact us using the following details:

  • Queries about North Middlesex University Hospital: 020 8887 3663 or 020 8887 3664. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8.15am to 4.30pm.
  • Queries about other hospitals and satellite sites: 020 7443 9757. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 5pm.

Information about outpatient appointments

New pain management referral form

A new referral form has been introduced for pain management services at Edgware Community Hospital and Hadley Wood Hospital.

When we receive the referral, patients will be triaged and may be seen by a consultant, advanced practitioner, pain psychologist, physiotherapist, or pain nurse.

GPs are asked to submit the referral form via the pain management service on e-RS: ‘Edgware Community Hospital & Hadley Wood Hospital – Royal Free Hospital NHS Trust’

Before making a referral, please ensure that your patient is willing and able to follow self-care advice to improve their condition.

Email referrals will not be accepted.

For more information, please contact our pain management team via email: rf-tr.painmanagementadmin@nhs.net.

Help us improve the Royal Free Hospital's echocardiography service

Share your views about the Royal Free Hospital’s echocardiography service. This will help us understand what is working well and identify areas for improvement.

We would be grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete our survey.

The survey closes on Friday 30 May at 5pm.

How to contact our GP liaison service

The Royal Free London (RFL) GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent service.

Please contact us using the following details:

In line with NHS mail policy, the RFL GP liaison inbox has a new email address. The old address rf.gpliaison@nhs.net is no longer active.

The above are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information.

We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Update on our relocation plans for St Pancras kidney dialysis and outpatient services

You are invited to an online information event to update you on progress for the relocation of St Pancras kidney dialysis and outpatient services.

Join Royal Free Hospital chief executive David Crampsey and consultant nephrologist and clinical lead for dialysis Catriona Goodlad, who will share the latest developments at a virtual meeting on Tuesday 8 April, from 5 to 5.45pm.

If you would like to attend, please contact rf-tr.communications@nhs.net and you will be sent the joining link.

We look forward to seeing you at the meeting.

Become a member of the Royal Free London and help make a difference

Join our network of over 20,000 patient and public members for free.

From sharing feedback to being able to stand for election as a RFL governor, this is your chance to make a real difference. 

Membership also means that you will receive a monthly membership email update and be able to elect representatives to serve on our Council of Governors.

Sign up today

Patient referral and appointment queries

Patients should contact our outpatient appointments call centre if they have any questions about their care. This includes information about referrals, appointments, and test results.

If the team is unable to answer a patient’s question, they will forward the call to the relevant service.

Please contact us using the following details:

  • Queries about North Middlesex University Hospital: 020 8887 3663 or 020 8887 3664. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8.15am to 4.30pm.

Queries about other hospitals and satellite sites: 020 7443 9757. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 5pm.

Information about outpatient appointments

View indicative waiting times

Indicative waiting times for routine first appointments, cancer two-week waits, and diagnostics across north central London are available on the North Central London GP website.

Indicative waiting times

How to contact our GP liaison service

The Royal Free London (RFL) GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent service.

Please contact us using the following details:

In line with NHS mail policy, the RFL GP liaison inbox has a new email address. The old address rf.gpliaison@nhs.net is no longer active.

The above are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates
  • to hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information.

We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Patient referral and appointment queries

Patients should contact our outpatient appointments call centre if they have any questions about their care. This includes information about referrals, appointments, and test results.

If the team is unable to answer a patient’s question, they will forward the call to the relevant service.

Please contact us using the following details:

  • Queries about North Middlesex University Hospital: 020 8887 3663 or 020 8887 3664. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8.15am to 4.30pm.
  • Queries about other hospitals and satellite sites: 020 7443 9757. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 5pm.

Information about outpatient appointments

New breast pain service launches in Kentish Town

The RFL has launched a new breast pain service at James Wigg Group Practice, which is located in the Kentish Town Health Centre. This is in addition to the service at Finchley Memorial Hospital.

Patients will be seen by an experienced clinician in a community-based setting and will be given advice and information on symptom management.

Patients with any breast abnormalities will be upgraded to a suspected breast cancer pathway.

To manage at risk patients, please complete a breast family history risk assessment, and make an onward referral if required.

To make a referral, please use this form and send it via e-RS to ‘Breast Pain Symptomatic – James Wigg Group Practice’.

Please follow the guidance below when making a referral:

Inclusion criteria:

  • patient has breast pain
  • patient has no other breast and axilla signs or symptoms (for example lumps or nipple discharge)
  • minimum age is 16

Exclusion criteria:

  • any clinical signs requiring a referral to an urgent suspected breast cancer clinic
  • past personal medical history of breast cancer
  • patient has implants
  • male patients
  • pregnant patients

Please email Raten Davies, breast pain lead, if you have any questions: ratendavies@nhs.net.

Changes to endoscopy service referrals

The endoscopy services at Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital no longer accept direct referrals from primary care.

GPs are asked to refer patients to our gastroenterology clinical assessment service (CAS) on e-RS: ‘Gastroenterology Clinician Assessment Service – Barnet and Chase Farm’.

Referrals will be triaged by a gastroenterologist and an endoscopic procedure will be arranged if needed.

If the patient is booked for a procedure, the results will be communicated to both the patient and their GP via a letter. The gastroenterology service will arrange ongoing care or discharge the patient from the service as appropriate.

This pathway is already in place at the Royal Free Hospital.

Referral forms sent via email will not be accepted.

For more information, please contact our Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital gastroenterology CAS team via email: rf-tr.barnetgastrocas@nhs.net.

Changes to colorectal bleed clinic referrals

The Royal Free Hospital's colorectal one stop clinic has closed. 

Since the introduction of Faecal Immunochemical Testing (FIT) referrals, the clinic is no longer required.

GPs are asked to FIT test patients with lower gastrointestinal symptoms such as rectal bleeding, anorectal pain, or changes in bowel habits.

Patients with a FIT> 10 should be referred to the colorectal straight to test (STT) clinic or the colorectal surgery outpatient clinic using the two week wait pathway.

Patients with an ongoing clinical concern with a FIT< 10 should be referred to the colorectal surgery outpatient clinic via the routine referral pathway for further investigations.

For further information, please contact Stacey Barnes, assistant operations manager for general, emergency, and colorectal surgery.

Introducing patient-initiated follow-up to our vascular malformation clinic

From Monday 31 March, the vascular malformation clinic at the Royal Free Hospital will introduce the patient-initiated follow-up (PIFU) pathway. 

PIFU means patients can request a follow-up appointment if they have worries or concerns about their condition instead of attending our clinics regularly. 

This will not apply to those on urgent or cancer pathways.

Patients who are on the PIFU pathway will be set an end date by our clinicians. If a patient has not booked a follow-up appointment by this date, they will be discharged back to their GP.

When patients agree to PIFU, they will receive a letter with the following information:

  • confirmation they have been added to the PIFU pathway
  • red flag symptoms that would need a follow-up appointment
  • end of their PIFU pathway
  • contact details to arrange a follow-up appointment

This letter will also be sent to the patient’s GP.

If you would like further information, please contact our vascular team by email: rf-tr.vascularadmin@nhs.net.

Information about PIFU

Help us improve our inpatient discharge summaries

Share your feedback to help us improve the discharge summaries you receive from Barnet Hospital and Chase Farm Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital.

This provides an opportunity for you to share your views on the content and format of our discharge summaries.

Please take a few minutes to complete our survey. 

The survey closes on Thursday 3 April at 5pm.

New haematology and coagulation testing system introduced 

The RFL has introduced a new laboratory information system for haematology, coagulation, special haematology and special coagulation testing.

The system has been introduced at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital and the Royal Free Hospital.

There should be no changes to how GPs request and review results, however, the reference ranges for some tests have been updated.

Please read this document from Health Services Laboratories which lists the affected tests.

If you experience any problems, please contact rf-tr.pathologyadminsupport@nhs.net.

Have your say about our lung function reporting service at Finchley Memorial Hospital

There is still time to share your views about our lung function reporting service at Finchley Memorial Hospital.

Please take a moment to share your thoughts and experiences. This will help us identify any areas for improvement.

The survey closes on Friday 31 March at 5pm.

View indicative waiting times

Indicative waiting times for routine first appointments, cancer two-week waits, and diagnostics across north central London are available on the North Central London GP website.

Indicative waiting times

How to contact our GP liaison service

The Royal Free London (RFL) GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent service.

Please contact us using the following details:

In line with NHS mail policy, the mailbox for all site queries apart from North Middlesex University Hospital, has a new email address. The old address rf.gpliaison@nhs.net will remain active until end of February to ensure a smooth transition.

The above are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to
  • hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information.

We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Update on the future of sexual health and contraception services in Enfield

Enfield Council has agreed terms and arrangements with North Middlesex University Hospital for their continued delivery of sexual health and contraception services.

Services under Enfield Clinics Health Organisation (ECHO) will continue at its two main locations: The Town Clinic on Burleigh Way and at White Lodge Medical Practice on Chase Side. A further location through a satellite clinic at the Alexander Pringle Centre, which is located at North Middlesex University Hospital, is currently available one day a week on a Friday.

Patients with sexual health and/or contraception needs including long-acting reversible contraception (LARC), can continue to access these services at ECHO clinics. Booking information can be found on the ECHO website.  

Patients without symptoms can use the London Sexual Health e-service for testing.  

ECHO clinics accept referrals from Enfield GPs for complex contraception/complex LARC care. For example, for complex intrauterine contraception procedures, deep subdermal implant removals, and contraception for patients with complex medical conditions.

Referral letters should be sent via email to: northmid.enfieldclinics@nhs.net.

Patient referral and appointment queries

Patients should contact our outpatient appointments call centre if they have any questions about their care. This includes information about referrals, appointments, and test results.

If the team is unable to answer a patient’s question, they will forward the call to the relevant service.

Please contact us using the following details:

  • Queries about North Middlesex University Hospital: 020 8887 3663 or 020 8887 3664. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8.15am to 4.30pm.

Queries about other hospitals and satellite sites: 020 7443 9757. The lines are open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 5pm.

Information about outpatient appointments

Changes to colorectal bleed clinic referrals

From Monday 3 March, the RFL will no longer accept direct referrals to its colorectal bleed clinic.

GPs are asked to refer patients via the routine colorectal pathway or the faecal immunochemical test (FIT) pathway. 

When clinically appropriate, consultants will book patients directly into the bleed clinic following the submission of an additional FIT stool sample.

For further information, please contact Stacey Barnes, assistant operations manager for general, emergency and colorectal surgery.

Help us improve the Royal Free Hospital's echocardiography service

Share your views about the Royal Free Hospital’s echocardiography service. This will help us understand what is working well and identify areas for improvement.

We would be grateful if you could take a few minutes to complete our survey.

The survey closes on Monday 31 March at 5pm.

Have your say about our lung function reporting service at Finchley Memorial Hospital

Share your views about our lung function reporting service at Finchley Memorial Hospital.

Please take a moment to share your thoughts and experiences. This will help us identify any areas for improvement.

The survey closes on Friday 28 February at 5pm.

View indicative waiting times

Indicative waiting times for routine first appointments, cancer two-week waits, and diagnostics across north central London are available on the North Central London GP website.

Indicative waiting times

North Middlesex University Hospital merges into Royal Free London group

North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust (North Mid) merged into the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust group (RFL) on 1 January 2025.

We are thrilled to welcome North Mid into the RFL group. Our organisations have been close partners since 2017, and we know that our new single trust brings together the best of both organisations.

While there will be no significant changes for our patients – or the majority of our staff – from day one, this marks the beginning of a new chapter for the RFL, enabling us to go further and faster in improving services for our patients, delivering more opportunities for staff and enabling better, fairer health for our local communities.

To mark the merger, a new animation which explains who we are, our vision for the future, and the newest addition to our group, has been released. It highlights our enduring legacy: bringing healthcare to those in need, no matter what their circumstances.

Watch our video

How to contact the GP liaison service

The RFL GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, North Middlesex University Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent service.

Please contact us using the following details:

In line with NHS mail policy, the mailbox for all site queries apart from North Mid, has a new email address. The old address rf.gpliaison@nhs.net will remain active until end of February to ensure a smooth transition.

The above are monitored Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm, excluding bank holidays.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information.

We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals.

Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Update: North Mid emergency department discharge summaries

GPs started to receive electronic discharge summaries from North Mid’s emergency department in September 2024.

Due to a supplier technical error, some discharge summaries were not sent to GP practices. This was identified, and a fix implemented, on Monday 28 October 2024.

To ensure that all discharge summaries have now been sent, we would be grateful if you could share information about the documents you received between Monday 9 September and Monday 28 October 2024. Please include the following in your report:

  • patient’s details (name, postcode, and NHS number)
  • discharge date
  • document description
  • practice code (for group practices please include all codes)

When we have received and reviewed this report, if appropriate, we will send you any documents that you have not recorded.

Please send this information to northmid.undeliveredds@nhs.net by 5pm on Friday 17 January. Please also contact this mailbox if you have any queries.

Patient referral and appointment queries

Patients should contact our outpatient appointments call centre if they have any questions about their care. This includes information about referrals, appointments, and test results.

If the team is unable to answer a patient’s question, they will forward the call to the relevant service.

The call centre can be contacted by calling: 020 7443 9757. It is open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 5pm.

Information about outpatient appointments

View indicative waiting times

Indicative waiting times for routine first appointments, cancer two-week waits, and diagnostics across north central London are available on the North Central London GP website.

Indicative waiting times

Thank you

On behalf of our staff and patients, we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the support you have given to the RFL over the past year.

It has been a year of challenges for the RFL and the whole NHS – there has been a huge demand for our services; industrial action has continued to have an impact, and our emergency departments and urgent treatment centres have been extremely busy.

Next year promises to be an important one for the RFL with our anticipated merger with North Middlesex University Hospital. See below for how you can get involved.

We are hugely grateful for your ongoing support – we would not have been able to ensure the very best care for our patients without you.

This is the last newsletter of the year; the next update will be shared in January. However, you may receive separate messages before this.

We wish you a safe and happy festive season.

How to contact the GP liaison service

The Royal Free London (RFL) GP liaison service is open for you as an informal route to raise an enquiry or concern about any of our services. This includes services at Barnet Hospital, Chase Farm Hospital, the Royal Free Hospital, or any of our satellite sites. It is a non-urgent and non-clinical service.

When contacting the service, please include the following information:

  • patient’s details (name, date of birth and NHS number)
  • department the enquiry relates to
  • hospital the enquiry relates to

We will not be able to investigate your enquiry without the above information. We endeavour to respond within 10 working days from the date the above information is provided.

You can contact the GP liaison service by email: rf-tr.gpliaison@nhs.net or by calling: 020 3758 2000 ext. 36015.

The GP liaison service is only open to NHS colleagues and other healthcare professionals. Please do not share these contact details with your patients.

Patient referral and appointment queries

Patients should contact our outpatient appointments call centre if they have any questions about their care. This includes information about referrals, appointments, and test results.

If the team is unable to answer a patient’s question, they will forward the call to the relevant service.

The call centre can be contacted by calling: 020 7443 9757. It is open Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays), 8am to 5pm.

Information about outpatient appointments

View indicative waiting times

Indicative waiting times for routine first appointments, cancer two-week waits, and diagnostics across north central London are available on the North Central London GP website.

Indicative waiting times

Find out more about the North Middlesex University Hospital and Royal Free London merger

Primary care colleagues are invited to an online information event to find out more about the merger of North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust (North Mid) into the RFL group.

Join RFL chief medical officer Gillian Smith, North Mid medical director Vicky Jones, chief medical officer of North Central London Integrated Care Board Jo Sauvage, and RFL director of population health Judith Stanton, to hear about the clinical strategy for the merged organisation and what it means for your patients.

The virtual meeting will take place on Thursday 12 December, 1.10-1.50pm. Please register to receive the event invitation.

By merging to form a larger group, North Mid and RFL expect to be able to go further and faster in improving services for patients and the health of the communities they serve. The merger is planned to take place on 1 January 2025, subject to the approval of NHS England and the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. 

Find out more about the RFL and North Mid merger

Changes to colorectal cancer referrals

The Royal Free London has introduced a new single point of access service for suspected colorectal cancer referrals.

GPs are asked to refer patients via e-RS to 2ww colorectal straight-to-test (STT) – telephone assessment only – Royal Free/Barnet Hospital – RAL.

Please search for the Royal Free London or Royal Free Hospital in the directory of services. Please note, that you will not find the correct service when you search by a postcode. 

The referral criteria and clinical guidelines for suspected colorectal cancer have not changed.

Patients will continue to be referred to their local hospitals for routine appointments and tests.

Information about our general surgery services

Reminder: labelling samples

The Health Services Laboratories is receiving an increased number of samples with the wrong labels attached.

Please ensure the correct labels are placed on sample bottles with the patients’ details clearly written to avoid delays.

Please follow this labelling practice guidance.

For more information, please email helpdesk@tdlpathology.com.

The helpdesk is open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Reminder: pathology turnaround times and helpdesk contact details

Primary care colleagues can expect to receive pathology results within the following timeframes. These start when a sample is received in our laboratories, or the test has been completed. They are subject to change.

All RFL sites

  • Biochemistry tests: three days
  • Haematology tests: two days

If you have any questions about your patient's results, please contact the pathology results helpline:

The results helplines are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

For tQuest support enquiries, please email helpdesk@tdlpathology.com

If you would like to receive these updates directly, please contact rf-tr.gpliaison@nhs.net with your name, role and practice name. Alternatively, if you do not wish to receive further updates, please do the same stating this.

Receive our monthly newsletter

A monthly newsletter for primary care is produced. This includes operational updates such as changes to referral pathways, service changes such as opening times and key contact information. 

To receive updates straight to your inbox, please email rf-tr.gpliaison@nhs.net with your name, job role and GP practice name. Please note, we are unable to add personal email addresses to this list.