GP & hospital referrals

Pathology / Blood tests

Access to Pathology Services

The Pathology Directorate of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital is committed to the provision of a quality service to General Practitioners (GPs) and for their adult patients operating and residing, within the immediate vicinity of the Mater Hospital. The terms of the MMUH Pathology Department service provision to General Practitioners are outlined in the document below.

Download GP Service Provision Policy PDF

All GP practices accessing Mater Pathology services must complete and return the Mater Pathology GP Registration Form available below.

Download GP Registration Form

A key requirement for all GPs, is that they order tests from the GP test catalogue electronically through Healthlink and receive results electronically, also through Healthlink. On the very rare occasion when orders for laboratory tests not currently available in Healthlink must be submitted, GPs must complete and submit the GP Request Form for a test not available on GP catalogue available below.

Download GP Request for a test not available on GP catalogue

As it may be necessary to contact GPs outside normal clinic hours, an out-of-hours emergency contact number is a mandatory requirement for all GPs using the laboratory’s services.

 

Blood tests

Patients must have fully completed request form or letter with them when they come in for their blood test. Please ensure the letter or form includes all relevant information - please see Pathology Specimen acceptance criteria.

Patients can book appointments online or over the phone. For more information on appointments, see Blood Tests. Results are issued directly to the GP.

Outpatient blood tests are carried out in the Whitty Wing, Level 1. The best entrance to use is the Whitty entance on the North Circular Road.

 

Pathology lab referrals

The pathology laboratory provides local, regional and national diagnostic services in all laboratory medicine disciplines; please see our Pathology Test Repertoire document for listing of services provided.

It is essential that users of the pathology service adhere to laboratory policy when submitting samples for testing. This is important to ensure speedy and accurate provision of results. Of particular importance are the following:

• GPs should avail of Healthlink for all laboratory orders and to receive reports electronically.

• If this is not possible, GP’s should submit a fully completed and legible request form with all relevant details completed.

• The emergency telephone contact number of the GP should be provided, in the event of a result requiring a clinical intervention, becoming available outside normal GP clinic hours.
• Samples must be transported appropriately and in a timely manner to avoid delays which may affect the results. See our Instructions for GP’s for transport of specimens to the pathology laboratory.
• ​Enquiries about results should be made through the Pathology laboratory office. Advice on interpretation of results and sampling procedures will be directed to the appropriate person. The telephone enquiry service should be used for emergency enquiries only.
• ​Routine samples from GPs and external hospitals should be received in the laboratory before 3.30pm from Monday to Friday. For urgent specimens please contact the laboratory directly on the contact telephone numbers below. 
• For advice from clinical consultants during routine hours, please contact consultant secretaries directly using our consultant contact directory here. 
  For advice from clinical consultants outside of routine hours, please contact the hospital main switch on 01 803 2000. 

Information on specific tests, turnaround times and required specimen types for all pathology investigations are outlined in the following documents:

• Download file:  Pathology Test Information for GPs
• Download file:  Specimen Tubes for Pathology Test
• Download file:  GP Requisition for MMUH Pathology Supplies via Euroroute Logistics
• Download file:  Guideline for Heritable Thrombophilia testing
• Download file:  Thrombophilia and LA request & consent form
• Download file:  Genetic testing for Thrombophilia patient information leaflet
• Download file:  Patient instructions for 24 hour urine collection
• Download file:  Blood sample collection for GP’s [418.7KB]
• Download file:  Malaria Screen Request Form
• Download file: Vitamin Testing Guide
• Download file: Vitamin B12 Clinical Indication Form
• Download file: Vitamin D Clinical Indication Form
• Download file: Pregnancy reference range: WBC, Haemoglobin, MCV & HCT
• Download file: NTproBNP Interpretative guidance and support for Primary Care
• Download file: NT-proBNP Request Form, clinical indication and information
• Download file: NTproBNP Frequently Asked Questions

In cases where more than one blood specimen is to be taken from a patient, there is a recommended sequence in which specimens should be taken. Please consult the document titled 'Order of draw for GPs' for information.

• Download file:  Order of draw for GPs
• HFE Genetic Request Form

 

Data Protection

Our pathology laboratory complies with the Mater Hospital Data Protection policy which details the rights of patients and staff members, and the obligations of hospital staff to act in an ethical and responsible manner in maintaining the security, confidentiality and integrity of all personal information, in line with the Hospital Confidentiality & Data Protection Act 2003 and HSE Standards and Recommended Practices for Healthcare Record Management.

 

Laboratory Quality Policy

• Pathology Laboratory Quality Policy

 

Laboratory Accreditation

• The Mater Hospital pathology laboratory is accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) to undertake testing as detailed in the scope of tests listed on the INAB website (Registration Number 232MT) in compliance with International Standard ISO 15189 and the EU blood Directive 2002/98/EC. 

 

IVDR Compliance

In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR)

New European rules governing medical devices for in vitro diagnostics apply from 26 May 2022 (Regulation (EU) 2017/746). In accordance with Article 5.5, it is the policy of the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital Pathology Department that any device manufactured, modified and used in-house shall not be transferred to another legal entity. The non-CE marked IVDs used in the Pathology Department are listed below.

• CCE-IVDR Compliance
• Haematology IVDR Compliance
• Histology IVDR Compliance
• NGS IVDR Compliance

 

Departmental Opening Hours:

Issues / Complaints 

• For minor complaints, please telephone the appropriate Pathology Department. 
• For more serious complaints, please contact the Laboratory Manager or the Director of Pathology.

Radiology

GP referrals are accepted at the Mater Hospital for:

• General rays
• Chest x-rays
• Dexa scans (Bone Density)
• Ultrasound
• Barium follow through
• Barium Swallow/meal

A referral letter is required for all of the above services provided by the radiology department.

The referral letter must:

• Be on headed paper and signed by a registered prescriber including IMC number
• Include all patient demographics are provided (Name, address, date of birth, contact number)
• Include all relevant clinical information for the exam requested
• We accept referrals by post, fax and hand delivery.

Getting results

A hard copy of the radiology results will be sent to the referring GP within 7-10 working days of the exam being performed.

There are four main emergency services in the Mater Hospital. Below is an outline of when and how to use/refer to each service.

1) Emergency department

Our walk in emergency services are available 24 hours a day 365 days a year. There is a €100 charge but this does not apply if patients have a GP referral letter. Patients with minor injuries, STIs or eye emergencies should be referred to the appropriate service below instead of the Emergency Department.

We have a GP Liaison Nurse in the hospital. The role of the GP Liaison Nurse is to act as a communicative link between our Emergency Department and local community services to provide a complete and enhanced service to the patient.

You can contact the GP Liaison Nurse Monday to Friday from 7.30am - 4pm on 01 8032835.

Use the link below to access the dedicated Emergency Department page:

 

View Emergency Department page

2) Smithfield Rapid Injury Clinic

This is a walk in service. €100 charge applies without GP letter. Please note this service is for acute minor injuries only.

For more information please visit the dedicated Rapid Injury Clinic page available from the link below:

 

View Rapid Injury Clinic page

3) Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) clinic

There are 3 clinics per week. No referral required, however patients must ring to make appointment.Urgent appointments outside of clinic hours, patients must go to the main Emergency Department.

For more information please visit the dedicated STI Clinic page available from the link below:

 

View STI Clinic page here

4) Referral Information for GPs/Optometrists/Opticians/Other Emergency Departments

Our eye emergency department is timed review slots only and closed to walk-in patients. If you have seen a patient who you feel requires urgent/emergency review in the eye emergency department please email your referral letter to: EED@mater.ie* and note the below: 

This email is manned Monday - Friday 8:00am - 17:00pm and Saturday 8:00am-12:00pm. Outside of these hours or at the weekend please contact the Ophthalmologist on call through switch to discuss emergency referrals. Please include in all referrals details of reason for referral, visual acuity, any prior ophthalmic history and patient contact details so we can contact them.

Please advise the patient not to attend the Mater Hospital, but to await contact from our eye care team.

 

Eye Emergency Department Referral

 

If the referral is deemed non emergent the patient will not be seen in EED. For non-emergency referrals and outpatient referrals please email eyeopd@mater.ie.

Attending the eye emergency department

The eye emergency department is separate from the main emergency department in the hospital and you need a referral letter from your GP/optometrist/optician sent in via the EED email address above. Once this email is received, it will be triaged and you will either receive a call from our eye emergency team to arrange an appointment, have a virtual (over the phone consultation) or be referred directly to outpatients if the condition requires outpatient rather than emergency care.

Please do not attend the Mater Hospital until you have been contacted by the eye care team.

 

Non-Emergency/Outpatient Referral

Heart Valve / Tissue Donation

The Mater Misericordiae University Hospital (MMUH) is the authorised heart valve / tissue establishment for donor selection, consent, procurement and release of heart valves / tissue for clinical use.

Irish heart valve / tissue bank is responsible for the processing, testing, storing and issuing of aortic and pulmonary valves, conduits and patches. The European Directive 2004/23/EC and its technical annexes ensure a standard of quality and safety in relation to the heart valve / tissue bank activities. This applies to the donation, procurement, testing, processing, preservation, storage and distribution of all heart valves / tissues. The heart valves / tissue are mainly used for paediatrics, young adults and patient with endocarditis. Each heart valve / tissue has a shelf life of five years.

Donors being considered for heart valve / tissue donation may be referred from hospitals in the Republic of Ireland.

Initial Referral:

The initial referral for neonatal heart valve / tissue donation should be made through the Heart / Lung Transplant Coordinator on call, who  may be contacted through the main hospital switch number 01 8032000. The Transplant Coordinator can also assist with further information or guidance.

Guidelines, Documents and Requirements:

• Download: Consent For Heart Valve(s) / Tissue Donation_Form
• Download: Form for Neonatal Valve / Tissue Offer
• Download: Pre-Donation Checklist for Covid-19 Assessment Form for Neonatal Donors
• Download: Confidential Medical History Questionnaire for Neonatal Donors
• Download: Homograft Valve Booklet

ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygention) Service

The Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) service, based in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the Mater Hospital, provides comprehensive short-term support for patients with acute, severe potentially reversible lung or heart failure who continue to deteriorate despite optimal conventional therapy. Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is also known as extracorporeal life support (ECLS).

The worldwide use of ECMO for adult patients has increased over the last 15 years.Outcomes after ECMO have improved where there is careful patient selection and the experience and technical expertise of ECMO service is well established. Patients being considered for ECMO in the Mater Hospital ICU may be referred from other hospitals in Ireland.

ECMO Patient Referral:

The initial request for consideration for ECMO should be made through the Critical Care Medicine consultant on duty who can be contacted by the Mater Hospital switchboard  (01) 803 2000.

Please ensure that you have reviewed the referral documents below for indications and contra-indications prior to referring patients for consideration for ECMO. These are guidelines and if you require further advice, please contact the Mater Hospital ICU.

• Download: Referral of respiratory patients for ECMO
• Download: Referral of cardiac patients for ECMO
• Download: ECMO checklist
• Download: MMUH ECMO Referral Pro Forma

Referrals to the Department of Renal Medicine

Please include as much of the following information as possible in the referral letter to optimise triage of referrals:
 

• Background general medical and surgical history
  • Include information on diabetic retinopathy screening results in diabetics
• Medication history including dates that any potential nephrotoxins were started / stopped
• Symptoms of CKD such as tiredness, itch, reduced appetite, swelling or any urological symptoms
• Any relevant family or social history
• Examination
  • Particularly mention the presence of rash, oedema, palpable bladder or any other relevant significant positive findings
  • Current blood pressure, weight or body mass index
  • A dipstick urinalysis result is essential
• Results (where available)
  • Current and also baseline / historic renal profile results
  • Full blood count, liver & bone profile, lipid profile, HbA1c (if diabetic)
  • Urinary ACR or PCR or 24 hour urinary protein
  • Results of relevant  results where available e.g. renal ultrasound or other results e.g. CT abdomen, 24 hour blood pressure monitor

Lung Cancer Rapid Access Service

The rapid access lung clinic was established at the Mater Hospital in 2011, as part of the national cancer control programme strategy.

GP Guidelines and Referral Form:

• Download file: Lung Cancer Rapid Access Service GP Guidelines
• Download file: Lung Cancer Rapid Access Service Referral Form

Further information regarding our respiratory medicine service is available on our respiratory clinical service page here.

Adult Lung Transplantation Referral Form

Our referral forms have been designed to streamline the referral process for potential lung and heart-lung transplant recipients. Referral for lung transplant can be made by consultant respiratory physician only.

Please complete the below referral form in all its parts and email it directly to: lungtransplantreferrals@mater.ie

• Ireland Adult Lung Transplantation Referral Form

(If you have any issues with completing or saving the above form, it may be due to the Adobe version you have on your computer. Please complete the alternative form below in all its parts and email it directly to: lungtransplantreferrals@mater.ie

• Ireland Adult Lung Transplantation Referral Form

Adult Heart Transplantation / LVAD Referral Form

Our referral forms have been designed to streamline the referral process for potential heart / LVAD transplant recipients. Referral for heart / LVAD transplant can be made by consultant respiratory physician only.

Please complete the below referral form in all its parts and email it directly to: hearttransplantandvadreferrals@mater.ie

• Ireland Adult Heart / LVAD Transplantation Referral Form

If you have any issues with completing or saving the above form, it may be due to the Adobe version you have on your computer. Please complete the alternative form below in all its parts and email it directly to: hearttransplantandvadreferrals@mater.ie

• Ireland Adult Heart / LVAD Transplantation Referral Form 

Adult Heart Transplantation / LVAD Referral Pathways

Please see our referral pathways below:

• Chronic HFrEF Out-Patient Referral Pathway
   
• Non HFrEF Out-Patient Referral Pathway

Sub-Acute Spinal Pain Referral Form

This referral form can be used by GP practices to refer patients with sub-acute spinal pain to orthopaedics, to access our spinal pain pathway.  These referrals will be triaged based on the clinical information provided by GPs to the most appropriate avenue to manage the patient's symptoms.

Please complete the below referral form and email it directly to: xxxxxxxxxx@mater.ie.

• Download: Sub-Acute Spinal Pain Referral Form

Dermatology

1. SPECIALIST DERMATOLOGY SERVICES PROVIDED »
2. MAKING A REFERRAL TO OUR DERMATOLOGY SERVICE »
3. DERMATOLOGY ADULT TRIAGE CRITERIA FOR REFERRALS »
4. PATIENT ADMISSION / URGENT MEDICAL DERMATOLOGY ADVISE »
5. DERMATOLOGY SERVICES NOT PROVIDED »
6. CLINICAL QUERIES »
7. GENERAL QUERIES »
8. DERMATOLOGY CONSULTANTS & TEAM »
9. EDUCATION AND RESEARCH »

1) Specialist dermatology services provided

Our Dermatology Specialist Service for Mater patients is carried out Monday to Friday in our outpatient clinics and our Dermatology Day Centre. This is in conjunction with management of Dermatology inpatients, in house and A&E consults.

Our services include management of:

• Complex inflammatory skin disease, such as severe eczema/psoriasis
• Moderate and severe skin disease unresponsive to first line management
• Pigmented lesion clinics
• Complex skin malignancy clinics – melanoma, NMSC, skin lymphoma
• Skin surveillance for high risk solid organ transplant and immunocompromised patients
• Systemic skin conditions e.g. Lupus and dermatomyositis
• Vulvar dermatoses
• Bullous disorders
• Hair disorders
• Complex dermatological surgery
• Phototherapy Photodynamic therapy – conventional & daylight
• Patch testing
• Transition clinics – follow on for teens from Paediatric Dermatology Services
• Clinical Nurse Specialist led clinics
• We are the National Centre for Phototesting for Photosensitive Skin Disease

2) Making a referral to our dermatology service

If you are referring your patient for any of the following conditions please download one of referrals forms listed below

• Suspected Melanoma: NCCP Pigmented lesion
• Non Melanoma skin cancer: Non-pigmented lesion
• Acne: Acne referral
• Inflammatory Disease: Inflammatory skin disease

and post to Dermatology Department, Mater University Hospital, Dublin 7.

The dermatology department accepts referrals electronically through HEALTHLINK

Please provide all essential relevant information clearly. This will allow for the most appropriate appointment being sent to your patient.

Incomplete referrals will be returned to the referrer seeking the required information thus delaying the patient’s process.

 

3) Dermatology triage criteria for referrals

As per NTPF guidelines, referrals are clinically triaged by a Consultant Dermatologist within 5 working days of receipt. Patients are triaged into an urgent, soon or routine category.

We aim to give an appointment for review within the following time frame.

4) Patient admission / Urgent medical dermatology advice

If the skin problem is urgent and the patient is medically unstable, send the patient to the nearest Emergency Department

If the patient’s skin disease is stable but severe (see examples below), contact the Dermatology Registrar through the hospital switchboard by calling 01 8032000 and ask the operator to bleep the Dermatology Registrar.

• Severe bullous disease
• Severe purpuric or pustular drug eruptions
• Stevens Johnson syndrome
• Erythroderma
• Pustular psoriasis
• Acne fulminans
• Eczema herpeticum
• Infections with immunosuppression therapy and drugs

5) Dermatology services not provided

As recommended by the RCPI and supported by the National Clinical Lead in Dermatology we do not provide the services for the following conditions:

• Dermatofibromas
• Routine skin surveillance
• Seborrhoeic warts
• Sebaceous cysts
• Skin tags
• Skin prick testing for allergies
• Spider naevi
• Tattoos Viral warts including verrucae molluscum
• Xanthelasma
• Epidermal cysts
• Keratosis
• Laser
• Lipomas
• Milia
• Melasma
• Physiological male balding

Information on the above conditions can be found at the following sites:

• https://irishskin.ie/
• https://www.bad.org.uk/
• https://www.aad.org/
• https://dermnetnz.org/

* We do not undertake any cosmetic procedures

7) General Enquiries

General Dermatology and phototherapy enquiries

Phone:  01 8032784

9) Education and Research

Our dermatology department provides in house undergraduate and post graduate education. Our Consultants lecture on the UCD Dermatology Certificate as well as teaching on the National Dermatology Specialist Registrar Training Scheme.

We established a teaching pathway between our department and the North Inner City GP Training Scheme over 10 years ago. This has led to GPs trainees attending clinics and obtaining hands on experience in Dermatology in their penultimate year of training.

The department is linked to the Charles Institute in UCD, the leading academic research facility in dermatology in the country. We are also linked to the Melanoma Institute Australia in Sydney and the Sydney Melanoma Diagnostic Centre in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. We are connected to the HRBR in the Blackrock Clinic to work hair research projects. We are currently the lead centre in a research study for a Pan-European Photopatch Test Project.

With the awarding of an educational grant from the Hume St Foundation and working with the National College of Art and Design we are currently working on skin models to advance dermatology teaching.

NGS Laboratory Opening Hours:

Opening Hours: Monday- Friday 8am – 3.30pm

Trauma

The Major Trauma Secondary Transfer Referral Form must be filled out and sent to traumatransfers@mater.ie after a phone discussion with the trauma service consultant on call.