Radiology

GP Referrals - X-RAY Examinations

Only IRMER entitled clinicians can make radiology referrals.

Please follow the guidance for requesting Plain X-rays:

• The electronic referral MUST be made before a patient contacts us for an appointment
• Issue the patient with the Patient Leaflet – arranging your x-ray Patient Information arranging your x-ray.docx
• Please ask the patient/carer to wait ONE WORKING DAY after submission of a referral before phoning for an appointment. This is because all x-ray requests must be vetted in accordance with IRMER rules.
• GPs/Requesting Clinicians will be notified of rejected requests via the practice mailbox and their email.
•  Further discussions about rejected requests can be conducted via radiologist.advice@borders.scot.nhs.uk or directly with radiologist/radiographer who communicated the rejection

If the patient fails to make contact within 30 days, the request will be rejected, and the referrer will be informed.

All plain x-ray requests other than Chest x-rays and Trauma x-rays need to be scheduled in by the patient phoning the X-ray department.

• Patients requiring Chest X-Rays and Trauma X-rays have open access to the department. 

Please submit the electronic request and advise the patient to attend the department:

Monday – Friday between the hours of 0830-1630

For all other plain film requests, we operate a telephone booking system

GP Referrals - Ultrasound Examinations

• Ultrasound requests should be placed electronically.
• Request will be vetted and accepted requests will be appointed via letter or phone call to the patient.
• The vetting sonographer/radiologist will notify GPs/Requesting Clinicians of rejected requests and the reason via the practice mailbox and their email
• Further discussions about rejected requests can be conducted via radiologist.advice@borders.scot.nhs.uk or directly with the  radiologist/radiographer who communicated the rejection

GP Referrals - MRI and CT Examinations 

Only IRMER entitled clinicians can make CT and MRI referrals. 

MRI and CT scan requests should be placed electronically. 

• Request will be vetted and accepted requests will be appointed via letter or a phone call to the patient. 

• GPs/Requesting Clinicians will be notified of rejected requests via the practice mailbox and their email 

• Further discussions about rejected requests can be conducted via radiologist.advice@borders.scot.nhs.uk  or directly with radiologist who communicated the rejection. 

Patient Information arranging your x-ray.docx

Royal College Guidance on Radiological Investigation - http://www.irefer.scot.nhs.uk/

01896  826418

For general enquiries: GeneralRadiology.Enquiries@borders.scot.nhs.uk

For specific CT or MRI enquiries: CTMR.enquiries@borders.scot.nhs.uk

For Consultant Radiologist Advice: radiologist.advice@borders.scot.nhs.uk  

E-mail radiologist.advice@borders.scot.nhs.uk for discussion of any case with a Consultant Radiologist e.g. to be guided as to which test would be recommended to answer a specific clinical question.

E-mail is the preferred route of communication/queries which are routine or non-emergency cases, although telephone advice is still available.

Radiology would prefer that telephone advice is reserved for very urgent/emergency cases