This site is intended for professional use; it is NOT for use by members of the public. It is not replacement for advice from your usual healthcare professional. If you have any comments, thoughts or feedback please contact us at: tay.referralguidance@nhs.scot.

Note that this email address contacts the team managing the website rather than the service itself; as such, please do not reach out with clinical queries or concerns.

 

Who to refer

Emergency

  • Intractable epistaxis,
  • Tonsillitis (not eating and drinking after appropriate analgesia),
  • Quinsy,
  • Deep neck space infection,
  • Foreign body (airway, button battery),
  • Supraglottitis airway obstruction,
  • Septal haematoma,
  • Sharp (bony) food bolus,
  • Adult periorbital abscess,
  • Otitis externa with pinna/facial cellulitis.

Urgent outpatient

Routine Outpatient

We see diseases of the ear, nose and throat. Below are some of the common routine referrals and guidance:

Otology

Rhinology

Head and neck

Paediatric ENT

Specialist services

  • Auditory implant service
  • Grampian, Highland and Fife regional service
  • Revision septorhinoplasty
  • Neurosurgery skullbase team – includes a regional service to Highland and Fife
  • Wasp and bee anaphylaxis
  • Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia
  • Laryngology voice and swallowing service – this is provided regionally
  • Balance service
  • Fife and Forth Valley regional service
  • Paediatric respiratory service

Who not to refer

We often operate with other specialties and the referral route may initially start with the other speciality:

  • Epiphora (Ophthalmology)
  • Pituitary tumours (soon to be found under Neurosurgery)
  • Skin lesions even if ear or nose (refer to dermatology/maxillofacial/plastic surgery depending on the site of the lesion)

Emergency or urgent

  • Soft food bolus, with no airway concern (general medicine)
  • Suspicious paediatric neck mass (soon to be found under Paediatrics)

Head and neck

  • Thyroid without compressive symptoms (General surgery)
  • Tonsillitis not meeting the previous sign guidance
  • Snoring (Patients with suspected obstructive sleep apnoea should be referred to Respiratory Medicine as per their guidance, which will be available in due course)

Otology

Rhinology

  • Facial pain (Unless clear rhinological cause suspected). Most facial pain is neurological in nature.
  • Nasal cosmetic deformity that don’t meet the exceptional referral pathway (guidance)

How to refer

Emergency referral or urgent advice via on-call team through Ninewells switchboard 01382 660111. Please be aware the person holding the bleep may be in clinic, treating a patient or in theatre. Please check the RefGuide advice. There are currently 18 referral pathway guidelines.

Outpatient referrals or non-urgent advice through SCI Gateway ENT, flagged as urgent (suspected cancer), urgent, routine or advice.

Alternatives to referral

Urgent advice is available from ENT Registrar through Ninewells switchboard 01382 660111.
Non-urgent advice available through SCI Gateway advice.

 

Who we are

The Otolaryngology (ENT) department in NHS Tayside is a multi-disciplinary team comprising medics, specialist nurses and administrative staff. We are predominantly outpatient based; approximately 15% of activity requires a day case procedure or inpatient stay. ENT has close links with the audiology service particularly in relation to balance and hearing clinics. We run in-person clinics in Ninewells, Perth Royal Infirmary and Stracathro and operate in Ninewells.

Our staff

  • Consultants: Patrick Spielmann (Clinical Lead), Kerry Haddow, Stephen Jones, Peter Ross, Quentin Gardiner, Richard Green, Rodney Mountain, Samit Majumdar, Ceilidh Kennedy, Jaiganesh Manickavasagam
  • Registrars: Richard Steven, Somayyeh Shahsavari, Aaron Ferguson, Rasads Misirovs, Clara Smith, Ruqqash Naveed
  • Specialist Nurses: Elaine Muir, Grace Gibbons
  • Specialist pharmacist: Ashleigh Harvery

 

Useful resources