Rapid assessment unit

Referrals to St Mary’s Hospital

All calls to the RAU will be answered by a senior nurse who will follow guidelines supplied by senior clinicians to determine whether a patient will be accepted. For patients who are not appropriate to the unit, the call will be transferred to the relevant on-call specialist for acceptance.

Once the RAU has completed fast-track diagnostic tests and review by a senior clinician, the GP will be informed within 48 hours regarding the treatment received by the patient and the action that has been taken. A neurology consultant will follow up patients seen by the transient ischaemic attack clinical nurse specialist within the following seven days.

Patients who definitely require admission should not be referred to the RAU but should continue to be referred to the relevant on-call team and seen in A&E.

For cardiac referrals call 020 3312 3732 or call switchboard on 020 3312 6666 and bleep 1722.

Rapid assessment unit at St Mary’s Hospital