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Clinical Genetics
Interpreters| | Where the family can be seen| | Hospital or home| | Telephone consultations| | When to offer a family a genetics appointment| | What happens when a referral is received| | Family tree| | Contact us| | Outpatients| | Consultants| | Training|
How to refer a family
Referrals can be made by writing to the Unit. For urgent advice, please contact us directly.
Cancer patients referred for a non-urgent appointment are asked to complete a questionnaire prior to being offered a clinical genetics appointment. GPs' referral letters must include this completed questionnaire. A copy of the questionnaire together with the referral guidelines can be downloaded by following the links below.
Information for GPs
We do not need a completed family history questionnaire if the patient, or a close relative of the patient, has previously been referred to us regarding their cancer risk. We will already have the relevant family history information from the previous referral.
Urgent referrals
For urgent referrals (e.g. during pregnancy) families can always be seen within a few days in Oxford.
In exceptional circumstances, i.e. where the patient is unable to bring someone with them to assist with interpreting, it may be possible to arrange the services of a professional interpreter. Please let us know in advance if you require this service for your patient.
General and cancer genetic clinics are held on a regular basis in Oxford and at hospitals throughout the region. In order to provide a district based service, consultants and genetic counsellors are responsible for certain segments of the region and some genetic counsellors are now based in districts.
If you wish your patient to be seen in the local genetic clinic please specifically request this in the referral letter - the consultant to whom you write will then pass on the referral to the appropriate colleague. If, however, you wish a particular clinician to see a patient (because of a known specialist interest) please make this clear in the referral letter; it is more likely that the patient will be offered an appointment in Oxford in this instance.
Hospital or home consultation
It may be possible for us to visit a patient and relatives in hospital or at home. Please telephone to discuss the individual case.
We try to offer a telephone consultation service for professional colleagues between 9.00am - 5.00pm on weekdays. If a clinician or genetic counsellor is not immediately available, your call will be returned as soon as possible. There is an answerphone out of office hours.
The most appropriate time for offering and giving genetic information will vary from family to family; when the family is ready to take decisions about the future is the most appropriate time for referral.
It is best if the referral can be made before a pregnancy is planned, as other family members may need to be examined, or specialised tests performed. Some carrier detection tests are not accurate during pregnancy.
The referral letter is passed to one of the clinical teams. More information may be required before seeing the patient in the clinic. This may involve contacting the referring doctor for further information about the family, writing to the patient for more specific information, or obtaining medical information about relatives reported to be affected. Patients referred for a family history of cancer will generally be asked to complete a questionnaire prior to being offered a clinical genetics appointment.
In certain cases one of our genetic counsellors may contact the family, and see them at home or in clinic, to gain further information and take a family tree (pedigree). Blood tests may need to be carried out on members of the family and our genetic counsellors will often liaise with the referring doctor over this.
Nearly all families are asked to complete a form giving personal details and to return a reply slip to say that they will be attending the clinic.
For most patients a family tree (pedigree) is constructed as this is the best way to record genetic information. Full names (including maiden names) and dates of birth will be recorded. Specific questions are asked about the health of family members, and pregnancy losses, stillbirths, infant deaths, multiple marriages and consanguinity are noted. The genetic notes are always confidential and held separately from general hospital notes.
Relatives of the patient may need to be examined, and sometimes investigated, if an autosomal dominant disorder with variable expression is suspected.
Formal training opportunities| are available within the Clinical Genetics Department for Genetic Counselling students and Specialist Registrars.