Glasgow Neurosurgery is based at the Institute of Neurological Sciences and the Royal Hospital for Children, both on the campus of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow.
The department provides neurosurgical services to the west of Scotland, and has played an important role in the development of Neurosurgery and clinical neuroscience research, both in the UK and internationally, including the development of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS).
In collaboration with the University of Glasgow Neuro Society, the department also hosts visits and talks from the world’s leading neurosurgeons. Previous speakers include the Chiefs of Neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins, Harvard, Oxford and Cambridge Neurosurgical departments.
The service accepts both emergency referrals and non-emergency elective referrals from the following West of Scotland Health Boards:
- NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- NHS Lanarkshire
- NHS Ayrshire and Arran
- NHS Western Isles
- Parts of NHS Highland, including those located within Argyll and Bute HSCP
Services
Adult Neurosurgery
The adult Neurosurgery department houses a large number of both general and subspecialty-focused Consultant Neurosurgeons who work across a full range of areas including neuro-oncology, neuro-vascular, spinal and functional neurosurgery.
Paediatric Neurosurgery
The Paediatric Neurosurgery department deals with a wide range of problems affecting children, including developmental craniofacial and spinal problems, hydrocephalus and brain tumours of childhood.
Making an emergency referral to neurosurgery
Emergency referrals can be made to the neurosurgery department using the SCI Gateway Emergency Dialogue system. This system is in place across all Emergency Departments and Orthopaedic departments within NHSGGC.
If you are referring from out with NHSGGC, from one of the above areas, please contact the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) switchboard on 0141 201 1100.
Please note the following before making a referral:
- If you have a patient with a life or limb-threatening illness or any other emergencies, please ensure their referral is discussed with their responsible consultant prior to referral to the emergency neurosurgery on call service. It is imperative that senior (consultant level) clinical input is involved in decision making and a clear clinical question forms part of all referrals.
- If a scan report suggests discussion with the on call neurosurgery service, please ensure the clinical scenario and imaging findings are discussed with the patient’s responsible consultant prior to referral.
- If you require advice regarding complications post-operatively for a patient treated by this neurosurgery service, please follow the instructions above as an emergency referral.
Emergency referral of a patient with a spinal injury with neurological deficit
If you require advice regarding a patient with spinal injuries and neurological deficit, please contact the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit on call service, available via QEUH switchboard on 0141 201 1100. Please note, the National Spinal Injuries Unit is able to accept referrals from all NHS Scotland Boards. More information can be found at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Spinal Unit website.
Please note that all referrals are audited regularly and if deemed inappropriate, feedback for such referrals will be carried out through appropriate channels.
Making a non-emergency referral to neurosurgery
If you are a GP or Hospital Clinician who wishes to refer a non-emergency patient into the Neurosurgery service in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, this can be done electronically or as a paper letter referral.
If you need more information on an existing referral, if known, please document the neurosurgery consultant’s name to whom the initial referral was made. All follow-up discussions should be directed to that particular consultant’s team to expedite appropriate decision making and treatment plans, when possible.
For Neuro-oncology MDT queries, contact Deborah Houston, Neuro-oncology MDT Coordinator Deborah.Houston@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
For Pituitary MDT queries, contact endosouthmdt@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
For questions about imaging, please discuss with on-call Neuroradiology via QEUH switchboard on 0141 201 1100.
Referring to Neurosurgery: a Clinicians Guide
This section of the website is for clinicians and other health professionals. If you are a patient and think you require a referral to our neurosurgery service, please contact your GP to discuss your concerns.
If you are a GP or Hospital Clinician who wishes to refer a patient into the neurosurgery service in NHSGGC, this can be done via SCI Gateway. Access to SCI Gateway referrals to neurosurgery is available to A&Es in GGC, orthopaedics in GGC and GPs.
If you have a patient with a life or limb-threatening illness, please ensure their referral is discussed with their responsible consultant prior to referral to the emergency neurosurgery on call service. It is imperative that senior clinical input is involved in decision making and that a clear clinical question forms part of emergencies referrals.
For all patients with spinal injuries and neurological deficit please refer to The Spinal Injuries Unit on call via switchboard.
For patients in GGC with thoracolumbar fractures who are neurologically intact please refer to their local orthopaedic spine team.
If a scan report suggests discussion with the on call neurosurgery service, please ensure this is discussed with the patient’s responsible consultant prior to referral.
For queries about the Neuro-oncology MDT please contact Deborah Houston at Deborah.Houston@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
For queries about Pituitary MDT please contact PituitaryMDT@scottish.onmicrosoft.com
If you have read this advice and need to contact the emergency neurosurgery referral service, please do so via QEUH switch board on 0141 201 1100.
Please be aware we audit all of our referrals and inappropriate referrals will be escalated to our Management Department