Sir, one of the problems facing oral and maxillofacial surgery (OMFS) clinicians is the inappropriate method of referring patients by our primary care colleagues via other members of staff.

Many general dental practitioners (GDPs) will ask non-clinical members of staff, such as the practice manager or a receptionist, to ring the hospital to refer emergency patients. This is inappropriate for a number of reasons. First, these individuals do not have the clinical knowledge or experience to relay the appropriate information. Second, only the person who has assessed the patient will be able to answer key questions on the patient's current condition and the seriousness of the situation. Third, this method of referring often creates more inefficiency than if the GDP had called initially. These issues severely compromise patient care, specifically the ability of the OMFS team to provide informed advice or management for these patients.

Conversely, in my experience, general medical practitioners (GMPs) consistently refer patients to our team via telephone call directly. This allows us to make an informed decision regarding patient care and does not compromise safety or efficiency.

Is the difference between GMPs and GDPs due to differences in teaching on referring patients? Or due to GMPs' increased experience in referring patients? Either way, professional courtesy would suggest that all referrals should be via telephone call from the referring practitioner to the accepting clinician, not via a non-clinical intermediary.