Do you need a referral for a chronic disease review?

A review looks at how the condition is changing, whether treatment is helping, any side effects, and what support is needed next. The clinician may check symptoms, medicines, home readings, examination findings, and relevant tests. Family medicine and internal medicine can provide ongoing review, while a specialist may be involved when the condition is complex or poorly controlled.

Ask the clinic whether you can book directly or need a referral. Prepare a current medicine list, home measurements if you use them, recent reports, and a short record of changes since the last visit. Mention missed doses, new symptoms, side effects, and changes in daily activity. A planned review is also a good time to check monitoring and follow-up arrangements.

Seek urgent medical care for severe chest pain, major breathing difficulty, sudden weakness, confusion, fainting, or rapidly worsening symptoms. If a long-term condition suddenly changes, use urgent services rather than waiting for a referral or routine appointment.

Ask whether your condition needs specialist input, which checks are due, how to use each medicine, which symptoms need urgent attention, and when the next review should occur.