Format/length:	see DATE
HES item:
National Codes:
Default Codes:

Notes:
The waiting time for a first out-patient appointment should be calculated from the date when the referral request is received. Letters must therefore be opened and date stamped on the day of receipt. It is this date that must be entered on any PAS or similar system, not the date on which the information is fed into the system if this is later than the date of receipt.

If the referral request takes the form of a phone call followed by a letter, record the date when the letter arrives. If there is no following letter, the date of the verbal request should be recorded. 

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	REFERRAL REQUEST RECEIVED DATES