NHS Forth Valley – Acute Out of Area Activity

Overseas Visitors

For information on ‘Overseas Visitors’ and ‘Preventing Illegal Working’ please view the following page:

European cross-border healthcare: National Contact Point for Scotland

Non Core Activity Funding Requests

Prior authorisation should be obtained for ANY elective Non Core Activity (NCA) planned for any Forth Valley patients. Please complete the form and send to FV.unpacs@nhs.scot.

Acute Unplanned Activity

Acute Unplanned Activity (UNPAC), is NHS work which needs to take place but which is either unusual or highly specialised to the extent that there is not an existing service covered by a service level agreement. Some highly specialised services are provided by National Services Scotland under national agreements but where no agreements exist it is necessary to arrange treatment on a case by case basis.

The CPHM Acute Services provides clinical leadership and professional advice on requests for Acute Unplanned Activity (UNPACS) which refers to all Acute NHS Activity which takes place outside the pre-existing Service Level Agreements.

Referrals for NHS care for local residents should wherever possible be made to the appropriate local NHS services unless there is a pressing clinical reason to refer elsewhere. Primary Care referrals outside NHS Scotland require prior funding approval from the CHP. The NHS Board and Public Health Directorate cannot approve out of area referrals by Primary Care, which must be made through the primary care UNPACS process wthin the CHP. Where a patient requests referral for a highly specialised procedure then the opinion of a local consultant should be sought. The consultant can then make the appropriate acute referral as set out in the following guidance.