For Referrers

This page is for GPs, referring cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, A&E and acute medicine teams, stroke physicians, and other clinicians who would like to refer a patient to Dr Sam Dawkins. It covers what Dr Dawkins offers, when to refer, how to refer, and how he communicates with you.

If you would like to discuss a patient with Dr Dawkins before sending a formal referral, please contact his secretary at clinic@samdawkins.com or 020 3423 7483 — Dr Dawkins is happy to be called or emailed for a quick clinical discussion.

What you can refer for

Dr Dawkins’s clinical practice covers four overlapping areas, which means most referrals can be managed end-to-end in one place rather than across several consultants:

• General cardiology — chest pain, palpitations, breathlessness, blood pressure, valve disease assessment, arrhythmia work-up, follow-up of complex cardiac conditions, and cardiac CT and echocardiography.
• Interventional cardiology — coronary angiography and angioplasty (PCI), with imaging and physiology guidance for complex coronary disease.
• TAVI — for severe aortic stenosis, including patients with complex anatomy (bicuspid valves, small or large annuli, low-lying coronaries, heavily calcified aortic root) and patients previously declined elsewhere. Also TAVI in surgical valves and TAVI-in-TAVI for failing prosthetic valves. For severe aortic regurgitation, dedicated transcatheter devices (JenaValve, J-Valve) are available where standard TAVI is not appropriate.
• Other structural intervention — mitral and tricuspid edge-to-edge repair (Pascal, MitraClip, TriClip); transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (EVOQUE, TricValve); left atrial appendage occlusion; PFO and ASD closure; paravalvular leak closure.
• Cardiac imaging — transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography, and cardiac CT.

Dr Dawkins is Clinical Lead for Structural Intervention at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and is also based at Cleveland Clinic London. He is one of very few clinicians in the UK able to offer the full range of transcatheter tricuspid options. All complex structural cases are discussed at a multidisciplinary team meeting before a procedure is booked.

When to refer

Common referral patterns that work well include:

• Chest pain or breathlessness — for early consultation, ECG, and same-day echocardiogram.
• Severe aortic stenosis — for TAVI assessment and CT planning. The full breadth of aortic anatomy is treated, including bicuspid valves, small or large annuli, low-lying coronaries, and heavily calcified roots, as well as TAVI in surgical valves and TAVI-in-TAVI. Patients previously declined for TAVI elsewhere are very welcome for a second opinion.
• Severe aortic regurgitation — where standard TAVI is not appropriate, dedicated AR devices (JenaValve, J-Valve) are available.
• Symptomatic mitral or tricuspid regurgitation — where transcatheter options may be appropriate.
• Atrial fibrillation in patients unsuitable for oral anticoagulation — for left atrial appendage occlusion.
• Cryptogenic stroke — for PFO assessment and consideration of closure.
• Complex valve cases declined elsewhere, or where a second opinion would help shape the next step.
• Post-procedural follow-up of patients you have previously referred for procedures.

How to refer

Private referrals

The simplest route is an emailed referral letter to Dr Dawkins’s secretary at clinic@samdawkins.com. Please include:

• A short summary of the clinical question
• Relevant past medical history and current medications
• Any recent ECGs, echocardiograms, CT or MRI reports, and clinic letters
• Patient contact details, so we can reach out to schedule
• The patient’s insurer details if known, or a note that they will self-pay

The secretary will respond within one working day. New appointments are usually available within a few days, and within 24 hours for urgent cases.

Patients can also be sent directly to the Cleveland Clinic London Contact Centre on 020 3423 7500 (Mon–Fri 07:30–20:00, Sat 07:30–15:00) or cclappointments@ccf.org. The Contact Centre books appointments for both Cleveland Clinic London and the Nuffield Manor Hospital in Oxford.

NHS referrals

Dr Dawkins’s NHS practice is at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. NHS referrals can be made through e-RS or by letter to his NHS secretary on 01865 226567.

Urgent and emergency

For urgent inpatient admission to Cleveland Clinic London, please ring the Contact Centre. For a clinical emergency, the patient should attend their nearest A&E or dial 999.

Communication back to you

You will receive a clinic letter from Dr Dawkins after each consultation outlining the discussion, examination findings, test results, and management plan. Investigation results that come back later are sent on as soon as available. We copy you (and the patient’s GP, if different) on all correspondence unless asked not to.

For complex or shared-care patients, Dr Dawkins is happy to discuss the case directly — by phone, email, or video.

Talk to Dr Dawkins

For a clinical discussion before referring, to talk through a complex case, or for a second opinion on management:

• Email: clinic@samdawkins.com
• Phone: 020 3423 7483

Dr Dawkins values direct conversations with referring clinicians and welcomes contact for joint decision-making, second opinions, and general queries.