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.

Procedures can generally be carried out within one to two weeks of referral, supported by the excellent infrastructure and high-volume structural programme at Cleveland Clinic London. Transcatheter valve replacement needs more extensive imaging to plan the procedure, so its pathway is slightly longer, but can be as little as two to three weeks. For patients travelling a long distance or coming from abroad, the initial consultation can be held by video, and for many patients the first face-to-face visit can be for the procedure itself.

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 practice centres on transcatheter treatment of structural heart disease, with interventional and general cardiology alongside, so most referrals can be managed end-to-end in one place rather than across several consultants:

• Mitral and tricuspid intervention: transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (Pascal, MitraClip, TriClip); transcatheter mitral valve replacement; transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement (EVOQUE); and caval valve implantation (TricValve). Dr Dawkins is one of the highest-volume operators in the UK for these procedures, and one of very few clinicians in the UK able to offer the full range of transcatheter tricuspid options.
• 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.
• PFO and ASD closure: a large part of Dr Dawkins’s practice, including PFO closure after cryptogenic stroke.
• Other structural intervention: left atrial appendage occlusion and paravalvular leak closure.
• Cardiac CT and echocardiography: Dr Dawkins performs and reports cardiac CT, both for planning structural procedures and for diagnosis, and provides second opinions on cardiac CT. He can also interpret and give second opinions on transthoracic and transoesophageal echocardiography.
• Interventional and general cardiology: coronary angiography and angioplasty (PCI), and general cardiology including chest pain, palpitations, breathlessness and valve disease assessment.

Dr Dawkins is Clinical Lead for Structural Intervention at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, and is also based at Cleveland Clinic London. All complex structural cases are discussed at a multidisciplinary team meeting before a procedure is booked.

When to refer

Typical reasons to refer include:

• Symptomatic mitral or tricuspid regurgitation: for assessment and, where appropriate, transcatheter edge-to-edge repair or valve replacement performed by Dr Dawkins.
• Severe aortic stenosis: for assessment, CT planning and TAVI performed by Dr Dawkins. 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: for transcatheter valve replacement by Dr Dawkins with a dedicated AR device (JenaValve, J-Valve), where conventional TAVI devices are not suitable.
• Cryptogenic stroke: for PFO assessment and, where appropriate, closure by Dr Dawkins.
• Atrial fibrillation in patients unsuitable for oral anticoagulation: for left atrial appendage occlusion by Dr Dawkins.
• Complex valve cases declined elsewhere, or where a second opinion would help shape the next step.
• Second opinions on cardiac CT or echocardiography.
• Chest pain or breathlessness: for early consultation, ECG, and same-day echocardiogram.
• Post-procedural follow-up of patients you have previously referred for procedures.

How to refer

Private referrals

We aim to make the referral process as simple as possible. A short email to Dr Dawkins’s secretary at clinic@samdawkins.com is enough to start the process, with the patient’s name, their contact details and a line or two on the clinical question. There is no need to gather records first: the Cleveland Clinic London team will arrange for any relevant imaging, letters and investigation results to be transferred across, and will take insurance details directly from the patient. Alternatively, use the form below.

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.