Update Episode in OPERA

Overview

Update Episode lets you continue or progress an existing referral episode from within OPERA.

The options you see depend on the service type of the episode. For some services, options also depend on whether a Referral Summary (for some service as detailed below a summary of the clinical episode is sent to the hospital rather than the full episodes document bundle) is available.

How to update an episode

Go to Manage Referral.
Select the episode you want to update. A panel opens on the right-hand side.
Choose Update Episode.
Select one of the available options.
Submit your choice.

OPERA records who completed the update, the URN, and the action selected.

What options will I see?

The options shown depend on the service linked to the episode.

Hospital referral options

For many services you can choose:

Refer to Hospital Routine
Refer to Hospital Urgent
Refer to Hospital Emergency

These options are available for services such as:

Enhanced Imaging Service
Glaucoma Enhanced Referral Service (GERS)
Glaucoma Repeat Readings (GRR)
Integrated Children’s Service
Post Cataract Service
Post Vision Screening
PWLDA Enhanced Sight Testing

Please note: For GERS and GRR, an adhoc follow-up appointment option is not available.

Hospital referral plus adhoc follow-up

For Community Eye Service (CES) and Low Vision Service, you can choose:

Undertake an adhoc follow up appointment
Refer to Hospital Routine
Refer to Hospital Urgent
Refer to Hospital Emergency

Community Glaucoma (OHT)

You can choose:

Refer to Hospital Routine
Refer to Hospital Urgent

Cataract Referral Service

OPERA checks whether a Referral Summary is available.

If a Referral Summary is available: Refer to Hospital Routine or Refer to Hospital Urgent
If a Referral Summary is not available: Update Episode is not possible for this episode in its current status

Minor Eye Conditions (MECS)

OPERA checks whether a Referral Summary is available. A referral summary document is only available where outcome is one of the refer to hospital options - if you have not selected this outcome please select follow up option and add follow up and outcome of one of the referral to hospital outcomes.

If available: Adhoc follow-up appointment, plus hospital routine / urgent / emergency referral
If not available: Adhoc follow-up appointment only

Urgent Eyecare Service (CUES)

If a Referral Summary is available, you can choose:

Undertake an adhoc follow up appointment
Refer to Hospital Routine
Refer to Hospital Urgent
Refer to Hospital Emergency
Refer to OCT
Refer to Prescriber
Refer to another CUES provider
Refer to GP for care
OCT at this practice
IP at this practice
Telemedicine

If a Referral Summary is not available, you can choose:

Undertake an adhoc follow up appointment
Refer to OCT
Refer to Prescriber
Refer to another CUES provider
Refer to GP for care
OCT at this practice
IP at this practice
Telemedicine

Hospital referral options for CUES are only shown when a Referral Summary is available.

GOS18 and EeRS GOS18

You can usually choose:

Refer to Hospital Routine
Refer to Hospital Urgent
Refer to Hospital Emergency

If the episode has already been sent to triage, Update Episode is not available.

When Update Episode is not available

For some services, Update Episode cannot be used. If this applies, OPERA will show a message instead of the options list.

This includes:

CVD BP Service – Update Episode is not possible for Blood Pressure Service
EyeV Triage – Update Episode is not possible for EyeV Triage Service
Internal Referral – Update Episode is not possible for Internal Referral Service
Triage – Update Episode is not possible for Triage Service

Update Episode may also be unavailable if:

a required Referral Summary is not available (for Cataract Referral Service), or
a GOS18 / EeRS GOS18 episode has already been sent to triage

Tips

Make sure you have selected the correct episode before choosing Update Episode.
If you expected more options than you can see, check the service type of the episode. Option lists differ by service.
For CUES, MECS and Cataract Referral Service, missing Referral Summary documents can reduce or block available options.
If you see a “not possible” message and believe this is incorrect, contact support with the URN and service name.

Need help?

If Update Episode does not appear, options look incorrect, or you receive an unexpected message, contact the Help Centre / support team and provide:

URN
Service name
What you were trying to do
The message shown on screen