Sometimes a GP will ask you to see a specialist in order to get advice on your care, or because the practice does not have the required equipment or expertise on site. This is called a referral.
You will usually be able to choose the date and time to see a specialist, and if it is offered by more than one local hospital you should be able to choose the location as well.
There are some local services where you can get help without needing to be referred by a GP. This is called self-referral, and local services on offer include: