Referring to secondary care

Referral for specialist investigation is indicated for the following situations:

• Patients with Primary ED (young patients who have always had difficulty obtaining an erection)
• Patients with a history of trauma
• Where an abnormality of the testes or penis is found on examination
• Where the initial screening tests have indicated a serious systemic disease

With many men that suffer from ED delaying seeing their GP because of embarrassment, it is important once diagnosis is established that a treatment plan is put in place and the man embarks on the journey to recovery. See the section on Managing Patients Effectively for more information.