The ecovery integration lets you search over 5,000 UK private specialists by what they actually treat, not just their broad speciality label. This guide shows where to find the search and explains each filter.
Opening the specialist search
The search is built into client correspondence, so you can find a specialist while you write a referral.
Go to Clients, open the client and select Correspondence.
Click New Correspondence, or open an existing draft to edit it.
Above the content box, click Search Specialists.
Opening Search Specialists from client correspondence
The Search Specialists window shows the filters on the left and matching specialists on the right. Each filter shows how many options it has. Tick specialists in the results (or use Select all and Deselect all); they appear under Selected Specialists. Click Select to confirm your choice, or Cancel to close without changes.
Searching specialists with the ecovery filters
Search Filters
Below is a description of each filter in the search window.
Filter | Description |
Location | City or town where the specialist practises. Start typing and matching locations will appear. |
Suburb | Narrow your location search to a specific area within a city or town. |
Operator | Hospital or clinic group where the specialist practises (for example Nuffield Health, Spire, HCA). Only groups with specialists registered in ecovery's clinical database will appear. |
Speciality | The clinical discipline a specialist works in. For Orthopaedics, you can search by joint (for example Hip, Knee, Elbow). Orthopaedics also has its own top-level speciality for conditions that span multiple joints, such as compartment syndrome. Specialists working across several joints appear in the search for each relevant joint. |
Sub-Speciality | Further classification within a speciality. For example, joint specialities are divided into arthroplasty (replacement) and soft tissue; spinal is divided into degenerative conditions (for example myelopathy, stenosis) and deformity (for example scoliosis). Use the drop-down or start typing to see the options. |
Complex Arthroplasty | Specialists who actively manage complex joint replacement presentations, for example cases involving excessive bone loss, high BMI or other complicating factors. |
Arthroplasty Revision | Specialists who perform revision of joint replacements or revision spinal surgery. |
Condition specific search | Search by a specific clinical condition or diagnosis to find specialists with a declared interest or expertise in managing it, for example Knee - meniscal repair. See Condition specific search below. |
Young Adult | Switch on for specialists who work with young adult patients, for example those treating hip impingement or hip dysplasia, or with a declared interest in early osteoarthritis. |
Enhanced recovery | Switch on for specialists who follow enhanced recovery protocols: structured pathways designed to improve outcomes and shorten recovery after surgery. |
Robot assisted | Switch on for specialists who perform robot-assisted surgical procedures. |
Paediatrics | Switch on to search across all specialities for specialists who see paediatric patients. |
Tip: the Paediatrics switch at the bottom of the filters searches across all specialities for specialists who see paediatric patients. This is different from the Paediatrics option in the Speciality drop-down, which shows specialists who work exclusively with children.
Note: Geriatric Medicine and Groin are developing datasets with growing coverage. Results in these areas will expand over time.
Condition specific search
This is one of the most powerful parts of the ecovery search. It lets you find specialists who treat a specific condition or diagnosis, not just a broad clinical area.
Start typing a condition and the matching options appear. Every condition is grouped by speciality or joint to make it easier to find.
Tip: not sure where a condition sits? Type the joint name (for example "Knee") and all conditions indexed under that joint will appear.
Clinical Groups
Conditions are organised into the following clinical groups:
Group | Description |
Brain | Brain injury and neurological rehabilitation |
Elbow | Elbow-specific conditions and injuries |
Foot and Ankle | Foot and ankle-specific conditions |
Groin | Groin-specific conditions and injuries |
Hip | Hip-specific conditions and injuries |
Knee | Knee-specific conditions and injuries |
Neurology | Neurological conditions |
Neurosurgery | Neurosurgical conditions and interventions |
Oncology | Musculoskeletal oncology and related conditions |
Orthopaedics | General orthopaedic conditions spanning multiple joints |
Paediatrics | Conditions specific to paediatric patients |
Pain | Chronic pain conditions |
Performance | Sports medicine special interests and conditions |
Peripheral Nerve | Dedicated peripheral nerve expertise (brachial plexus and similar) |
Rehabilitation | Rehabilitation-focused interests and conditions |
Rheumatology | Inflammatory and autoimmune conditions |
Shoulder | Shoulder-specific conditions and injuries |
Spinal | Spinal-specific conditions and injuries |
Wrist and Hand | Conditions of the wrist, hand and fingers |
Tip: Peripheral Nerve as a standalone group covers dedicated peripheral nerve expertise. You will also see a "Peripheral Nerve" option within individual joints (for example Wrist and Hand, Foot and Ankle). These refer to common compressive neuropathies for that joint, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or Morton's neuroma.
A Note on Search Results and Data Coverage
ecovery's Clinical Graph is built from verified, unstructured clinical data. A specialist appears in the results based on the information currently held about their declared interests, expertise and clinical activity.
Important: if a specialist does not appear in a search, it does not necessarily mean they do not treat that condition. ecovery may not yet hold the data needed to confirm their involvement in that area. The database is continuously updated and expanded, so coverage will grow over time.
If you believe a specialist should appear for a particular condition or speciality, please get in touch. Your feedback helps improve the accuracy and completeness of the Clinical Graph.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I can't find the right specialist?
Try broadening your search, for example by speciality or joint rather than a specific condition. You can also remove location or operator filters to see a wider pool of results. If you still can't find what you need, contact us and we will be happy to help.
How is the specialist data maintained?
ecovery's Clinical Graph is a proprietary database of over 500,000 clinical data points covering 5,000+ UK private specialists. The data is curated and verified by ecovery's clinical team and updated every day.
Can I suggest a specialist be added?
Yes. If you know of a specialist who should be included, please get in touch and we will review the request.
What's the difference between the Paediatrics speciality and the Paediatrics switch?
The Paediatrics option in the Speciality drop-down shows specialists who work exclusively with children. The Paediatrics switch at the bottom of the filters searches across all specialities for any specialist who also sees paediatric patients.
Why doesn't a specialist appear for a condition I know they treat?
Results are based on the data currently held in ecovery's Clinical Graph. If a specialist does not appear, the database may not yet hold the information needed to confirm their involvement in that area. The data is continuously updated, so if you believe a specialist is missing, please let us know and we will investigate.