For information about our services during coronavirus, please view our dedicated pages.
GP referrals
When your GP has decided to refer you for an outpatient appointment a referral letter will usually be sent to the Outpatient booking office. This letter is then logged on our Patient Administration System on the date received and then usually sent to the relevant consultant for prioritisation. The consultant will then decide whether the appointment is “routine” or “urgent”. The letter should be returned to the Outpatient booking office within 72 working hours after which your appointment will be arranged.
Choose and Book: Your GP may enable you to book your appointment using the National Choose & Book System. If this is the case the information will be provided at the time.
Please be aware that there will be occasions when a decision is taken by your GP or one of our consultants that your appointment is considered more urgent than another. If this is the case it is common for you to be contacted by our appointment officers to arrange this. We would appreciate it if you could make every effort to take the first available appointment offered.
Your appointment letter
In general, once your appointment has been made, you will receive a letter confirming the details and any samples you need to bring. Please read your letter carefully along with any enclosures you may receive. Remember to check the location of your appointment. There will be occasions when you will be contacted by telephone to arrange and confirm the details of your appointment especially when your appointment is at short notice.
Managing appointments
We have an outpatient appointment management system to help manage telephone queries and reduce missed appointments. This will mean that you will be automatically reminded of your outpatient appointment 7 days prior to the date of the appointment on either your home or mobile phone. You will have the option to confirm your attendance, to reschedule it or to cancel it. If you wish to reschedule or cancel you will automatically be put through to the Outpatient booking office. A further automated reminder will be sent 2 days before your appointment. Where appointments are either rescheduled or cancelled the original appointment can be allocated to another patient.
If you do not wish to receive an automated call please advise our Outpatients booking office on 01737 784 000.