Patient FAQs (waiting well)

Waiting times are different for every service and also change depending on clinical priority (how unwell someone is, how quickly they need treatment or if their condition is getting worse). We book appointments in date and order of urgency, and we’ll contact you as soon as an appointment is available. Some services have a bigger need which can make your wait longer. If your condition changes while you’re waiting, please see the section below called “What if something changes?”

For information about waiting times please visit the Guide to NHS waiting times in England - NHS.

We can tell you if you are on the waiting list, but we cannot tell you where you are on the list. This is because your exact place on the list can change every day, as cases that are urgent are seen first. Waiting lists are looked at often and we try to bring appointments forward when we can.

There is a bigger need for some clinics and procedures, and as more people get added to our waiting lists, you may move further down the list if others need to be seen more urgently. This sometimes means the waiting times change. We’ll offer the earliest appointment we can and will contact you if an earlier slot becomes available.

If your symptoms have got worse or anything else has changed (such as new risks or a change in your day-to-day abilities), please contact your GP. They will review you and if they need to will contact the hospital team to seek advice. If it is needed, then you will be seen sooner.

Yes. You can ask to be contacted for short notice cancellations. If you decide you want to do this, please be ready to come at short notice and keep your contact details up to date. We check for any chance to book appointments sooner every day.

If your symptoms have got worse, please contact your GP who will review you and decide if they need to contact the hospital for advice or to ask for an appointment to be seen sooner.

If you feel that you are seriously unwell, please call 111 or, in an emergency, call 999.

You can also visit the NHS website - www.nhs.uk for advice on helping you take control of your health and wellbeing. 

There are times when symptoms disappear before you are seen and there are some conditions where losing weight, increasing your exercise and making changes to what you eat may help with your pain and/or condition. You may decide you don’t need to be seen at the hospital. Please let us know this as soon as you can by contacting us using the details on your clinic letter.

If you have decided to seek treatment elsewhere, it’s important that you let us know so that we can send any relevant clinical information to your new healthcare provider and take your name off our waiting lists, helping other patients to be seen sooner.

Contact details can be found on letters we have sent you. If you have decided to have your treatment somewhere else, please let us know as soon as possible.

Please let us know if any of these have changed:

• Your GP practice
• Your home or postal address
• Your mobile or landline telephone number
• Your email address

You can let us know by contacting us on the email address or phone number on your letter or by telling the clinic staff the next time you come to an appointment.