Your appointment

Your appointment

When you’re referred to us, your treatment should start within 18 weeks, unless you choose to wait longer or it is clinically in your best interests to wait longer.

We'll try to book an appointment that is convenient to you whenever we can, but this may not always be possible.

If you choose to delay your appointment or treatment, or cancel multiple times, this may affect how long you wait to be treated. Your doctor may also decide to discharge you back to your GP.

If you're waiting to hear from us about an appointment and are concerned that your appointment letter may be lost in the post, please contact our patient services centre.

For information about waiting times please visit www.nhs.uk.

Outpatient appointments

If you have an outpatient appointment booked at one of our hospitals, we will write to you to confirm its date, time and location. Please check the details on your appointment letter carefully and contact us if you are unable to attend.

Outpatient appointments are held throughout our hospitals. Please contact our patient services centre if you have any questions about the location of your appointment.

Accessibility guides

We have teamed up with AccessAble to produce some accessibility guides to our hospitals. All our accessible guides are available on each of our hospital site pages here.

Cancelling your appointment

Please let us know in advance if you're unable to attend your appointment, as we may be able to offer cancelled appointments to others and avoid wasted slots. Outpatient appointments can be cancelled or rebooked using our online form, or by calling the patient services centre.

Unattended appointments

Failing to attend appointments without letting us know in advance could affect how long you will wait to be treated. If you fail to attend or cancel your appointment for a second time, your doctor may decide to discharge you back to your GP.

Telephone and text appointment reminder service

We will call you seven days before your appointment to confirm that you will be attending. This automated call will also offer you the opportunity to rebook or cancel your appointment. If you don't make a selection from one of the options that you hear, the service will keep calling daily until you respond .

If you have provided us with a mobile number you will also receive a text message reminder two days before your appointment.

If you do not wish to be contacted via this service please inform the patient services centre.

Chaperones

You can request a chaperone to accompany you to any procedures, tests or examinations. If you'd like to request a chaperone, please ask your doctor or midwife. You can also request a chaperone in advance when booking your appointment or at pre-assessment.