Outpatients
If you have an appointment with us but aren't staying overnight, it means you're being treated as an outpatient (or, a day patient). You may be having an appointment for treatment, diagnosis or a procedure. For more general information, take a look at the NHS article about Outpatients and Day Patients. For information about our Trust Outpatients services, check out our video and find out more in the sections of the page, below!
General Outpatient Enquiries
- If your enquiry is relating to Test Results, please contact your GP.
- If you were referred through the NHS e-Referral Service by your GP please ring the e-Referral Service Appointments Line on 0345 608 8888.
- The service runs from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday during the week and from 8am to 4pm Weekend and Bank Holidays. We are closed Christmas day
- Text phone is also available for people with hearing loss 0345 850 2250.
- Please let us know if you require an interpreter or any additional support at your appointment.
- For all other appointment related enquiries please select the relevant tab below.
Manage Your Appointment
If you have to cancel, change or manage your appointment, please visit the Managing Your Appointment page below:
Digital Appointment Initiatives
DrDoctor
You may now receive a text message to notify and remind you of an upcoming outpatient appointment or inform you if your appointment has any updates or has been cancelled.
Any texts are delivered from from DrDoctor on a +447860039092 mobile number, stating it is from North West Anglia NHS Trust. You will also have the option to sign up for email reminders via DrDoctor rather than text reminders. Click here to find out more information about DrDoctor and Managing Your Appointment.
Digital Letters
Digital letters have now been rolled out in some specialities with more to follow.
We will send patients a text message when they have a new digital letter to view online
Patients can follow the drdoctor.thirdparty.nhs.uk/nwangliaft link and login with their name, date of birth and postcode to view and download their PDF letter
This is an optional service, patients who prefer paper letters can still receive their letters by post as usual. Patients who wish to have a paper copy of their digital letter for a specific appointment can simply text PRINT to the +447860039092 number.
Digital pre-procedure assessment form - Details of MyPre-Op MyPreOp overview (3).pdf [pdf] 48KB
Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU)
Many patients with long term conditions, or following hospital treatment, do not need regular follow up appointments with our hospital team.
Instead, some of our patients will be offered 'patient initiated follow up' appointments (PIFU for short). This is where you arrange a follow-up appointment as and when you need it, rather than at routine intervals. This means you avoid unnecessary appointments, saving you time, money and stress.
If PIFU is available and suitable for you, the healthcare professional responsible for your care will discuss this option with you and if you are happy, will add your name to the PIFU appointment list.
How it works
You will not be given a routine follow up appointment as you may have been in the past, instead you will need to contact your service directly to arrange an appointment if and when you need one.
The health care professional responsible for your care will tell you what symptoms or complications after treatment to look out for that would mean you should make an appointment. They will also provide you with the information you need for contacting the service to arrange this if you need to.
You will also be told how long you will be on the PIFU waiting list. This will depend on what you are being treated for. If you do not need an appointment within the specified time period, you will be discharged from the service and you will need to contact your GP. They will re-refer you if you need to be seen again.
How do I book an appointment?
It is quick and easy to book an appointment when you need one. To do so, you should contact the service using the contact details provided to you by the healthcare professional responsible for your care.
To arrange a PIFU appointment you must:
- Have agreed with the healthcare professional responsible for your care that PIFU is appropriate for you and have been given the relevant information confirming you are on the PIFU waiting list
- Contact us within the timeframe advised by your healthcare professional.
Outpatient Video Consultations
We now have the option to provide a video consultation service for your next outpatient follow up appointment, so you may be asked by a clinician if you would like to use one for your next outpatient follow up appointment. Video consultations can save you time, money and are more convenient than travelling to one of our hospitals. The service may also benefit you if you find it difficult to travel to hospital, or feel more comfortable talking about your health in your own home.
Video consultations are optional, you can still choose to attend an on-site clinic. Video consultations will not normally be used if you require blood tests or scans or if your clinician needs to carry out an examination.
Please see the video and guidance documents below for more information.