Your outpatient appointment

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Welcome to your outpatient appointment

We understand that Hospitals are busy places and can be stressful. Planning ahead and knowing what to expect can help.

You may want to bring a relative, carer or friend with you for support.

If you have any special needs or requirements let us know and we will do our best to help.

What to bring with you

• Your appointment letter or text (if you have one).
• A list of your current medication.
• Medication/snacks/money you may need in case of an unforeseen delay.
• Questions that you may need to ask.
• Details of your symptoms, including when they started and what makes them better or worse.

What to do if you can no longer attend your
appointment

If you wish to change or cancel your appointment telephone the number provided on your appointment letter as soon as possible. We can then ensure another appointment is made for you and the appointment you cancelled can be used for someone else.

What to do if you require additional services

Interpreters / Sign language

Interpreting and British Sign Language (BSL) services are available. If you require these services make the bookings team aware as soon as possible so one can be booked before your appointment.

Patient Transport

If you require patent transport contact the South Central Ambulance Service on 0300 123 9841 who will assess your eligibility and arrange transport.

Please book an early appointment to allow enough time for you to have your appointment and be collected by patient transport especially if your appointment is in the afternoon.

What to expect

We aim to see patients as close to their appointment time as possible. Delays may happen due to emergencies or some patients needing a little longer to be assessed. Please bear with us: we will be working to see you as soon as possible. The clinic staff will keep you informed or please ask a member of the team.

If you need to go for tests such as an x-ray or ECG, you may need to go to other departments in which case your appointment could also take longer.

Your appointment

You will be called either electronically or by your healthcare professional into a consultation room. You can bring your companion with you or request a chaperone if you need one.

• Wear clothing that is comfortable and easy to remove as you may need to be examined.
• Don’t be afraid to ask any questions or if you don’t understand anything.
• Write notes if you need to – check you have covered everything on your list.
• Make sure you understand what is happening next.

As a teaching trust there are often healthcare students present during consultations. Please let us know if you would prefer not to have any present. This will not affect your treatment.

After your appointment

Your healthcare professional may write a letter to you and your GP outlining what was discussed and any changes to your treatment or medication. This is usually within 10 to14 days or available digitally through the NHS app.

You can download the NHS app, or open the NHS website in a web browser, to set up and log in to your NHS account. This is a simple and secure way to access a range of NHS services on line.

After your consultation you may be handed a form to make another appointment before you leave. This may also be done electronically.

Thank you for attending

We are here to help you. Please talk to any staff member if we can help improve your visit.