Logan Reid
If you've been referred to a specialist by your GP or another healthcare professional, you may be wondering how to chase up your hospital referral. Waiting times for hospital appointments can be long, and it can be difficult to know how to expedite the process. While healthcare providers are often unable to change waiting times, there are steps you can take to manage your referral appointment. You can use the NHS app or website to view, confirm, or change the details of your upcoming hospital referrals. Additionally, contacting the secretary of the consultant you saw can help you determine the status of your referral letter. They can also help you find out if your referral has been acted on.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| How to check the status of a referral | Use the NHS app or contact the healthcare provider |
| How to expedite a referral | Contact the specialist's secretary directly so they can assess your condition and make arrangements if appropriate |
| How to cancel a referral | Use the NHS app or log in through the NHS website |
| How to choose a hospital for a referral | Choose a hospital with a consultant-led team that suits your preferences |
| How to book an appointment for a referral | Book through the NHS e-Referral Service or the NHS app |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- Use the NHS app to view, confirm, and change details of upcoming referrals
- Contact your healthcare provider if information is missing from the app
- Call the consultant's secretary to check the status of your referral letter
- Phone the NHS e-Referral Service line to book your first appointment
- Contact your GP to request a referral and discuss treatment options
Use the NHS app to view, confirm, and change details of upcoming referrals
The NHS App allows patients to view, confirm, and change details of upcoming referrals and appointments. Patients can view their hospital referrals and future appointments in one place on the app. To view or manage appointments in the app, users need to be 16 or older.
- Go to the homepage of the NHS App.
- Scroll down and select "Upcoming and past appointments".
- Select "Hospital and specialist appointments".
- Select the referral you need to choose an appointment for.
- Select a clinic from the available options.
- Select an appointment from the available options.
- Check the details and select "Book appointment".
To reschedule or cancel a referral appointment, follow these steps:
- Go to the homepage or "Your health".
- Select "Upcoming and past appointments".
- Select "Hospital and specialist appointments".
- Select the appointment you want to reschedule or cancel.
- Select "Ask to reschedule appointment" or "Ask to cancel appointment".
- Choose a new date and time (for rescheduling) or select a reason for cancellation.
- Review and submit your request.
Please note that some healthcare providers do not share referral and appointment information through the NHS App. If your healthcare provider has contacted you about an appointment that is not showing in the app, you should attend that appointment. Additionally, if you cancel an appointment, you may need a new referral to book another appointment. Certain bookings, such as urgent referrals, cannot be cancelled.
Houston VA Hospital: Flooding and Patient Care
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Contact your healthcare provider if information is missing from the app
If you are missing information in the app, it may take a few days for upcoming or past appointments to appear. In this case, you should contact your healthcare provider. Some healthcare providers do not share their waiting list data, documents, or questionnaires in the app, so you may need to wait a few weeks for this information to appear.
If you are missing information about your treatment date, this means the app is currently unable to estimate this data. You are still on a waiting list. You can also manage your first referral appointment in the app, but any further appointments for an existing referral must be managed with the healthcare provider you have been referred to.
If you are missing information about a document or questionnaire, contact your healthcare provider. If you have already seen a consultant at the hospital, you can phone their secretary directly. You can also go via the hospital switchboard if you don't have the phone number and ask for the secretary of the relevant consultant. They will be able to tell you the status of your referral letter.
If you are missing information about your place on a waiting list, you can contact your specialist's secretary directly so they can assess your condition and make the necessary arrangements to expedite your appointment if appropriate. Please note that many healthcare teams are overwhelmed by requests to expedite hospital appointments and cannot change waiting times.
Boosting Your Theme Hospital Reputation: Tips and Tricks
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Call the consultant's secretary to check the status of your referral letter
When you are referred to a consultant by your GP, it is important to get the contact details of the consultant's secretary (number and email address) and the number of the clinic desk. You should contact the consultant's team directly to organise an appointment. If you have private health insurance, your insurer may have a list of approved specialists, so check with them before proceeding.
If you have any specific questions related to your care, you should contact the consultant's team directly. If a prescription is needed urgently, you should contact the consultant's team (usually via the secretary) to prescribe it. Private consultants may suggest medications that are not normally prescribed by NHS GPs. In such cases, you will need to continue receiving them from the consultant.
If you think you cannot attend the appointment, it is important to call the consultant's secretary or the clinic directly as soon as possible. This is so that they can give the appointment slot to another patient. If you arrive late for your appointment, it will be cancelled.
If you need to be certified as unfit for work following treatment by a consultant, the consultant is responsible for issuing you with a Fit Note. This should cover the period they expect you to be unfit for work, or until your next contact with them.
Medicare Part B: Hospital Stays Covered?
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$28.99 $37.99
$18.23 $29.98
Phone the NHS e-Referral Service line to book your first appointment
If you've been referred to a specialist by your GP or another healthcare professional, you can book your first outpatient appointment through the NHS e-Referral Service.
To book your first appointment, phone the NHS e-Referral Service line on 0345 608 8888. The line is open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8 pm, and on weekends and bank holidays from 8 am to 4 pm.
When you call, you'll need to provide information about your referral, such as the reason for your referral and any relevant medical history. You may also be asked about your preferred hospital and consultant-led team for your treatment.
It's important to note that the NHS e-Referral Service is only for booking your first appointment. If you need to manage any further appointments for an existing referral, you'll need to do this directly with the healthcare provider you have been referred to.
Additionally, keep in mind that there may be waiting times for hospital appointments, especially due to the increased demand caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you have concerns about the status of your referral or the waiting time, you can contact the secretary of the consultant you've been referred to for more information.
Avera Hospitals: Catholic Church Connection Explored
You may want to see also
Explore related products
Contact your GP to request a referral and discuss treatment options
If you need to chase up a hospital referral, it's important to first contact your GP and request a referral letter. They will be able to provide essential background information and details about your medical history, which will help inform your treatment options. Your GP will also be able to advise you on the various tests or treatments that you can try in the meantime to see if your condition improves.
When you contact your GP, be sure to discuss your treatment options and request a referral to a specialist if needed. You can request a specific hospital and consultant-led team for your treatment, but keep in mind that the NHS has triage services in place to review GP referrals and determine the priority of each case. This means that, while you can choose the hospital and consultant for your first outpatient appointment, you may still need to join a waiting list.
If you have already chosen a hospital and consultant, you can contact the consultant's secretary to check on the status of your referral letter. They will be able to tell you if the letter is ready or if it has been sent, and they can also help you find out if it has been received and acted upon by the hospital. The secretary is often the person who can get things moving, so don't hesitate to reach out to them.
Additionally, you can use the NHS App to view, confirm, and manage the details of your upcoming hospital referrals. This includes rescheduling appointments, although it's important to note that you can only manage your first referral appointment in the app. For any subsequent appointments, you will need to contact the healthcare provider directly.
While it can be frustrating to wait for hospital appointments, especially with the current backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, it's important to remember that healthcare teams are doing their best to see patients as quickly as possible. They are often unable to change waiting times or respond to all requests to expedite appointments. However, if your symptoms are worsening, be sure to contact your specialist's secretary so they can assess your condition and make arrangements to expedite your appointment if necessary.
Leading Cancer Hospitals: Top 3 Centers of Excellence
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
You can use the NHS app to view, confirm and change the details of any upcoming hospital referrals from your GP. If your referral is not showing in the app, it could take a few weeks to be visible. If you have already seen a consultant at the hospital, you can phone their secretary directly to chase up your referral.
You can book your first outpatient appointment through the NHS e-Referral Service. You can phone the NHS e-Referral Service line on 0345 608 8888 (open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 8 pm, and on weekends and bank holidays from 8 am to 4 pm).
Yes, you can reschedule your referral appointment in the NHS App or while logged in through the NHS website.
