Waiting for an appointment or procedure

We are sorry if you are experiencing a delay waiting for your clinic appointment or procedure.

In some areas, we are experiencing a significant backlog and are doing everything we can to reduce this, including putting on extra clinics and theatre lists and opening additional sites to offer these services. We have also increased the ways we can offer appointments including offering more video and telephone appointments (as well as face to face appointments where appropriate).

We are currently working on some areas in our new electronic patient record that are impacting our ability to update our information on waiting times. This means that we may not have the latest data available at the moment. Please be assured that this issue is not impacting our high quality of care or compromising patient safety.

Please can we request that you do not contact your GP practice about waiting times, as they do not have access to this information.

Are you waiting for an elective procedure?

NHS trusts are now proactively contacting patients.

Patients will be periodically contacted via text message to see if their circumstances have changed and asked to complete an online questionnaire. Contact details are based on the contact information held on the system which links to your GPs information.  Please ensure that your details are up to date at both the Trust and GP if there are any changes.

The SMS/test will include a link to our SMS/text supplier DrDr where patients will be asked whether they wish to remain on the waiting list or not.

It is important that patients respond to these messages to avoid discharge.

Please do not contact your GP practice or NHS hospital. Patients will be provided with more detailed information when they are contacted.

Preparing for your appointment, procedure or surgery? You can take steps to improve your health while you wait.

One of the best things you can do to be sure that your procedure and recovery goes smoothly is to make sure that your health is as good as possible beforehand.

You wouldn't run a marathon without training first and preparing for surgery is no different. Surgery can take a huge toll on your body but the fitter you are before you go in, the quicker you will recover.

Find out how to prepare, get fitter and feel well before your surgery.

If you are living with an ongoing health condition, there are many ways in which you can look after yourself. This website has some advice and guidance which may help you to cope with your condition.