What to expect as an outpatient

Contents

Before your appointment

New booking arrangements have been implemented for some outpatient appointments. This means that shortly before your appointment becomes due, you will be sent a letter asking you to phone in and arrange a mutually convenient time and place for your appointment. We hope this will mean that your appointment will be easier for you to attend, and will not be subject to cancellation by the hospital.

Some patients still do not attend their appointments, and we hope that this system will mean that non-attendance is reduced, so that waiting times for appointments are also reduced.

Unused outpatient consultations cost the NHS millions every year, without benefiting anyone. It is very important that you help us prevent any outpatients appointments from being wasted. You can do this by checking we have your details correct and letting us know if you cannot keep an appointment.

Questions you may have

Q: Why have you changed the booking system?

In order to give patients more choice on where and when they would like their appointment.

Q: Why is there no appointment date on my letter?

Your name will be put on an Outpatient Waiting List and you will be asked to phone us about six weeks prior to your appointment to arrange the date. This is better for you because you will know when you are available, and we will then know that the clinic is scheduled to go ahead and is not at risk of being cancelled.

Q: Who do I phone?

The telephone number will be clearly marked on your letter.

Q: What if I no longer need an appointment?

Telephone the Central Booking Service number on the letter and your name will be removed from the waiting list.

Q: What if I need to change my appointment?

Telephone the Central Booking Service number on the letter and the appointment will be arranged for a more suitable time.

Q: What if I do not respond to my letters?

Every effort will be made to contact you by letter, and possibly also by telephone, but if you do not respond your name will be removed from the Outpatient Waiting List and your GP will be informed.

Q: Will my GP know my appointment is being made in this way?

Yes, all West Dorset GPs have been informed.

Cancelling appointments

If you cannot keep your appointment, please ring us at least one week in advance if possible. The number to ring is on your appointment letter and calls should be made between 8.30am and 5pm Monday to Friday. If we know you cannot attend, we can arrange an alternative date with you. We can also offer your appointment to someone else. Unless you contact us we will assume that you will be attending your appointment.

Arrival times

Your appointment time will be given in the letter that came with this booklet. Please ensure you arrive at the hospital with plenty of time to get to your appointment. In some cases, if you are late and miss your appointment you may not be seen and a new appointment will have to be made for you.

Friends and relatives

We appreciate that you may wish to bring someone with you. You are welcome to do this, but please bear in mind that seating may be limited.

Children

Children get bored quickly with waiting and that can make your appointment more stressful. We appreciate it is not always possible to leave them at home with someone, so if you do bring children perhaps you could bring a book or some quiet activity to keep them entertained.

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Preparing for your appointment

Medicines

It is important that the doctor who sees you at your outpatient appointment knows what medicines you are currently taking. He or she will want to know about all the drugs you take, even those you may not think of as medicine such as inhalers or ointments.

Please bring a full list of all the medicines, including dosages, you are taking with you to your appointment. Your GP’s surgery can provide you with a list of your prescribed medicine on request. Alternatively, if you are registered with your local pharmacist he or she may be able to provide you with a list. It is not necessary for you to bring the medicines themselves.

Personal Health Records

If you have any personal health records in your possession, please bring these with you to your appointment.

Specimens

Your appointment letter will say if you need to bring a specimen of urine with you. You should bring a small amount (approximately 30 ml) in a clean, washed container. If you have nothing suitable at home you can get a specimen jar from your local pharmacist or GP’s surgery. The specimen should be an early morning sample produced on the same day as your appointment. The nurse will take the specimen from you when she calls you. It is important that you provide us with a urine specimen if requested as it may give vital information for your diagnosis or treatment.

Questions & Answers

It can be helpful to jot down in advance the key facts you want to tell the doctor. You could also make a note of any questions you want to ask and then you can be sure you won’t forget during your appointment. You may want to bring some paper and a pen so you can write down the information you learn during the appointment.

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At the clinic

Reception

Please give your name to the receptionist when you arrive at the clinic so he or she knows you are there and hand in your appointment letter or card with your personal details filled in.

Waiting time

The hospital staff make every effort to avoid long waits for patients before they see the doctor or nurse. Please be assured that if you are kept waiting beyond your appointment time it will be for a good reason. Staff may have been called away to deal with an emergency on the wards, or another consultation may have needed more time than anticipated.

We understand that waiting can be very frustrating and we are very grateful for your patience and tolerance. Staff will do their utmost to keep you informed about what is going on behind the scenes but if you have a query, please ask. The staff are here to help.

Planning ahead

Some appointments can take a long time, particularly if they involve tests as well as a consultation, so we ask patients to allow plenty of time for their appointment. Also, some appointments can be delayed. Try not to make arrangements that directly follow on from your hospital appointment. For instance, you could arrange for someone to collect your children from school if necessary. This will prevent you from feeling anxious if you are unavoidably kept waiting.

Who will be at my appointment?

It is impossible for a consultant to see every patient personally. If you don’t see the consultant at your appointment, you will meet a member of his or her team. The doctor or senior nurse you see will discuss your visit with the consultant who will be fully aware of any decisions that are made about your treatment.

For some visits, particularly those involving tests, patients may be seen by a hospital technician. Again, please be assured that they will inform the consultant of any relevant information. In some cases students may be present at your appointment. If you do not wish them to be there you can ask that they leave. This is your right and will not affect your treatment or relationship with the hospital in any way.

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After your appointment

Follow–up appointments

If you are asked to attend the clinic in the future for a follow-up appointment, you should arrange your next appointment at the reception desk before leaving the hospital. Please make sure you bring your diary with you so that you can make any arrangements. If you don’t keep a diary please make a list of dates when you know you will be unavailable and bring it with you to the outpatient appointment. In some instances we may arrange to contact you nearer the time to arrange a convenient date

Pharmacy

You may be given a prescription by the doctor or nurse. If you are in Dorset County Hospital there is a pharmacy available on site. If you are elsewhere go to your local chemist.

What if I have to come into hospital for an operation?

If you need to come into hospital for an operation, this will be discussed with you during your outpatient consultation. A lot of procedures can be performed as a day case, which means you only come into hospital for one day and do not spend the night. However, some procedures cannot be performed as a day case and you need to be admitted to hospital as an inpatient and stay on a ward until your treatment is completed and you have recovered enough to be discharged.

Hospital property

If you are loaned hospital property please take good care of it and return it as soon as possible. Remember, someone else may be waiting for that piece of equipment.

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