Hospital communications

Your Hospital Journey and Who to Contact if you are Concerned

The following information is intended as a general guide as each patient journey differs depending on their condition and individual needs.

Referral

• You have been referred to the Hospital by your GP or Community Team
• Your GP will indicate the waiting time when they refer you or see www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk for more information
• This referral will be processed in the hospital by the admin team and sent to the relevant speciality
• The Consultants within this service will review all information provided to confirm whether an appointment is required and when this can be booked, based on clinical priority

Should your condition worsen, or you have any health concerns prior to your appointment, please contact your GP Practice.

First Appointment

• You will receive information about your first appointment date and time by letter from the hospital
• You will have your first outpatient appointment or test and your Consultant will discuss next steps with you
• You may be sent for further relevant tests / scans / procedures or seen again in Outpatients

After your appointment, should you have any concerns, contact the Hospital Department using the phone number on your letter.

Surgery

• If you need an operation, your Consultant will discuss this with you
• You will be added to the waiting list for surgery
• The Waiting List Office will write to you to confirm you are now on the waiting list and the telephone number to call if you have any queries
• You will need to have a Pre-assessment appointment if you are having a general anaesthetic to check you are medically fit for your surgery
• A date for your surgery will be offered as soon as possible by letter or phone
• The location is likely to be the hospital site where you have been seen (L&D or Bedford Hospital). As we are a merged Trust, if the waiting times are shorter on the other site, you could be offered an earlier date there.
• Every 4 months (approximately) the Waiting List Office will call you to update you on the wait times and ensure you still wish to proceed with surgery

You can contact the Waiting List Office for an update on waiting times. If your condition worsens, please call your Hospital Department.