Due to the Covid-19 pandemic many hospital services have been disrupted leading to longer waiting times for some treatments. Health care professionals are working together to restore hospital services and, wherever possible, avoid the need for patients to attend face to face outpatient appointments at the hospital unless this is necessary. This will all be done in discussion with you.
As hospital services are restarted Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, like all other hospitals across the country, are implementing a number of changes in the way they see patients which may include telephone or video appointments as well as the usual face to face appointments.
Prior to referral to hospital specialist
Your GP may seek advice from a hospital specialist on how best to treat your condition. The specialist may advise diagnostic tests or a course of treatment that can be arranged by your GP
Referral to hospital specialist – what happens next?
Your GP is no longer able to directly book outpatient appointments at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Alexandra Hospital in Redditch or Kidderminster Hospital & Treatment Centre, but will provide the hospital specialist with your full clinical details for consideration of your condition. The specialist will consider your medical history and the results of any diagnostic tests or treatments previously undertaken. Following this, a hospital outpatient appointment may be booked for you. This could be a telephone, video, or face to face appointment. You will receive notification of this within 28 days of GP referral, please do not contact your GP or hospital prior to this. The waiting time for this appointment will be prioritised by the specialist based on clinical criteria.
What do you need to do?
Once you and your GP have agreed on a referral being made, if you have the facility to receive texts, you will receive a text asking you to answer a few simple questions concerning whether or not:
- you agree to a video or telephone appointment
- you are able to access a video or telephone appointment
- you consent to being contacted via email
- your email address and telephone number on your patient records is up to date
- If you have a preferred hospital
- you agree to receiving patient information to support you in managing your condition.
If you agree to a video consultation you will be provided with further information on how this will be conducted and what you need to do to prepare. If you do not have a mobile or access to the internet please ensure your GP is aware of this.
Who to contact if your condition deteriorates?
If your condition worsens or causes concern while you are waiting to be seen by the hospital specialist, please contact your GP. For more information on how to manage your health please see the NHS website. https://www.nhs.uk/
Produced on behalf of:
NHS Herefordshire and Worcestershire Clinical Commissioning Group
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
