Where will my clinic be held?

Clinics are held in consulting rooms all over the Trust site not just in Outpatients. The Pain Clinic (Outpatients E), Diabetic Centre (Outpatients F) and the MacMillan Unit (Outpatients G) are sometimes used for all different specialities so please do not be concerned regarding where your clinic is held. Information on where the clinics are held can be found on the information board by the Main Reception area at the front of the Hospital or our team of volunteers will be pleased to help you. Information is also displayed at the rear entrance behind the reception desk.

What will happen on arrival at clinic?

Our Main Outpatients Area has 2 reception desks, Reception A and Reception B. Please report to the receptionist on duty who will greet you on arrival and will check all your details including your date of birth and ethnicity. Ensuring your details are correct is a national requirement, thank you for your patience when we do so.

What happens at clinic?

When you come to the Trust for your appointment you will be under the care of the Consultant named in the letter, but this does not guarantee you will be seen by them as each Consultant may have one of their team helping in clinic.

Please note; in some circumstances medical students will be present to observe and help with their training development. If you do not wish to have a student present during your consultation please inform the receptionist who will pass on your request to the nurse running the clinic.

What if I have been waiting for my appointment?

We try our best to keep the waiting times as short as possible but there are occasions where unavoidable delays may occur. This could be because

• The doctor is called away or delayed on the ward.
• The doctor may need to spend longer than anticipated with a patient
• An emergency case may need to be seen
• Patients are late for their appointment.

Patients will be seen in order of their appointment times. If you arrive early it is unlikely you will be seen before your appointment. We do not block book appointments. We will strive to keep our patients informed of any delays and if a delay has occurred we will display this on the information board. However if you have been waiting and have not been kept informed please speak to the receptionist on duty.

What happens after clinic?

It may be necessary for you to attend another department after your appointment. This could be for further tests or just the need to attend our Pre-Assessment clinic. The receptionist or nurse on duty will be happy to direct you to the appropriate location.