A telephone appointment is the same as a face-to-face appointment, but done over the phone.

If we have given you a phone appointment, do not come to the hospital instead. You will not be seen.

Why a phone appointment

We offer phone appointments to make it easier for you. For example, you will not have to take as much time off work, travel to and park in the hospital, or find your way around an unfamiliar environment.

Your health professional has reviewed your condition and decided that it is safe for your appointment to take place over the phone.

What will happen

Your appointment letter gives you the appointment time.

The health professional will call you as close as possible to that time. The number might appear as ‘no caller ID’ or a number you do not recognise.

We may call you early or late, depending on how quickly the clinic is running.

We will call you on the number listed in your hospital record. If you want to check this, call your hospital department on the number given in your appointment letter.

Please note

Do not call or text the number that we called you from for your appointment. This number is only for phone appointments.

How to prepare

Make sure that:

  • you are free to speak at the time of the appointment - bear in mind, we may ring you slightly earlier or later than the time stated in the letter
  • your phone is loud enough to hear when it rings
  • you are somewhere quiet where you can talk privately
  • you have a good phone signal, if we are calling your mobile
  • you have a list of your current medicines and any records relevant to your condition or appointment
  • you have pen and paper ready to write down any notes
  • if a family member, friend, or carer usually comes with you to your hospital appointments, ask them to be with you for your phone appointment. If you have a speaker on your phone, use this.

If you cannot hear the health professional clearly

  • Tell them straight away.
  • If there is a different number which they can call you on, tell them.
  • They may offer to call you at a different time.

If you miss your appointment

  • We will call you up to 3 times. Then, if possible, we will leave a message saying that we have phoned you.
  • We will then decide on the next step. This could include re-booking your appointment or discharging you back to your GP.  Contact your hospital department if you have any concerns about this.

If the healthcare professional does not call you

If we do not phone within 1 hour of your appointment time, call the hospital department concerned using the number on your appointment letter.

If you need an interpreter

We can arrange for an interpreter to be on the phone call.

Ask a family member or friend to phone the hospital department at least 3 days before your appointment and tell us which language you need.

If you think a telephone appointment is not appropriate

If you have difficulty communicating by phone, ask a friend or relative to phone your hospital department to discuss alternative options. (For example if you have hearing loss, a learning disability and/or autism.)

Contact information

Telephone:

Contact your hospital department using the phone number at the top of your appointment letter.