Referrals: Expedite Letters

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We are aware that patients are often told by the hospital to get a letter from the GP so that their first outpatient appointment can be expedited (i.e.; happen sooner). Please be aware that simply waiting a longer time than you would wish does not make your request urgent. Unfortunately, in the current situation, everyone is waiting longer.
We cannot write letters to expedite your appointment for this reason.

If the hospital is insistent on a letter, we may be able to write a letter for you, however getting a quicker appointment as a result is not always guaranteed, as we have no influence on how the hospital is managing and prioritising their own workloads.

If you would like to discuss the current waiting times, which provider your referral is currently with, alternative providers with shorter wait times, and not yet received a first outpatient appointment, please contact the Referral Support Team (phone numbers are available here). Please note, the Referral Support Team cannot chase scans, blood test results, follow up appointments or surgery dates. The team can only advise on first outpatient appointments.

If you are wanting to expedite a procedure/diagnostic/ follow up and are currently under a specific consultant at a hospital and feel that your condition has significantly deteriorated, please contact the relevant department at the hospital you are awaiting an appointment.

Should you continue to have difficulty in accessing your consultant, we advise that you contact the PALS department of the hospital for advice and assistance.