Waiting for an appointment, surgery or treatment

Expected waiting times 

We prioritise patients who have the most urgent clinical needs, and patients who have been waiting the longest. 

All patients who are on an urgent treatment pathway, for example due to a possible cancer diagnosis, will continue to be seen as quickly as possible. 

Unfortunately, in most cases, your GP will not be able to help you get seen quicker, as hospital appointments and waiting lists are managed by the relevant hospital service. 

You can view average waiting times for your appointment or treatment, and the date that you were referred to our hospital by downloading and signing into the NHS APP. You can also view average waiting time information on the NHS MY PLANNED CARE WEBSITE.

Contacting you to book an appointment, treatment or surgery

Surgery and treatment 

We normally book surgery and treatment appointments at least three weeks in advance.

We will try to contact you by telephone so that we can discuss date options and explain what you need to do. 

If we cannot reach you by phone, we will send you a letter by SMS text message, e-mail or post.

Outpatient appointments

You will normally receive a letter by SMS text message for an outpatient appointment or a letter by post or email if you have not registered a mobile phone number with us.

The letter will include your appointment date and location as well as further details, for example what you should bring with you.

We do arrange ‘virtual’ outpatient appointments – via telephone or video – when appropriate.

Please also note that outpatient appointments are likely to be booked a long time in advance.

Read more here. 

Sometimes we need to rearrange appointments, treatment or surgery

Unfortunately, from time to time we do need to rearrange appointments, treatment or surgery dates for various reasons. 

For example:

We are really sorry if we have to rearrange your care – we do appreciate how frustrating this will be, especially if you have already been waiting for some time. We will always endeavour to rebook your appointment, treatment or procedure at the earliest opportunity.

Why are patients waiting longer?

During the pandemic, many NHS appointments, planned surgery and treatments were suspended to allow staff to focus on caring for people with Covid-19 and other urgent and emergency conditions.

This led to a build-up of appointments and procedures and subsequently longer waiting times for many people needing planned care.

We are working hard to improve our waiting times but we continue to face challenges, including high demand for our services, which can worsen in the winter months.

How can you support us to improve our waiting times

• We are starting to communicate regularly with patients to reassure them that they are still on our waiting list and to check whether they still need an appointment, treatment or surgery.
  
  Please read more on what to do if you receive a message from us.
   
• We also ask that you tell us if they need to cancel or rearrange an appointment, treatment or surgery as soon as possible, so that we can make sure someone else can use that appointment or treatment slot. If you need to cancel or reschedule your appointment, please call the number on your appointment letter or email us.
  
  
• We are improving information that may help patients keep their appointment – such as information on how to find our hospitals or get support with travel costs.
  
  Please visit the getting to your appointment page to find out more.
  
  If you find it hard to walk or if you need medical support during your journey, you may be eligible for our non-emergency transport service.
  
  If you are on low income or receive benefits, you may be eligible for help with the cost of travelling to and from your appointments. Please visit the help with travel costs page to find out more about eligibility and how to claim.

What are we doing to reduce waiting times for our patients?

Here we describe some of the work we are doing to improve waiting times. 

Staying well while you wait

While you are waiting, there are things you can do to help you stay well and prepare for your procedure if you are having one. These include stopping smoking, exercising regularly, drinking less alcohol and eating a healthy diet. These changes can help your body manage the demands of surgery and aid recovery.  Please read more here. 

Viewing your referrals, appointments and test results 

The NHS app gives you access to your hospital and GP records in the same place. This includes hospital referrals and average waiting times. It’s available as a smartphone app and on the web, so a smartphone is not essential.  You can also use the Care Information Exchange to see your hospital records including appointments, test results and clinic letters. You can add information such as symptoms to the record, and share it with family and other people involved in your care.  

If you have a concern 

Please contact us if you have a concern or a complaint - we would like to hear from you so we can help.

You can also visit our frequently asked question web page, here.

North west London elective access policy

Please read the north west London elective access policy, if you would like more information on the roles, responsibilities, pathway and process guidelines to manage elective waiting times to ensure patients are treated promptly, efficiently and equitably.