Patient Access to Care - copy
Thank you for taking the time to speak with us.
You have been referred to one of our departments awaiting an outpatient appointment. We apologise for the amount of time you have waited and would like to inform you that we are working hard to see and treat patients as quickly as we can.
The purpose of us contacting you is to ask you to confirm if you wish to remain on our waiting list. If you ask to remain you will be offered an appointment as soon as one becomes available. By taking part in this digital approach, you will help us improve the way we communicate with our patients during their wait for an appointment.
To complete your answers please click on the NHS icon on the bottom right-hand side of this page.
You will then be prompted to verify your details.
It is good practice for NHS Trusts to undertake administrative validation of waiting lists. This is a process where our services contact patients on our waiting lists to check if patients still require an appointment/procedure or wish to be removed from a waiting list.
- This ensures that our waiting lists are an accurate reflection on patients wishes and clinical needs.
- Your response will help us to keep our waiting lists accurate and ensure we are able to see and treat patients who need to be seen sooner.
- A wasted appointment which a patient does not attend could be used for someone who is in more need.
If you tell us you want to remain on our waiting list, we will update our patient administration system with your response and you will be contacted as soon as an appointment becomes available.
Some patients tell us that they have already received treatment elsewhere or no longer need the appointment, in which case we will remove you from the waiting list and you will receive a letter confirming this. However, if it is in not in your best clinical interests to be discharged you may need to remain on the waiting list and we will inform you of this decision.
Unfortunately, we are unable to give you an estimation of when you might hear from us to arrange an appointment but please be assured, we will contact you as soon as an appointment becomes available.
As soon as an appointment becomes available, we will contact you to attend an appointment. You will receive a letter giving you an available appointment date. If the date and time is not convenient for you, you will be given the opportunity to change it.
We also provide a reminder service generally 7 days and 48 hours prior to your appointment. Text reminders allow patients to cancel or amend appointments.
Please make every effort to attend your appointments at Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust or contact us if you are unable to attend.
Failure to do so may result in you being removed from the waiting list and discharged back to your referrer.