Hospital Referrals
We understand that waiting for hospital appointments or procedures can be a worrying time. At Highfield Surgery, we want to ensure you have clear guidance on managing your care while on a hospital waiting list.
Our Role and Expedite Requests
- GPs have limited influence: Your GP has no control over hospital waiting lists, appointment scheduling, or your position on those lists.
We understand that patients are sometimes advised by the hospital to request a letter from their GP to help expedite an appointment.
However, waiting longer than you may have done before the pandemic, or longer than you would prefer, does not automatically make a request urgent.
As many patients are experiencing longer waits, we are unable to write expedite letters for this reason alone.
If your condition is worsening, please contact your specialist team directly so they can assess whether you need to be seen sooner. Although you may initially be advised to obtain a GP letter, this often only repeats the information you have already provided. In most cases, it is more appropriate for you and your consultant or specialist team to discuss your concerns directly.
If you continue to have difficulty contacting your consultant or specialist team, please contact the hospital’s PALS department for advice and support:
Contact Patient Relations :: Blackpool Teaching Hospitals
Lancashire Teaching Hospital | Patient Experience and PALS
What You Can Do
- Check Waiting Times: For the most up-to-date information on waiting times for Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, please visit the My Planned Care website: My Planned Care
- Hospital Communication: The hospital will typically contact you every 12 weeks while you are on their waiting list to confirm if you still require an appointment. If you are awaiting an inpatient surgical appointment and your condition has significantly worsened, the hospital may arrange a further clinical review by a specialist.
- Worsening Symptoms (Related to Referral): If your symptoms, specifically related to the condition for which you were referred, become significantly worse, please contact the specialist’s secretary directly. Their contact details will be on any correspondence you have received from the hospital.
- Hospital-Ordered Tests: Please be aware that any tests ordered by the hospital will be followed up directly by the hospital team, not by Highfield Surgery.
- New, Unrelated Symptoms: If you develop new symptoms that are unrelated to your original hospital referral, please contact Highfield Surgery for an appointment as you normally would.
