Your telephone appointment

We may offer you a telephone outpatient appointment. Phone appointments can save you time, money and are usually more convenient. You may also feel more comfortable talking about your health in your own home. 

We’re not always able to offer you a telephone appointment. This might be because you need blood tests, scans or an examination.

Details of your telephone appointment will be in your appointment letter, which you will receive through the post or can find on the NHS App if you have chosen to go paperless.

How telephone appointments work

  • Your clinician will call you at the arranged time and date. Please note that the call might come from an unknown or no caller ID number.
  • While we do our best to keep on schedule, you may be called slightly later or earlier than stated if your clinician needs to spend more or less time with another person.
  • Please make sure you have read through the preparing for your appointment information on our outpatients webpage.

Creating a record of your appointment

Your clinician may use secure AI technology, known as ambient listening technology, to assist with note taking. This helps to make sure we can record information about your care clearly while fully focusing on our conversation with you. You can opt out by letting your clinician know.

Check we have the right telephone number

Your clinician will call you on the number that we have on our system. You can check this on your appointment letter. If you receive text appointment notifications, this is the number we will text you on.

If you need to update your telephone number, please let us know before your appointment. You can do this on the NHS App or by contacting the number on your appointment letter.

Support during your appointment

You're welcome to have someone with you, such as a carer, family member or friend.

If you have any accessibility, communication or cultural needs, please let the service know before your appointment. We can arrange interpreters for language, British Sign Language, combined sight and hearing loss, lip speaking, and other communication needs - please give us at least 10 days' notice so we can make the necessary arrangements.

After your appointment

Find out what to expect after your appointment by reading the information on our outpatients webpage.

If you don't want a video or telephone appointment

You can still choose to come to the hospital instead of your video or telephone appointment, but you must let us know at least 24 hours before your appointment. This may involve us changing your appointment so do not attend in person without confirming, as you may not be able to be seen.

You can also return to having in-person appointments after a video or telephone appointment if you wish.

Contact the number on your appointment letter if you wish to change your appointment to be in person.