Before your appointment

We’ll send you a letter with an appointment date and information about where to go when you arrive. We send this as a digital letter that you can open from a text or email. If you don’t or can’t open it, we’ll post it to you instead.

Please remember, you can talk to your service or ask at reception when you next visit if you need to set or change your communication preferences.

Please remember too

  • check your appointment details and contact us if you cannot make it. If you miss your appointment and do not let us know, you may be discharged back to your GP
  • make sure we have your mobile number so we can text you reminders.
  • call the number on your letter if you have any accessibility, communication or cultural needs, such as washing or praying facilities
  • call us if you develop diarrhoea and vomiting in the 3 days before your appointment.

Preparing for your appointment

It can be helpful to write a list of the things you want to talk about in your appointment. This could include:

  • your symptoms
  • medicines you’re taking including prescriptions, medicines you’ve bought yourself and alternative treatments. You can bring the medicine packets or your prescriptions with you, or take photos of them
  • any allergies you have
  • any questions or concerns
  • anything your GP has recommended you ask the healthcare professional

Support for your appointment

You can ask someone to come with you to your appointment, such as a carer, family member or friend.

If you have any accessibility needs, communication needs or cultural needs, please tell the service before your appointment. We can save your preferences and requirements for future appointments.

Travelling to an appointment

If your appointment is at one of our hospitals or clinics, we suggest looking up where it is and planning how you’ll get there before you travel.

Getting set up for phone and video appointments

For video appointments you’ll need a charged smartphone, tablet or computer with a camera, microphone and internet connection. Read more about video appointments.

For a telephone appointment, make sure you have provided your up-to-date telephone number. This could be your mobile or landline phone number. If you plan to use your mobile, check its battery is charged and you’re somewhere you can get signal.