Outpatient guide

When you are first referred to hospital by your GP they will assess your medical condition to decide if ambulance transport is needed. The need to provide transport will then be reviewed at each outpatient visit as a patient’s needs change over time.

Transport can be provided for:

  • Patients with extreme mobility problems
  • Patients whose medical condition would suffer if other forms of transport were used
  • Patients who would suffer unreasonable delays if other transport was used
  • Patients who are considered vulnerable

Please notify us if an ambulance is no longer needed by calling the Central Control number on 0845 1203191 or the Patient Reception Centres on 01422 222209 or 01422 222224 at Calderdale Royal Hospital or 01484 342371 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary.

If you do not meet the criteria for ambulance transport and cannot provide your own transport, please ask a relative or friend to bring you. If you are concerned about the cost of your transport, then you may be eligible for help with travel costs; more information is available from the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme.

When You Arrive

Check In for your Appointment either by using our Self Check In Kiosks, or by reporting to an available receptionist. Please try to be on time for your appointment. You will not gain anything by being too early, but if you arrive late people who are on time will be seen before you. Every effort is made to make sure that you are seen on time. Each doctor has his/her own system of appointments and bookings. We try to make sure that you get to see the doctor on time. However, this is not always possible as it might be necessary for the doctor to spend longer with some patients than expected. Occasionally doctors might also be called away to deal with an emergency elsewhere in the hospital. If this happens, every effort will be made to keep you informed.

You might notice that a patient who has arrived after you is being seen before you. This is because they are being seen by a different doctor to you. Students and trainee doctors. Trainee doctors are taught in our hospitals. You will be asked if you object to a trainee doctor being present at your consultation. If you do not want a trainee to be present, please inform the doctor or nurse when you arrive. This will not affect your treatment in any way.

When you visit any of our hospitals we are sure you will find our staff both friendly and helpful. When you come for an outpatient appointment you will need…

  • Your full address, including postcode
  • Name and full address of your GP
  • Your telephone Contact Details
  • Appointment card or letter
  • Any medicines that you are currently taking (or a list of them)
  • A urine sample, if requested

Money to pay for any prescriptions, or an exemption card if you are entitled to free prescriptions When you attend hospital you will also be asked about your ethnicity. All NHS organisations collect this information so we can plan and deliver appropriate services for all groups, to identify any health inequalities and to demonstrate that our services are equally accessible for everyone.

If you are unable to attend your appointment, or need to change it to a more convenient time, please let us know as soon as possible, as this will allow us to offer the appointment to someone else.

We currently have thousands of missed appointments a year and we are trying very hard to reduce the number. If we are informed in advance another patient can be seen in your place.

To help you we have now started an online service to make it easy to cancel or rebook. To access the service click here.

You can also do this by telephoning the Appointment Centre on 01484 355370. Lines open Monday to Friday from 8 am to 7 pm and Saturday 9 am to 12 noon. 

Please note -  if you are a new patient and have booked your appointment through the e-Referral service and need to cancel or rearrange it, you will need to contact the national telephone appointment line on 0845 60 88 88, lines are open 7:00 am to 10:00 pm Monday to Sunday) or online at www.nhs.uk/referrals

When you are first referred to hospital by your GP they will assess your medical condition to decide if ambulance transport is needed. The need to provide transport will then be reviewed at each outpatient visit as a patient’s needs change over time.

Transport can be provided for:

  • Patients with extreme mobility problems
  • Patients whose medical condition would suffer if other forms of transport were used
  • Patients who would suffer unreasonable delays if other transport was used
  • Patients who are considered vulnerable

Please notify us if an ambulance is no longer needed by calling the Central Control number on 0845 1203191 or the Patient Reception Centres on 01422 222209 or 01422 222224 at Calderdale Royal Hospital or 01484 342371 at Huddersfield Royal Infirmary. If you do not meet the criteria for ambulance transport and cannot provide your own transport, please ask a relative or friend to bring you.

During Your Consultation

Each consultant specialist in the hospital has a team of doctors. They will be responsible for your treatment under his/her supervision and you will be seen by a member of this team, but not necessarily by the consultant. As well as seeing the doctor you may need to visit other parts of the hospital for tests such as x-rays or blood tests. Directions will be given as necessary but they might not always be carried out on the same day, as you may need special preparation.

Information about Your Treatment is Strictly Confidential

The team of health professionals caring for you keep records about your health and the care you receive from the NHS.These records are important in helping to make sure that you receive the best possible care from us.Information might be also be used to plan NHS services, help with the teaching and training of health professionals and health research.

After Your Appointment

Everyone working for the NHS has a legal duty to maintain patient confidentiality.

If you need a further appointment, you will be directed to a receptionist who will negotiate a convenient date and time for your next appointment with you.

If your next visit is more than six weeks away, to avoid unnecessary cancellations, you might be sent an appointment nearer the time of the next appointment.  

Prescriptions

Prescriptions given by your doctor at your appointment can only be collected from the hospital pharmacy. Your own GP will renew this prescription if necessary. The hospital pharmacy at Calderdale Royal Hospital is located in the outpatient department. The pharmacy at the Huddersfield Royal Infirmary is on the ground floor to the left of reception. Both are open between 8.30 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday.

Communicating with Us

We aim to provide the best possible service and staff will be happy to answer any questions you might have. The Trust always welcomes new ideas. If you have any suggestions or comments about your visit, please contact the Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS).