Your appointment

Patient with staff member

Your care your call: campaign placeholder

Young black man wearing glasses sitting at an office desk looking at his phone

Your care, your call

We’re making hospital appointments fairer

Look out for a text message from us to remind you about your appointment.

If you can’t make it, just let us know by ringing the number in your text or contact our appointments team. We can offer your slot to someone else and find a time that works better for you. It’s your care, your call.

If you miss two appointments without telling us, you may be discharged back to your GP. These changes mean more people are seen on time and fewer appointments are wasted.

Cancel, schedule or manage your appointment

While you wait

A staff member sitting outside on a bench, opposite a pond, taking a break

While you wait

Staying well and informed

We understand that waiting for an appointment or procedure can feel difficult and sometimes stressful.

We have support in place to help you while you wait. Whether it’s tips for looking after your health, checking your test results, or keeping up to date with waiting lists, we’ll make sure you have what you need to feel informed and reassured.

Waiting for your appointment

Inpatient and outpatient appointments

Inpatient and outpatient appointments

Your appointment

From diagnosis to recovery, we’re with you for every moment

Coming in for a test, treatment or check-up

If you have an appointment at one of our hospitals or clinics but don’t need to stay overnight, this is called a day or outpatient visit. This could be for a test, treatment or procedure.

When you need to stay in hospital for care

Sometimes you may need to stay overnight — for an operation, test, or so our team can look after you while you recover or receive treatment. This is called being an inpatient.

We’ve answered some of the questions you may have before, during and after your hospital stay

Follow-up appointments

A nurse doing a test on a patient's arm

After your appointment

Understanding your next steps

What happens next will depend on your type of appointment. You may need further tests, or the team might want to see you again to check how you’re getting on. Before you leave, your healthcare team will talk through the next steps with you so you know what to expect.

Your follow-up

Keeping our patients and staff safe

A nurse in the emergency department at The Royal London Hospital wears a body worn camera.

We are here to care for you

But we will not tolerate violence and abuse

Some staff may wear body-worn cameras to help protect everyone. These are only switched on during an incident, and you’ll always be told before recording starts.

Footage is stored securely under the Data Protection Act. If you have any questions, read our violence and abuse policy., speak to the nurse in charge or our security team. 

Filming in our hospitals

You may wish to record your hospital consultation or treatment for your own use.

Please check if your clinician is happy to be filmed before you start recording, and ensure that it does not interfere with your treatment or include other patients.  

You may not take photos in clinical areas or disclose or publicise a photo, video, or audio recording if it has been modified and is not in connection to your consultation.

You can read more here.