Patient Information – Information about your outpatient consultation

Please note, this page is printable by selecting the normal print options on your computer.

Large Print Appointment Letters and Information

Most appointment letters are available in large print. If you need this service please call the phone number written in large print on the bottom of your appointment letter.

COVID-19 Information

• Where medically appropriate, we are changing some face-to-face appointments to telephone or video appointments. If this is applicable to you, you may initially be contacted by letter, phone or text message. All instructions will be on your appointment letter or email for a video appointment.
• If you are symptomatic of coronavirus, ie fever/high temperature, sudden reduction of sense of smell or taste, new continuous cough, do not attend your appointment. Please notify us by contacting our Central Booking Office on 01908 997050 in order for us to reschedule your appointment and offer your appointment to another patient.
• Social distancing measures are in place for face-to-face appointments. For example, we are ensuring a maximum number of patients in waiting areas at any one time. You may be asked to wait in an alternative waiting area or return to your car whilst waiting to be seen. Please do not arrive more than 10 minutes before your appointment time and only bring someone with you to your appointment if it is absolutely essential. Please limit this one person.

Patient rights – The NHS Constitution

If your GP refers you for consultant-led treatment, for non-urgent conditions you should start your treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks from referral. For urgent referrals where cancer is suspected, you should be seen by a cancer specialist within a maximum of two weeks from GP referral. If this isn’t possible, the NHS must take all reasonable steps to offer you alternatives.

To avoid unnecessary delays to your treatment, if you do not attend your appointment without cancelling beforehand, or you reschedule more than twice, you may be discharged back to your GP.

Call reminders

You may be contacted by a call reminder service or receive a text message to remind you of your appointment.

Telephone and video appointments

Please be available by the phone or logged in at the appointment time although the clinician may be delayed due to overrunning commitments.

Hospital and public transport

If it has been agreed that you will be coming by hospital transport. Please call 0300 100 0015.

MyCare – Patient portal

MyCare is a dedicated hospital website that you can connect to using a Smartphone or PC. You will be invited to register via text message. It currently provides on-line access to your appointment information and will be developed to include other clinical correspondence related to your care.

Your Hospital Journey

In March 2020, every hospital was instructed by NHS England to postpone all outpatient appointments and routine surgery to help the NHS tackle the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. There have been further delays to our recovery due to the prioritisation of the booster programme in December 2021 and January 2022 relating to the concerns over the potential impact of the Omicron variant and it is possible that we may see further delay to our recovery in the future.

At Milton Keynes University Hospital, our hospital staff worked hard to free up beds, change wards and move clinicians and other support staff around, where it was safe to do so, to where they were most needed to tackle coronavirus head-on.

This has meant there is a national backlog of diagnostic appointments/procedures and those non-emergency treatments/operations. We are working hard within our hospital to reduce this backlog, which has been made more complicated due to rigorous infection control safety measures put in place to protect both our patients and our staff from COVID-19 and other transmissible infections. As a result of these measures some planned treatments are taking longer to perform than they did before which is also adding to delays.

Unfortunately, given the above, this could mean that you wait longer for diagnostic procedures and, if required, treatment/surgery following diagnosis and this wait could be up to two years for some patients.  You may also have some of your appointments virtually either by telephone or video where that would be possible.

For more information click here.

Car parking

There is ample patient car parking, free for Blue Badge Holders, at the hospital. Charges apply: Please take your ticket to the nearest payment kiosk after your appointment and before returning to your car.

Interpreter/Sign Language

If you need an interpreter or British Sign Language facilitator, please contact the phone number or email address on your appointment letter, giving at least 7 days’ notice.

Smoking

Smoking, including electronic cigarettes, is not allowed anywhere on site.

When You Arrive

Your appointment letter should tell you which Outpatients entrance number to use, so you are as close as possible to your clinic. Our reception staff will help you check in. You’ll be asked for some details to ensure we keep our records up-to-date. Please ensure we have your current mobile phone number and email address.

What to Bring With You

• Your appointment letter, plus any specific items requested in the letter
• Any medications you’re taking (prescribed, over the counter or herbal)
• Hearing aids/glasses if you wear them
• Money for prescriptions, or proof that you do not have to pay (eg exemption certificate)
• Proof of UK residency (eg medical card, passport, UK driving licence, pension book, utility bill, student ID) if appropriate

At Your Appointment

• Portable Hearing Loops are available from most reception area if you need one to take into your appointment.
• Wheelchairs are available near main entrances. To use them you’ll need a (refundable) £1 coin.
• Drinking water is available, and there are several places to buy refreshments.
• If you would like to have a chaperone, please ask a member of the nursing team or clinical staff.

Friends and Family Survey

While you’re here you’ll be asked to fill in a very short survey. Please fill the survey in before you leave so we can understand what we are doing well and how we can improve our services.

Teaching and Research

As a teaching hospital, we conduct education and research to improve healthcare for our patients. During your visit students may be involved in your care, or you may be asked to participate in a clinical trial. Speak to your doctor or nurse if you have any concerns.

Patient Advice & Liaison Service (PALS)

Should you have any cause for concern or issues please tell us during your visit, so that, where possible, we can try to do something right away.

If you have a problem that you have not been able to sort during your visit, PALS is there to provide patient friendly support and assistance. They can be contacted via the telephone 01908 995954, or email [email protected] or our receptionists can direct you to the office, which is open from Monday to Friday (except on Bank Holidays) from 9am to 5pm.

General Data Protection Regulations

We ask for information about you so that you can receive proper care and treatment. This information remains confidential and is stored securely by the Trust in accordance with the provisions of the Date Protection Act2018/GDPR. Further guidance can be found within our privacy notice at www.mkhospital.nhs.uk