From letter to appointment

Healthwatch Wakefield and Healthwatch Kirklees worked with Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust to gather patient feedback on hospital outpatient appointment letters. We aimed to understand patient experiences and improve the overall impact of the information they are provided by understanding how patients go from receiving a letter to getting to their appointment. They visited Dewsbury District Hospital, Pinderfields General Hospital, and Pontefract Hospital to navigate how patients find their way from the hospital entrance to the outpatient departments. We also conducted paper surveys during visits, online surveys, and reviews of appointment letters. They spoke to 80 people.

At all three hospitals, 97% of respondents understood the information in their outpatient appointment letters.  They wanted further information about the appointment in the letters and for the hospital to use friendlier, simpler language.

People’s experiences of calling the appointment line to re-arrange appointments were mixed. Some said it worked well for them, but others had issues like long waits, not being able to book appointments, cancellations without enough information, and having to cancel due to no availability.

Most people Healthwatch spoke to had visited the outpatient departments before and were aware of how to get to their appointment using signage or information from their letter.  Others needed support and had to turn to hospital staff for information. Parking and signage was also an issue at some hospitals.