Wye Valley Trust Coronavirus

Changes to visiting arrangements. For more details visit our Coronavirus page

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Outpatients

Coronavirus - For the latest information on visiting arrangements,  what you need to do when attending appointments please click here. 

Information about your appointment at hospital

  • We aim to provide a quality of care we would want for ourselves, our family, and our friends.

Where to go when you arrive at hospital

Patients are asked to report to the reception area indicated on their appointment letter. Patients attending appointments in Oxford Suite, Eign Suite and Audiology please check in at the main reception at the front entrance to the hospital.

  • When you receive a letter, giving you information of the date and time of your appointment, it should state which reception area that you need to attend. If you are unsure of where to go, ask at the main reception/information desk located in the main hospital entrance area.
  • Outpatient areas have reception desks where you need to book in for your appointment. You will be asked to confirm your details and this would be the time that you could change details of your address or telephone number if necessary. The receptionist will then direct you to the waiting area for the clinic that you are attending.
  • It is important that you arrive no more than 15 minutes prior to your appointment time unless your appointment letter specifies otherwise. If you are delayed for any reason we ask that you telephone the relevant department.

What to bring with you

Video consultations

Text reminder service

  • We have an outpatient text reminder service to try to reduce the 14,000 outpatients appointments that patients fail to attend each year.  It is a service where patients receive a text reminder message to their mobile phone. 

  • Patients will still receive their initial appointment letter containing all the clinical details, but instead a of reminder letter they will receive a text message. 
  • If you wish to receive text message reminder please let the outpatient receptionist know your mobile number.   If you do not wish to receive text reminders please also let our receptionists know.  

How to cancel an appointment

  • Your appointment letter should have a telephone number listed for changing or cancelling your appointment.
  • For follow up appointments please telephone the appointment clerk via the hospital switchboard on tel: 01432 355444

What happens if you miss an appointment?

  • If you miss an appointment and want to schedule another one, please telephone the number on your appointment letter.
  • If you miss an appointment and do not notify the Trust, you may be returned to the care of your GP and will need to arrange a visit with them to be re-referred.

Hand hygiene

  • All our staff actively promote the 'Clean your hands' campaign as an important way of controlling infection. Alcohol gel is available at the end of every patient bed and patients are encouraged to ask staff whether they have cleaned their hands. Find out more about infection control at our hospitals.

Privacy and dignity

Friends and Family Test

The Friends and Family Test is a simple question that patients are asked about the care they have received.  The test is part of a  way of gathering patient feedback and driving improvement in NHS hospital services across the country. To find out more about the Friends and Family Test click here.

Information Hub and signposting for patients, carers and visitors – we’re here to help 

Our Information Hub and signposting service is available for patients, carers and visitors, which is located at Hereford County Hospital, opposite main reception. The Information Hub is run jointly with WVT trained volunteers and patient advice and liaison staff, in partnership with Talk Community.  Our friendly team is on hand at the Hub providing wellbeing information and signposting people to services, groups, and events across the county. Come along and find out more.

Using new technology to tackle waiting lists

We're using a new way to communicate with patients who have been waiting for hospital outpatient appointments.

It follows a pilot project in Worcestershire which has gone down well and involves who are patients waiting for a first or follow-up appointment being contacted by an automated telephone calling system.

If you are in this category, you will receive an SMS text message in advance to let you know you can expect an automated call about your appointment.

During the call you will be guided through a series of questions so we can update your referral with the most current information.

This system will allow us to establish whether your condition has improved, whether you have sought treatment elsewhere or whether you still need to be seen.

During the call you will be able to choose to speak to someone in person.

We've put together a frequently asked questions sheet which gives more information.

To view the FAQ sheet, follow THIS LINK

Looking after your personal property

  • We make every effort to ensure your belongings are safe and secure whilst you are in hospital. However, you are advised to bring only essential items into hospital as these are not insured under any hospital policy and will remain your own responsibility if they are lost.

Telephone & mobile phones

  • Mobile telephones are only permitted in the main corridors of the hospital, as the use of these may interfere with medical equipment. If mobile phones are brought into hospital, please ensure that they are switched OFF when entering a ward of clinical area.
  • A personal phone for each patient is included in the 'Patientline' entertainment system.
  • Public payphones are available for outgoing calls and these are located near the main reception. These telephones cannot receive incoming calls nor can they take phone cards. We do supply a limited number of public payphones to use from wheelchairs. Please ask the ward staff where the nearest one is situated.

Interpretation services and accessible information

Patient advice – We are here to help

© Wye valley NHS Trust 2023