Waiting Times

A specialist will review your referral and decide the level of clinical priority and you will then be placed on a waiting list until you can been seen by the relevant clinical professional.

On occasion, the clinician reviewing your case may decide to send you for some tests in the first instance, or may add your name directly to the waiting list for a procedure.

Patients on the waiting list are prioritised based on their clinical symptoms and these are reviewed by a clinical professional and their urgency is determined, with the most urgent patients being seen first.

In most cases, this will be patients suspect cancer pathways (also sometimes called red flag), then urgent patients and routine patients thereafter.  When being referred to a service, the person making the referral should tell you what category you have been referred as, although this may be changed by the person reviewing your referral in the Trust service.

It is difficult to give an exact waiting time as the waiting lists change daily and are based on clinical priority.  The average waiting times for each Health and Social Care Trust by specialty are published by the Department of Health on My Waiting Times NI  and these waiting times are updated on the first Thursday of each month.

When you are at the top of the waiting list, you will be contacted to arrange an appointment which could be face to face or virtual.  For some specialties, a fixed appointment date and time will be given.

You should also receive a letter to confirm the specialty, date, time and location of your appointment.  Patients will be booked in accordance with the Integrated Elective Access Protocol (IEAP)

If you are unable to attend for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible.  Please telephone the number provided on your letter or contact the hospital switchboard on 028 9048 4511 and ask for the relevant booking office or service.

If you fail to turn up for your appointment without letting us know in advance, you may be referred back to your to GP. Unfortunately there are a number of patients who fail to turn up to their appointment each month with each missed appointment estimated to cost around £250.  If you miss your slot, you are not only wasting resources but also stopping another patient from getting the opportunity to attend.

If your clinical condition changes, please notify your GP who can arranged an updated referral to the Trust.  This will be reviewed by a specialist who will decide if your clinical priority should change.

Sometimes patients request to be removed from the waiting list as they have been treated elsewhere or they no longer require the appointment.  If that is the case, please telephone the number on your letter or alternatively telephone the hospital switchboard on 028 9048 4511 and ask to be put through to the relevant booking office or service.

Please contact us if there are any changes to your name, address or telephone number – phone the telephone number provided on your letter or our switchboard on 028 9048 4511 and ask to be put through to the relevant booking office or service. Please also contact your GP to update these details.

What are these waiting times for?

These waiting times are average waiting times for a first outpatients hospital appointment across the different clinical specialties in each Health and Social Care Trust area.

How do I find out how long I will need to wait for my appointment?

You start by selecting the Health and Social Care Trust that is managing your care, then you select the clinical specialty appointment you are waiting for. Average waiting times will be displayed and are broken down in order of priority eg. red flag, urgent or routine.

If the waiting times are shorter for another Health and Social Care Trust, can I move to the shorter list?

Patients will receive their treatment in order of clinical priority. Moving to another hospital or Trust does not mean that you will receive treatment any quicker and, in some circumstances, could mean having to repeat certain tests, investigations or appointments which would mean waiting longer.

We would encourage patients to remain under the care of their existing hospital. Should capacity become available elsewhere to be treated earlier, then the hospital will be in touch with patients directly to discuss the options.

How often are these waiting times updated?

The webpages are updated on the first Thursday of each month.

I’m on a waiting list but I don’t think I need the treatment anymore?

If you no longer require treatment, please contact the Health and Social Care Trust responsible for your care.