Secondary Care Appointments

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a big impact on the NHS. Although COVID cases in our hospitals have now reduced we are still having to work in COVID-safe ways.  This means that it will take a long time for the NHS to restore services to pre-pandemic levels.

In Lincolnshire, we will work hard to tackle the backlog of patients whose care has been impacted by the pandemic.  We need to do this whilst also keeping our patients safe.

We know that patients are anxious about the length of time that they are having to wait for their hospital appointments and unfortunately, at the moment we are unable to confirm how long any wait may be.

We appreciate that our patients know that the pandemic has had a big impact on the NHS and we are trying to resume services and keep patients safe at the same time as we continue to treat Covid-19 cases.

The hospital trusts and CCGs are reviewing and contacting all patients to understand their current situation and prioritise those in most urgent need. Please be assured that they are trying to resume normal services as soon as possible. Hospitals are doing their utmost to ensure patients receive the treatment they require as soon as possible.

Patients who have been referred to a hospital for any procedure will receive a letter from the National E-Referral System or from the hospital directly.  If you have not received any correspondence within 4-6 weeks then you can contact your practice to check you have been referred, or check on the NHS app – this is free to download on any smartphone.

Please be aware that the letter from the National E-Referral System may say you will hear from the hospital within 14 days, unfortunately due to the delays from COVID not all hospitals are able to respond within this time and therefore there may be some extended delays. Referrals are reviewed by consultants within the hospital and patients are prioritised according to their clinical condition.

If you have been referred to hospital and are waiting to be seen as an outpatient or inpatient, and your symptoms deteriorate you need to contact the hospital you have been referred to for a specialist to review your referral letter and changing symptoms their contact details are below:

In these circumstances we are not able to help with getting your referral dealt with any quicker, however we may be able to support with symptom management if your symptoms have worsened.

We would like to take this opportunity to assure all of our patients, carers and their families that we remain committed to providing the highest quality, safe care for everyone

Depending on your financial situation, the Bromhead Medical Charity may be able to assist you in being seen privately. Visit their website for further information.