This area contains information relating to your hospital appointments.

As a practice we do not have information about the specific scheduling of hospital appointments. The coordination and confirmation of hospital appointments are managed directly by the hospital.

Similarly to when you contact us at the practice our team will arrange an appointment in a suitable timeframe based on the urgency and need of other patients.  The hospital team will prioritise cancer patients, urgent cases etc which whilst frustrating for you is entirely necessary and there may be a significant waiting time.

We understand that having clarity on appointment details is crucial for your peace of mind and planning. Rest assured that the hospital will notify you directly with the necessary information as soon as your appointment is scheduled.

If you have been referred to a Leicestershire hospital some specialities have their waiting times available for you to see on the below link:

Hospital Waiting Times for Leicestershire

If you are prescribed medication or appliances at an NHS hospital or outpatient appointment you must collect the medication or appliance from the hospital pharmacy or community clinic.  The Consultant or Specialist who signs the original prescription is responsible for the care of that patient until such time a letter transferring care is written to the GP at the practice.  It is the responsibility of the hospital (and in line with their policy) to give 14 days’ supply of the medication to the patient if any of the follwing are applicable:

• You need to start the medication within the next two weeks
• You have a dose change of dose of existing medication which is needed within two weeks of the hospital appointment.

If the consultant requires you to continue the medication after the initial supply has run out they will inform the practice via a letter or report to the GP.  We cannot add medications without written letters from your hospital teams.  This is to ensure errors are not made and inappropriate workload shifted onto the practice team.  We appreciate your understanding in relation to this.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic millions of outpatient appointments have been cancelled and delayed in the NHS.

When patient contact local hospitals to find out when they might be seen or if their symptoms and condition has worsened, they are often asked to contact their GP and request an 'expedite letter'. 

This is frustrating for you and the surgery as it rarely results in appointments being brought forward.

Furthermore, it is very difficult for a GP to measure to what extent your condition has worsened.  We take your word for this, and the hospital should do the same.  When making decisions about who to prioritise it is only possible for the hospital to compare your condition and needs against all the other patients on their waiting list.

Ratby Medical Centre has created two letters for you to use if you want to inform the hospital of a change in your symptoms:

• Letter one is for patient waiting for a first appointment with a specialist. Letter One - awaiting first appointment
• Letter two is for people waiting for a follow-up appointment, treatment, or operation. Letter Two - follow-up appointment request.docx

Please download the template letter below, completing your details and explaining the change in your symptoms.  The letters are in Word format and only the areas highlighted in yellow can be edited.

You should post your letter to either Outpatients Department (for first appointments) or your Consultant's secretary (for follow-up care).  Please click on the links for the addresses of: 

Leicester Royal infirmary - click here

Leicester General Hospital - click here

Glenfield General Hospital - click here

In the event of a potentially life threatening conditions e.g. possible cancer, a heart or lung symptoms please contact Ratby Medical Centre, 999 or 111 in the first instance.

If you require a blood test within three weeks of a hospital appointment, regardess of whether this was done face to face or virtually, this test should be directly arranged by the hospital team.  This means that you should be given or posted out a form and that the blood sample should also be taken directly by the hopsital teams.

We understand the inconvenience these limitations may pose for you as patients. It's crucial to clarify that the constraints are not a result of any perceived laziness within the practice team. Rather, they stem from the overwhelming volume of requests for short time frame blood test appointments that our practice receives.

The tight schedule makes it challenging for us to adequately plan and allocate the necessary resources. Consequently, an agreement has been established between the Leicestershire hospital teams and GPs, designating them as the providers for managing this workload. It's important to note that the hospital teams receive funding for these tests, while our practice does not.

We want to highlight that redirecting these requests, even on a one-off basis, not only causes delays for patients rightfully under our care but also creates disparities for those seeking to utilise our services.

In light of these considerations, we regret to inform you that we will be unable to accommodate inappropriate blood test requests. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

If your blood tests is after three weeks of your appointment the practice team will be able to accomodate this provided you book in a timely manner.  Please contact us to arrange this as soon as you know when your test is needed 

Sick notes covering period of stay in hospital AND expected recovery time 

It is the responsibility of the hospital staff to issue sick notes for a period of stay in hospital and the ‘expected’ recovery time afterwards. This certificate should be obtained before you are discharged from hospital or during your hospital appointment.  Inappropriaterly asking the practice diverts our time away from providing the care we should be giving to other patients.

Firstly, we want to acknowledge the trust you have placed in your private consultant for your medical needs. We understand that receiving specialist care is a crucial aspect of your healthcare journey. However, we must bring to your attention recent guidance that has prompted us to reconsider how we handle requests for tests and procedures ordered by private consultants within our practice.  This has been prompted by the exponential workload associated with a rise in private consultations.

As of the latest guidance from the British Medical Association (BMA), it is not considered appropriate for general practice to fulfil these requests for several compelling reasons:

https://www.bma.org.uk/advice-and-support/gp-practices/managing-workload/general-practice-responsibility-in-responding-to-private-healthcare

1. Additional Workload:

When NHS patients are referred to specialist teams within the NHS, the specialist teams themselves typically request any necessary tests directly, bypassing the involvement of the GP. This approach minimises the workload on GPs and ensures that resources are used efficiently. However, when private consultants request tests, it places additional administrative and clinical responsibilities on our GPs, which would not be the case if the consultation had occurred within the NHS.

2. Unfunded Workload:

The interpretation and management of the test results invariably fall upon the GP team to action and treat. This creates an additional workload for our practice, which is already stretched due to high demand for services. Unfortunately, this workload is unfunded and places further pressure on the NHS leading to longer waiting times for appointments etc.

3. Cost Allocation:

It is a fundamental principle that any patient who opts for private healthcare should bear the costs associated with it. The resources of the NHS should not be used to subsidise private care. By diverting tests and procedures to the NHS, it can inadvertently create a situation where the costs are being borne by the public healthcare system rather than the individual patient.

Considering these factors, we kindly request that, in line with the latest BMA guidance and to ensure the fair allocation of resources, you discuss with your private consultant the possibility of having any required tests conducted through the private healthcare system or directly with NHS specialty teams. This approach will help streamline your care while ensuring that NHS resources are appropriately utilised for the benefit of all patients.

Please be assured that we remain committed to providing you with the best possible care and support throughout your healthcare journey. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this matter, our team is here to assist you and provide further guidance.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in this matter. We look forward to continuing to work together to safeguard your health and well-being.