When patients 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.
Queensway Medical Centre has created a letter for you to use if you want to inform the hospital of a change in your symptoms.
Please download the template letter here (DOCX, 15KB), completing your details and explaining the change in your symptoms. The letter is in Word format and only the areas highlighted can be edited.
You should post your letter to either Outpatient Appointments (for first appointments) or your Consultant’s Secretary (for follow up care). Please click on these links for the addresses of:
In the event of a change in a potentially life-threatening condition e.g., a known cancer, or heart and lung symptoms please contact 999, NHS 111 or Queensway Medical Centre in the first instance.