During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic many of our services were disrupted while we dealt with the large numbers of COVID-19 patients in our care. We have now restarted all of our services. The care and safety of our patients, staff and local communities remains our top priority.

We know that some of our patients are having to wait longer for their appointment than we would like.  We are working our way through our waiting lists as quickly and safely as possible, whilst prioritising patients according to their clinical need.

If you are waiting for an appointment, operation or procedure, please be reassured that you haven’t been forgotten, and we will be in touch with you as quickly as possible. However, if you have any new concerns about your health condition or your condition has deteriorated, please contact us by calling the number at the top of your appointment letter or your GP.

As part of the drive to reduce elective waiting lists, NHS trusts are now proactively contacting patients who have been  waiting over 40 weeks*, and do not have an appointment date, to consider their options to see if they could be seen sooner at a different hospital. (*some clinical exclusions apply).

Eligible patients will be contacted directly by the NHS trust or independent sector provider they are currently under the care of. 

Please do not contact your GP practice or NHS hospital proactively regarding this offer.

Eligible patients will be provided with more information in regards to the process when they are invited to consider their options. 

We are doing our best to get you the care you need as soon as possible.  Anyone waiting for a hospital appointment, operation or treatment, can now access the NHS My Planned Care Patient Digital Platform which provides direct access to the latest average wait time information.

You can access the latest average wait times for UCLH by speciality (excluding cancer) here https://www.myplannedcare.nhs.uk/london/college-london/

We encourage you to look at this site where you may find the information you need before contacting your GP or hospital for an update about any elective procedures you are waiting for.

Updated weekly, the site is easy-to-use and is ‘open-access’ so your carer, friends, relatives, and your NHS team can also access this information.

My GP has recently referred me to UCLH and am waiting for an appointment – when can I expect to hear from you?

We are prioritising referrals by clinical need and we will be in touch with you as soon as we are able to arrange an appointment.

How do you prioritise patients?

We work with our partners across the health and care sector in north central London to ensure that patients receive the care they need in a fair way. This takes into account things such as clinical need and urgency of treatment.

I’m worried that my cancer has returned/spread as my symptoms are worse/different.

If you have a symptom that you are worried about, it is really important that you speak to your GP without delay.

If you are currently a cancer patient at UCLH, please contact your clinical nurse specialist for advice.

I’m experiencing a new symptom that worries me. What should I do?

If you have any symptom that you are worried about, speak to your GP without delay.

I have an appointment/planned procedure/operation due to take place at UCLH shortly. How do I know if this is still going ahead?

If there are any changes to your care, we will try to give you as much notice as possible. If you do not hear from us, please attend as planned.

If you are attending for an operation/procedure, please ensure you follow any advice you’ve been given by your clinician around pre-operation isolation.

Can I have my operation or care elsewhere?

Please be assured that it remains safe to come to our hospitals to receive the care you need.

However, you can choose to have your care provided by another organisation if you have concerns. This would need to be arranged by your GP.

In an emergency, what should I do?

If you, or someone you know, is experiencing a serious or life threatening emergency (for example symptoms of a heart attack or stroke) you must dial 999 immediately.

If you require urgent care, please call NHS 111 first.

Our urgent care centre at University College Hospital is open. 

You can visit our emergency services page for more information.

I would like to give feedback or raise a concern. Who can I speak to?

We encourage you to get in touch with us if you have any feedback or a concern. In the first instance, please speak with your healthcare professional.

Our patient advice and liaison service (PALS) is also available to support you should you need it. During this time, please be advised that it may take them longer than usual to get back to you.

I would like to make a complaint. Who can I speak to?

Further information can be found on our compliments and complaints page.