Patient Initiated Follow-Up (PIFU) appointments are now available in the majority of our outpatient services.
Instead of attending regular follow-up appointments scheduled by us, PIFU puts patients in control of when they see a clinician as they can book an appointment when they need it most, up to 12 months after the date of their outpatient appointment, before being discharged back to their GP.
The benefits for patients are:
- flexibility and choice
- savings in terms of time and money to attend appointments
- reduction in the number of journeys to attend what are sometimes unnecessary appointments.
This in turn creates capacity for more appointments for the patients who need them most, allows our clinicians to see patients most in need more quickly, reduces the number of missed appointments and cuts waiting lists.
PIFU appointments are completely optional and patients can choose to continue having routine follow-up appointments if they would prefer. They are only offered to patients where it is deemed appropriate for the individual.
To find out if PIFU is the right pathway for you, ask your consultant during your appointment or speak to a member of the nursing team.
If PIFU is suitable for you, your healthcare professional will discuss your condition with you and add your name to the PIFU appointment list.
Instead of being given routine follow-up clinic appointments, you will be able to contact the service directly to arrange a follow-up appointment, if you feel you need it.
Your healthcare professional will then advise on the symptoms you need to watch out for. If you experience any problems with your condition, or complications after treatment, please use the information provided to contact the service to arrange a PIFU appointment.
- You have ongoing concerns about your condition
- If your condition changes significantly beyond that expected
- You are now ready to proceed with treatment previously discussed
- If you require further information or clinical input that cannot be met by support organisations, your GP or local services where available.
To book a PIFU appointment you will need to call our Patient Service Centre on 01634 969800.
The centre’s opening hours –
Monday to Friday: 8am to 6pm
Saturday: 9am to 1pm
When you contact the centre you will need to provide your:
- Name
- Date of birth
- NHS/ hospital number (please see your appointment letter)
- The clinic or service you need to book the appointment with.
Please make sure to say you are on a PIFU pathway when you contact the centre. The admin team will book an appointment for you and send you text reminders before your appointment. If you find you cannot attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible so we can give it to someone else who needs it.
Just tell us and we will go back to booking regular hospital appointments for you to attend for your follow up review. Please discuss any concerns with a member of the team who will be happy to help.
Your PIFU plan will last for a specific amount of time. Your hospital care team will talk to you about how long you may need to keep your plan open depending on your condition and their judgement of how long you may need before you can be discharged back to your GP, if this is appropriate.
If you require urgent medical advice, you should contact your GP or NHS 111, or in an emergency go to your local Emergency Department (ED). For all other concerns, or if you are feeling unwell, your GP remains your first point of contact.
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