Changes to how we book follow up outpatient appointments
From 1 September 2024, we began making changes to how we manage our follow-up appointment process.
Following your next appointment with us, we will no longer book your follow up appointment with you before you leave clinic. Instead, we will contact you with details of your next appointment close to the date you are due in, usually four to six weeks ahead of time. This may vary depending on your healthcare needs.
We’ve outlined the changes below and what that means for you. We will be contacting you directly with any changes to upcoming follow-up appointments. If you don’t hear from us, please attend your next appointment as planned.
If you have any further questions, please do contact us using the contact information provided.
Please read the information provided in the frequently asked questions drop down below. This includes information on any concerns you may have, and details on contacting us if you are concerned about your eye health in between appointments.
We want to improve your experience as a patient at Moorfields by making the process of booking your next outpatient appointment more efficient. The new process will reduce the number of cancellations made, which will further increase the efficiency of our clinics, ensuring patients are seen when they need to be.
Instead of providing you with a date for your next appointment when you are next in clinic, you will be placed on a managed list for your specific condition and your appointment will be booked on a date determined by the clinician who is managing your care.
This means you will receive your appointment date closer to the time you are due to be seen. For example, if you are scheduled to see us for a follow-up in six months’ time, we’d contact you with your appointment details approximately 6 weeks ahead of the date you are due in.
Those patients who need to be seen sooner, or reviewed more regularly, will still be provided with an appointment time before they leave clinic.
The new process will happen automatically, so you are not required to take any action, unless you need to tell us of a change in your contact details. If you need to update your contact details or communication preferences, please email moorfields.outpatientbookingsbc@nhs.net if you are a patient at City Road.
For patients at other Moorfields sites, please contact your clinic using the contact details you will have received in previous communications from us.
If you are unable to attend the date provided, you will be able to contact us to arrange a date that is more suitable for you. There will be a contact phone number and email address on your appointment letter.
If you feel that your condition does not require emergency attention, but you need to be seen before your next scheduled appointment, please contact us as soon as possible using the information provided on your previous letter from us.
The clinician in charge of your care will, if required, arrange for you to be seen sooner, or they may give you advice on how to manage your condition in the time between your appointments, for example.
If you have serious concerns about your eye health, or if you experience sudden sight loss, it’s important that you let us know straight away. To do this, you can use our A&E service at City Road or log on to our online A&E platform, where you will be able to speak to a doctor.
If you do not live close to London, or cannot access our online A&E service, please go straight to your nearest eye care unit.
Please continue to follow the healthcare advice given to you by your team between appointments. If you are required to administer eye drops to keep your condition stable, please do so. If you need any further support, you can speak to one of our nurses via the nurse-led helpline on 0207 566 2345.
If you experience sudden sight loss, or eye injury, please attend your nearest eye care unit or log on to our online A&E service.
If you have any questions about your appointment, please contact the information on the appointment letter or text message provided. If you have any concerns or complaints about your care, you can contact our Patient Advice and Liaison (PALs) team by calling the team on 020 7566 2324, or by emailing them at moorfields.pals@nhs.net
Patient initiated follow-up (PIFU) puts you in control of making an appointment, or getting advice, when you need it. Some patients with stable long-term conditions, or conditions which flare up from time to time, do not require frequent checks at the hospital; others can be seen less often if they can easily get in touch when their condition changes. Research has shown that frequent visits do not necessarily help to prevent your condition returning or identify new problems.
With PIFU, instead of being offered regular clinic visits and routine checkups with your consultant, you can make your own appointment only when you need it– reducing the unnecessary anxiety, travel and time spent on a routine check-up.
We are starting this type of care because:
You will be advised by your eye care team if your condition is now suitable to have your follow-ups as patient-initiated instead of, or alongside, the regular appointments scheduled by the hospital. Your eye care professional will discuss the process with you and provide you with this leaflet. Managing your appointments in this way is optional and it is your decision.
The service is quick and easy to use. If you experience a flare-up or a problem or would like to book a follow-up appointment, simply follow the link (from your introductory text or email) and indicate that you would like to initiate a follow up appointment. If you can’t find this text, you can access the DrDoctor patient portal. You can also ring the number on your last patient letter for help.
Please remember that, if an appointment is booked, it is important that you attend it. If you find you are unable to do so, please tell us in advance, so we can give your appointment to someone else who needs it.
You should call your eye care team if you are experiencing a flare-up of your condition or have a problem with your condition or medication, and need to be seen or need advice from the eye team. The text we sent you and/or your most recent eye clinic letter will highlight symptoms to look out for to help you decide when you need to contact us.
f you require very urgent medical advice you should contact your GP or NHS 111, or if you are really unwell, attend or video call our A&E. For all other concerns, or if you are feeling unwell, your GP remains your first point of contact.
This depends on whether another booked appointment has been made. If so, if you do not call back, you will be seen at the next scheduled appointment.
If you do not have a scheduled appointment, and you have not called us back within the time frame agreed with you by our clinical team, you will be discharged back to your GP and optometrist (optician). If you feel that you need further investigations, your GP will need to complete a new referral.
Some patients worry about losing contact with the hospital when they no longer need to be seen regularly by their eye care team. If you wish to go back to regular hospital appointments, tell us and we will arrange this for you.
We appreciate and encourage feedback. Please note we may be in touch in the future to ask about your experience.
If you cannot get through to your eye care team, please email us at moorfields.outpatientbookingsbc@nhs.net
Depending on your condition and the judgement of your clinical team, we may safely discharge you to the care of your GP or optician after an extended period of stability. They can quickly and easily refer you back to us again, and our nurse-led helpline on 020 7566 2345 can always offer you advice on eye conditions.