What an appointment letter contains
- Date, time, and location — including the specific building or clinic, not just the hospital name
- The clinical team — the consultant or specialty you are seeing
- Preparation instructions — whether you need to fast, bring documents, or do anything in advance
- Contact details — who to call if you need to rearrange
- Your reference number — quote this in any correspondence
If you can't make the date
Contact the number on the letter as soon as possible. Most Trusts will rearrange without difficulty if you give enough notice. Make clear you want to remain on the waiting list. Do not simply not attend — a DNA (Did Not Attend) will typically result in your referral being closed.
What to bring
Check the letter carefully for specific instructions. In general, bring:
- The appointment letter itself
- A list of your current medications
- Any previous test results or scans if instructed
- Questions you want to ask — appointments can feel brief
If a letter arrived after the appointment date
This occasionally happens. Contact the hospital immediately, explain the situation, and ask to be rebooked. This should not count as a DNA. Keep the envelope with the postmark as evidence if needed.