NHS Scotland has updated waiting times guidance. Below is information you may need while waiting for your hospital appointment or treatment.
A waiting time is the time it takes for a patient to receive treatment after being referred to hospital. The length of time a patient will wait depends on:
- the nature of their condition
- the complexity of the condition
- how easy the condition is to diagnose
For updates on your waiting time for an outpatient appointment you can contact NHS Ayrshire & Arran direct using the telephone numbers below:
- Hospital Outpatient Referral Management Service appointments: 01563 827070 (for example, if you have been referred for a hospital appointment with a consultant).
- Medical Imaging appointments: 01563 827349 (for example, if you have been referred for a scan).
- MSK (Musculoskeletal) Service Outpatient appointments: 01292 665005 (for example, if you have been referred to an MSK physiotherapist, occupational therapist, podiatrist or orthotist).
What is a reasonable offer of appointment?
You will be offered up to two dates of appointment for each stage of your journey.
For example, if you require an outpatient appointment, you may be offered up to two different dates. If you then require treatment, you will be offered up to a further two dates.
You must consider all reasonable offers of appointment and make every effort to agree to these.
An offer of appointment is reasonable if:
- You are given at least 10 calendar days’ notice.
- It is at any location across NHSScotland clinically appropriate for your needs.
- You are provided with a date to attend your appointment (not location only).
- You consent to the mode of contact used to communicate with you around your appointment offer (for example video or phone)
- It is offered to you before or after the 12 week Treatment Time Guarantee date.
- It is at short notice (less than 10 calendar days), and you are able to accept.
Where will my appointment be?
You will be seen and treated within NHS Ayrshire & Arran wherever possible.
However, it may not always be possible for us to provide treatment locally for all patients and services. Therefore, an offer of appointment could be made at any location in NHS Scotland. The options for treatment will be discussed with you in advance of your appointment.
What happens if I refuse an appointment offer?
If you refuse two reasonable offers of appointment, you may be removed from the waiting list and referred back to your referring clinician.
If this is not deemed appropriate by a clinician, you may have your waiting time clock reset to zero, which means you will be put to the back of the waiting list.
What happens if I cancel my appointment?
If you cancel three agreed appointments, you may be removed from the waiting list and referred back to your referring clinician.
If this is not deemed appropriate by a clinician, you may have your waiting time clock reset to zero, which means you will be put to the back of the waiting list.
What happens if I do not attend my agreed appointment?
If you do not attend an agreed appointment and have not given NHS Ayrshire & Arran notice of this, you may be removed from the waiting list and referred back to your referring clinician.
If this is not deemed appropriate by a clinician, you may have your waiting time clock reset to zero, which means you will be put to the back of the waiting list.
What if I know I will be unavailable for a set time?
If you know you will be unavailable for treatment for any reason, for example planned travel, you must advise us of the dates you would not be able to accept an offer of appointment. All periods of unavailability should have clear start and end dates.
Can I get help to attend my appointment?
If you are in receipt of government benefits such as Universal Credit, then you may be entitled to get support for travel expenses to any appointments, including appointments within NHS Ayrshire and Arran. We may be able to provide transport to help you attend an appointment where appropriate or additional support when you arrive at your appointment. For further information, please go to:
If you are asked and agree to travel outside of NHS Ayrshire and Arran for an appointment or treatment which other patients are getting within Ayrshire, then support for travel and accommodation costs can be provided. For further information please go to:
Please speak to your local contact who can give you information on what support is available for attending your appointment.
What can I expect while I wait for treatment?
You will receive communications in a form you have agreed from NHS Ayrshire & Arran throughout your wait for treatment. This may be to check that you still wish to remain on a waiting list as part of the waiting list validation process. It is important that you respond promptly to any communications received from us when requested to.
For updates on your waiting time for treatment you can contact your clinician’s medical secretary or department whose number will be included on communications you have received about your treatment from us or from NHS Scotland National Elective Co-ordination Unit (NECU).
If you feel that your condition worsens, you must inform your GP/referring clinician.
What should I do while I wait for treatment?
The Waiting Well Hub on NHS Inform aims to give you information to support your health and wellbeing while waiting to see a specialist or get health and social care services.
You can also use the NHS inform helpline, which is free to call and is open Monday to Friday between 8am and 6pm on 0800 22 44 88.
See NHS Inform’s leaflet on waiting for an NHS hospital appointment for more details.
NHS Inform has details of national waiting times for your procedure. This information is collated by Public Health Scotland. It provides a median waiting time for all patients treated within the previous three months. This information may differ from our local waiting times due to a difference in data presentation.