If you have an appointment in a hospital or clinic but do not need to stay overnight, it means you're being treated as an outpatient or a day patient. You may be having an appointment for treatment, diagnosis or a procedure. Before your appointment, you'll receive a letter, email or text message from the hospital that includes everything you need to know about your appointment. You may be
offered a face-to-face appointment in a hospital or clinic, or a telephone or video appointment. You and your healthcare professional will agree the type of appointment you're offered, based on your needs and preferences. You’ll get the same quality of care no matter what type of appointment you have. You can choose which type of appointment you have, which hospital or clinic to use and which specialist team will be in charge of your
treatment, as long as they meet your healthcare needs. Find out more about your choices in the NHS The hospital should contact you with more information before you come in. Details of what you need to do will vary depending on the hospital. They might ask you to wear a face covering over your nose and mouth, test to check if you have COVID-19 or self-isolate before you go into hospital. Check the hospital's website for more information. Find the contact details of a hospital Preparing for your appointmentMany patients find it helps to prepare what they want to talk about in their appointment. It can be helpful to write a list of the things you want to discuss. This could include:
You can ask someone to come with you to your appointment, such as a carer, family member or friend. If you cannot attend your appointment at the time you've been given, contact the hospital or clinic to rearrange it. It may help to have your NHS number with you when you contact them. If your appointment is in a hospital or clinic, look up where it is and plan how you'll get there. It may be helpful to look up local transport or parking arrangements. Find out more about how to organise transport to and from hospital For video appointments you'll need a charged smartphone, tablet or computer with a camera, microphone and internet connection. Test your equipment before your appointment. Learn more about how a video appointment works For a telephone appointment, make sure you have provided your up to date telephone number. This could be your mobile or landline phone number. If you plan to use your mobile, check its battery is charged and you're somewhere you can get signal. On the dayIf you have an appointment in a hospital or clinic, remember to bring the details of your appointment with you. When you arrive, go to the department named in the appointment details and register with the reception or kiosk, at the time you've been given. You may be asked to arrive slightly before your appointment time. Allow plenty of time for your visit, especially if this is your first appointment. You may have to wait if your healthcare professional's other appointments overrun or they are called away to an emergency. Your appointmentYou may be asked whether you're happy for healthcare professionals who are training, such as medical students or training nurses, to be there during your appointment. You can say no if you're not comfortable with this. In your appointment, share any information you've prepared with your doctor, nurse or other healthcare professional. Giving them this information and asking any questions you have will help you get the most out of your appointment. Tell the healthcare professional if you're pregnant, have any allergies or are taking any medicines, including prescriptions, medicines you have bought yourself and alternative treatments. During your appointment, your healthcare professional will talk about:
Together you can decide a plan for your ongoing care. This might mean another appointment with them, with another specialist, or with your GP. You might be asked to arrange future appointments only when your symptoms or your circumstances change. If you're unsure of anything, ask your healthcare professional to explain it again, or to write it down for you. You might find it helpful to take some notes during your appointment. You can look back at these at home or at your follow-up appointment. Find out more about what to ask your healthcare professional After your appointmentA couple of weeks after your appointment, you should get a letter or email with a summary of your consultation. The healthcare professional will describe what they discussed with you on the day and explain what the next steps are. If you do not understand the letter, contact the hospital, clinic or your GP. If you have not received test results as explained by your healthcare professional during your appointment, call the hospital or clinic. Sometimes your GP will also have access to your results. If you need another appointment, you'll get a letter, text or email about this. Why is it better to communicate face to face?Face-to-face communication is often more effective than written or audio-only conversations. This is because seeing one another allows us to pick up on nonverbal cues and body language. And because a lot of communication is nonverbal, being able to see each other helps us understand each other better.
When should faceHere are some other situations where face-to-face interaction is appropriate: Providing personal, one-on-one conversations with teammates (think: a performance review) Discussing potentially sensitive workplace information. Wanting someone's undivided attention (think: talking about leaving a company, etc.)
What are the advantages of face6 benefits of face-to-face communication. Establishes trust. Trust is an important element of a workplace relationship. ... . Allows for easier persuasion. ... . Boosts active participation. ... . Enhances conflict resolution. ... . Provides clarity to conversations. ... . Saves time during the workday.. What are advantages and disadvantages of face to face meeting?Pros of face-to-face communication. 1) Allows reading of body language. ... . 2) Builds trust and transparency. ... . 3) Enhances productivity. ... . 4) Allows discussion and conclusions. ... . 1) Finding appropriate time. ... . 2) Cost of facilitating a meeting. ... . 3) Ineffective in large meetings.. |