Hospital Referrals and Waiting Lists
If your GP refers you to a hospital for further investigation or treatment, your name will be added to the hospital’s Outpatient Waiting List.
Important Information
- Waiting List Control: All hospital waiting lists are managed by the Health & Social Care Trusts, not by the GP practice. * Expediting Appointments: Please do not ask your GP to write a letter to “speed up” your appointment. Hospital consultants triage all referrals. A GP can only send an update if your clinical condition has significantly changed or worsened since the original referral.
- Check Waiting Times: You can check the current average waiting times for different specialties in Northern Ireland via the MyWaitingTimesNI website.
What You Need to Do
- Unavailability: Tell your GP if there are specific dates you cannot attend or if you require an interpreter.
- Contact Details: Ensure we have your correct mobile number and address.
- Patient Transport: If you are eligible for ambulance transport, you must contact Patient Transport Services at least one week before your appointment.
- Tests and Results: If your test was ordered by a hospital consultant, the GP practice will not usually see the results until the consultant has reviewed them. Please contact the Hospital Consultant’s Secretary directly for these results.
What to Expect from the Hospital
The hospital will aim to:
- Give you a minimum of 7 days’ notice for an appointment offer.
- Send a formal appointment letter at least 14 days in advance.
- Notify you of how long the appointment is expected to last.
- Advise you if you need to travel to a different location for treatment.
Having visited your GP, you may be referred to hospital for further investigations and treatment. Once your referral has been received you will then be added to the hospital’s Outpatient Waiting List.
I want to check the progress of my referral
Hospital Contact Information
If you are waiting for a hospital appointment date or a result from a test performed at the hospital, please contact the relevant Hospital Trust directly. You can do this by calling the hospital switchboard and asking for the Consultant’s Secretary or the Appointments Department.
Belfast Health & Social Care Trust
- Royal Victoria Hospital: 028 9024 0503
- Belfast City Hospital: 028 9032 9241
- Mater Hospital: 028 9074 1211
- Musgrave Park Hospital: 028 9090 2000
- Children’s Hospital (RBHSC): 028 9615 9800
South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust
- Ulster Hospital: 028 9048 4511
- Lagan Valley Hospital: 028 9266 5141
- Downe Hospital: 028 4461 3311
- Ards Community Hospital: 028 9181 2661
Northern Health & Social Care Trust
- Antrim Area Hospital: 028 9442 4000
- Causeway Hospital: 028 7032 7032
- Mid Ulster Hospital: 028 9442 4000
Southern Health & Social Care Trust
- Craigavon Area Hospital: 028 3833 4444
- Daisy Hill Hospital: 028 3083 5000
- South Tyrone Hospital: 028 8772 2821
Western Health & Social Care Trust
- Altnagelvin Area Hospital: 028 7134 5171
- South West Acute Hospital: 028 6638 2000
- Omagh Hospital & Primary Care Complex: 028 8283 3100