Outpatient appointments

The Royal Devon prides itself on providing safe, dignified and patient-centred care. Our outpatient services are delivered across our sites, including the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford), North Devon District Hospital, and our Community Hospitals. See our ‘Sites and getting here’ pages for more information.

Appointments may be face-to-face, on the telephone or via video consultation. This reduces the need for patients to attend hospital and enables people to have consultations in a place convenient to you.

Once your outpatient appointment is booked with us you should receive a letter; confirming the date, type of appointment, time and location (if applicable), and a contact telephone number should you have a query.

Changing or cancelling an appointment

We kindly ask that you make every effort to attend your appointment. If you can't make it then please let us know as soon as possible. This means we can re-allocate the appointment to someone else who needs it and arrange a new time for you.

That way, you get the treatment you need as soon as possible and help us to provide a more efficient service for others.

Who do I contact?

You can change or cancel your appointment by calling the number in your hospital letter, or select from the options below. 

Appointments at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford) and related services in Mid Devon, East Devon and Exeter

 

Appointments at the North Devon District Hospital and related services in North Devon

  • 01271 322577 and ask for the department / clinical service you are scheduled to attend

PLEASE NOTE: If you cancel your appointment on more than one occasion, this may result in you being returned to the care of your GP or referrer to ensure the safe management of your condition.

 

Appointment reminders

To help you with your appointment, we operate a text or telephone reminder service for some services. You may receive a text reminder two days before your outpatient appointment. For some of our outpatient specialities, we will call you two days before your appointment. 

Some areas are not suitable for the text message service (i.e. oncology) and you will not receive a reminder.

We understand that this may not be suitable for everyone. If you do not wish to receive a free text reminder, please let us know by calling the number on your appointment letter.

If you have special requirements

The Royal Devon strives to provide a service that is user friendly and easily accessible to all. Please tell the department you are visiting if you have any particular requirements before you attend your appointment.

For example, if you require additional support due to a disability or need an interpreter. We will do our best to help.

Visit our 'Accessibility, Support & Learning Disability' pages for more information.

Visit our 'NHS Supported Patient Transport' page if you need assistance getting to your appointment, to see if you are eligible for this service. 

Face-to-face appointments

Finding us

Please see our 'Sites and getting here' pages to find directions to the place of your appointment (as detailed in your letter). 

Outpatient Departments are clearly signposted. Please ask a member of staff, who will gladly assist if needed.

What should I bring? 

  • Appointment letter (if you have one)
  • List of any tablets or medicines you are taking (including complementary medicines)
  • Glasses, walking frame, stick, crutches or hearing aid if needed
  • Enough money for prescription charges, telephone calls, refreshments and car parking etc.
  • Your diary dates or special arrangements (such as holidays) which might affect any future appointments or treatment
  • A book to read in case you have to wait (or a quiet toy for a child)
  • Any questions you want to ask the doctor/nurse/therapist

Please do not bring any items of value as we cannot guarantee they will be safe.

Important information

  • All Royal Devon sites are smoke-free zones
  • If you want to know where smoking is allowed please ask a member of staff
  • For advice on how to stop smoking call the NHS smoking advice service on 0845 111 1142
  • We take hand hygiene very seriously, and we have suitable hand hygiene facilities including sinks and alcohol-based hand rub - please click here for more information about Infection Control

How do I book in?

Please book in with the clinic receptionist or via a self-check-in kiosk if available. You will then be directed to the appropriate waiting area.

Please remember to tell us if you have changed your name, address or your General Practitioner (GP). We need to update our records so that we can contact you or your GP if necessary.

Patients are seen in order of appointment time, rather than in order of arrival to the clinic. We will do our best to run the clinics smoothly and to see you on time, but please accept our sincerest apologies if there is a wait.

Please talk to a member of staff if you have been waiting for more than 30 minutes and also if a delay causes you problems.

Other facilities & hospitality

Our hospitals have a range of facilities for your comfort, which vary from location to location.

These may include cafes, shops, cash machines, garden areas, payphones etc.

To find out more about what is available where you are attending, please click here to visit ‘Our sites’ pages.

During your appointment

This is your chance to ask questions about your condition. It may help to think of questions before you come to the clinic and write them down. Outpatient visits may involve some simple investigations and tests. We will discuss these with you.

How long will it take?

Please allow 1-3 hours for your appointment. If you need to go for further tests you may need to allow up to a whole morning or afternoon. You may also need to come back for a follow-up appointment if necessary.

If you think you may not be able to remember what is said to you, please ask for the information to be written down.

During your appointment

We will:

  • Offer you a clear explanation of your condition
  • Arrange language translation if needed - please tell us in advance
  • Describe the potential benefits and risks of treatment and discuss alternatives
  • Ask for your fully informed consent to any operation, procedure or treatment
  • Treat you with respect and dignity
  • Welcome your comments and deal with your concerns
  • Tell you if your appointment will take a long time - due to tests, for example

We ask that you:

  • Tell us about your condition or symptoms and about any allergies that you have
  • Tell us about / bring any medication you take, including complementary medicines
  • Treat our staff with respect
  • Discuss any questions or concerns with your doctor or nurse as soon as possible
  • Arrange your transport home (if visiting a hospital site)

We are a teaching hospital 

The Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford) is a teaching hospital, which means we train healthcare professionals. Students improve their clinical skills by working under the supervision of experienced staff and by having direct contact with patients.

We might ask you to agree to be seen by a medical student or another trainee. You can say no and this will not affect the care you receive in any way. If you have any concerns or questions, please speak with your doctor or nurse.

Improving care for the future

We might ask you to consider taking part in a clinical trial or research study. These are important for developing treatments for the future. You can say no and this will not affect the care you receive. Please speak to your nurse if you have any questions or concerns about this.

Who will I see?

During your visit you may meet different members of our dedicated team. We work closely together to provide you with the best care and experience possible, including:

  • Receptionist or Welcome Volunteer: they can assist you with checking in, where to wait and your comfort whilst waiting
  • Nurse: the clinic nurse is responsible for running the clinic. You might also see a specialist nurse who works with the consultant
  • Consultant: this is the doctor in charge of your care. You will see them, or a doctor or nurse who is part of their team
  • Other Staff: you may also see physiotherapists, porters, occupational therapists, dieticians, pharmacists, radiographers and medical photographers, amongst others
  • Housekeeping: together with our nursing team our housekeeping staff make sure the department is clean. This is regularly audited by the Outpatient Matron. If you have any worries about cleanliness please tell a member of staff
  • Medical students: you may also meet one of our many trainee doctors, nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, amongst others

All our staff are identifiable by their Trust ID Badge. If you can't see their badge, then please ask them to show it to you.

Telephone appointments

Some of our services can be delivered via a telephone call. Your appointment letter should confirm this, but here are some instructions to help you get the most from your appointment.

  • Please be ready for your call: you will have received a letter with the time that your call will take place.
  • Consider how you will take the call: you may wish to take the call in private, or on loud speaker.
  • Support needed to take the call: please advise us in advance if there are problems that would make a telephone call difficult.
  • If you are unable to take the call: a new appointment will be agreed with you after the clinic.
  • If there is too much to discuss in the time: please prioritise the issues you wish to discuss. Another call back will be agreed.
  • Make a note of what is discussed: this will help you to recall any recommendations.
  • Documentation: a record of the telephone consultation will be added to personal records and you will be provided with a copy, unless you have requested otherwise
  • Concluding the clinic call: a summary of recommendations will be made. This is an opportunity to check everyone has clearly understood.
  • Next appointment: you will receive confirmation of the date and time agreed, and whether a telephone or face-to-face appointment is required.

Video consultations

To help you access our services at a location that is convenient to you, some of our services can take place via video consultation.

Video consultations enable you to have your appointment via a completely secure video environment from the comfort of your own home.

You can connect using a PC, Mac or an iOS/ android device via a web browser.

Your clinician or a member of the booking team will advise you that your appointment will be held as a video consultation.

Click here for more information on our 'Attend Anywhere' video consultation service, including how to join. 

From Monday 1 April 2024 we are switching to MS Teams for video appointments. We will update this page with more information soon. View our patient information leaflet for more information about using MS Teams for a video appointment.

MY CARE Clinical Transformation Programme

MY CARE improves the experience for patients, staff and carers by connecting people and information, using a new single electronic patient record (EPR) system. No matter where your care is provided, in hospital, community clinics or at home, our clinical teams will have the information they need at their fingertips to provide you with the best care possible.

This means that doctors, nurses and therapists will be using electronic devices when they see you as an inpatient, outpatient or in your home, to document information in a fast and efficient way. Using these devices allows for information to be uploaded to your records in real time and made accessible to clinical staff across multiple sites.

We use a range of devices, including large PCs on wheels, laptops, phones and some tablets. Only qualified members of staff can access these devices and they do not store any patient information directly on them. They are not used for any personal tasks by the clinician. Devices are cleaned before and after use, following each contact with a patient.

You may also be interested in signing up for our MY CARE. This gives you easy and secure access to your health records and more control of your health and wellbeing.

Click here for more information about MY CARE and to sign up

Your feedback matters

We want to ensure that you have the best experience possible in our care and welcome your feedback. This enables us to celebrate success, resolve queries or concerns as soon as possible and continually improve our services.

  • If you have any questions about your care please talk to your nurse or consultant as soon as possible
  • We want to be able to deal with your worries as quickly and thoroughly as we can
  • You may also be asked to feedback using a 'Patient Feedback Card’ when you visit our services
  • For further information about how to give feedback please visit our 'Your Feedback Matters' page 
  • Our 'Patient Advice and Liaison Service - PALS' are available to provide advice and hands-on support for any queries, concerns or complaints you may have

Other contact numbers

Please call the number on your appointment letter to change or cancel your appointment.

 

Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (Wonford) Appointment Offices

Our offices are open 8.30am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. In office hours, you can speak to an Appointment Clerk regarding your appointment.

The phone lines can be busy so there is an option to leave a message to cancel your appointment if you do not wish to book another. These messages are picked up throughout the day.

  • Child & Women's Health (Gynaecology & Paediatrics): 01392 406920 
  • Diabetes: 01392 403846
  • Medicine (Care for older people): 01392 402552
  • Orthopaedics: 01392 406149
  • Radiology (X-ray): 
  • Specialist Surgery (Ear Nose and Throat, Oral & Orthodontic, Plastic Surgery): 01392 406921
  • Surgery 1 (General Surgery, Urology, Vascular, Breast): 01392 406923
  • West of England Eye Unit: 01392 406922

 

North Devon District Hospital

Please call the main switchboard and ask for the department you require on 01271 322577

Last updated: August 22, 2023

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