Your waiting time is the length of time it takes for you to receive treatment after you have been referred (put forward for treatment) to hospital by your GP or another healthcare professional.
How long you wait depends on:
If you would like more information on waiting times in NHS Fife, please visit the dedicated waiting times pages on NHS Inform:
For each stage of your care, you may be offered up to two appointment/treatment dates.
Examples:
• You may be offered up to two outpatient appointment dates
• If treatment is needed, you may then be offered up to two treatment dates
You must consider all reasonable offers and make every effort to accept one.
An appointment offer is considered reasonable if:
• You are given at least 10 calendar days’ notice, or
• It is at short notice (less than 10 days) and you are able to accept
• You are given a specific date and time to attend
• It is at a location anywhere in NHS Scotland, where clinically appropriate for your needs
• You have agreed to the type of appointment (for example face to face, telephone or video)
• It is offered before or after the 12 week Treatment Time Guarantee
Where possible, you will be seen and treated within NHS Fife.
However, some services may not be available locally. In these cases, you may be offered an appointment anywhere within NHS Scotland if this is clinically appropriate for your care.
If you refuse two reasonable offers of appointment or treatment:
If you cancel an agreed appointment or treatment date:
If this is not clinically appropriate:
If you do not attend an agreed appointment or treatment date and do not tell us in advance:
If removal is not appropriate:
The waiting times clock measures how long you wait for NHS treatment from the date you are referred.
Your waiting time may be paused or changed if you:
This ensures waiting times are measured fairly.
If you know you will not be available for treatment (for example due to planned travel), please tell us as soon as possible.
You must provide:
This helps us manage your waiting times properly.
You may be entitled to help with travel costs to attend your appointment/treatment if you receive certain benefits. If you are not sure what travel costs you can get help with, please speak to your local hospital before you travel.
If you are offered treatment outside NHS Fife, help with travel and accommodation costs may also be available
Find out more: Help with health costs | NHS Inform
While you are waiting, NHS Fife will contact you using the method you have agreed (for example letter, phone or text).
We may contact you to:
Please respond promptly to any communications.
If your condition gets worse while waiting, contact your GP or referring clinician.
To help you understand how long you may have to wait in NHS Fife, you can view current waiting times on NHS Inform.
This information:
The Waiting Well Hub provides advice and support to help you manage your health while waiting for care our local Well teams offer a wide range of local information The Well | Fife HSCP.
You can also contact the NHS Inform helpline:
Further information is available in the NHS Inform leaflet: NHS Inform’s leaflet on waiting for an NHS hospital appointment
