Your follow-up appointment
What happens after your appointment?
After your outpatient appointment, the clinical team may wish to see you again to check how you are doing.
Follow up appointments are often booked before you leave clinic, or they might be arranged some time later, for example after you have had some tests performed.
You may need to attend in person for your follow up appointment, or it might be conducted over the telephone or via a video call. The clinical team responsible for your care will explain what is appropriate for you.
Patient initiated follow-up (PIFU)
PIFU
Patient Initiated Follow Up
PIFU allows you to make appointments when you need them, rather than fixed appointments by the hospital. This makes it easier and more convenient to access specialist care when you need it, in a way that best meets your individual needs. It can help to save you time, money and stress travelling to appointments you don't need.
Patient survey
Are you a patient on a Patient Initiated Follow up (PIFU) pathway?
Take take five minutes to share with us your feedback and your experience of moving to a PIFU pathway at Barts Health. Your feedback will help us to understand how we can improve PIFU for other patients.
Complete the short survey now.
Further information
What happens if I am placed on PIFU?
If your clinician thinks that PIFU may be suitable, they will discuss this with you and agree a PIFU plan, including when you should get in contact with us and how long your PIFU will last for.
Once this has been agreed, you will be given the contact details for the clinical team, so that you are able to get in touch with them directly when you want to arrange an appointment. Your GP will also be informed that you have been put onto a PIFU pathway.
When you reach the end of the PIFU period your clinician will decide whether to discharge you to the care of your GP.
PIFU is not always suitable for everyone, which is why it will only be used if your clinician decides with you that it is the right thing for you and your condition.
How do I book a patient initiated follow up appointment?
If you are on PIFU and your care service, please contact our main switchboard on 0207 3777 000 and ask to be put through to your service.
If you are unable to attend your appointment for any reason, please let us know in advance as we may be able to allocate your appointment time to another patient.
Personalised Stratified Follow Up (PSFU) after cancer treatment
Personalised stratified follow up (PSFU)
PSFU is a term used to describe the different models of follow-up for cancer patients.
Your clinical nurse specialist will talk you through the right pathway for you, these pathways are designed to minimise attending hospital and increase the way you can contact your specialist team.
Your clinical team will discuss this with you and, if suitable, you may be offered:
- Regular surveillance scans or tests, with quicker and easier access to results; it is important you attend these scans.
- Rapid re-access to your cancer team, including telephone advice and support, if you are worried about any symptoms, side-effects or treatment.
- Information about signs and symptoms to look out for, suggesting your cancer may have returned.
- Personalised care and support planning and support for self-management to help you to improve your health and wellbeing in the long-term.
- Building your knowledge, skills and confidence.
- Connecting with other people or organisations in your community for support.
Your follow up appointment: more info
More information on your follow up