Waiting for a Hospital Appointment or Treatment?

 We understand that waiting for hospital care can be really difficult, especially if you're in pain or worried about your health.

What is an ‘Expedite’ Letter - and Do They Work?

Sometimes patients are advised to ask their GP for an 'expedite letter' to try to bring a hospital appointment forward. We completely understand why you might ask - it’s hard to wait when you’re unwell. However, hospital teams have told GPs that they don’t usually act on these letters. Decisions about who is seen sooner are made by the hospital specialists, based on medical need.

If your symptoms have changed or got worse – for example, you’re in more pain, your mobility has reduced, or your hearing has changed – the hospital needs to know. These are things only you can describe, and it's best to tell the hospital team directly.

If you are waiting to be seen by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) and your condition has changed, please contact your hospital team as soon as possible:

Outpatient contact numbers:

Phone lines are open from Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 16.30pm.

Please be aware that they receive the highest volume of calls on Mondays and Tuesdays and in the morning. The best times to call are Wednesday, Thursday and Friday afternoons.

HUB 1 - Contact number: 01522 573200 / 01522 573199

  • Opthamology
  • Paediatric Trauma and Orthopaedics
  • Orthoptic
  • Paediatric Urology
  • Trauma & Orthopaedics
  • Urology

HUB 2 - Contact number: 01522 573200 / 01522 573199

  • Breast Surgery
  • Gynaecology
  • Lincoln Obstetrics
  • General Paediatrics

HUB 3 - Contact number: 01522 573200 / 01522 573199

  • Colorectal Surgery
  • ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat)
  • General Surgery
  • Hepatobiliary & Pancreatic Surgery
  • Maxillo-Facial Surgery
  • Orthodontics
  • Paediatric Surgery
  • Vascular Surgery

HUB 4 - Contact number: 01205 446422

  • Respiratory Medicine
  • Endocrinology & Lipid
  • Diabetic Medicine (+ Diabetic Foot)
  • Cardiology
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery
  • Nephrology
  • Neurology

HUB 5 - Contact number: 01205 446422

  • Sleep Service
  • Fertility Service
  • Dermatology
  • Paediatric Dermatology
  • Rheumatology
  • Gastroenterology (+ IBS/IBD)
  • Hepatology
  • General Medicine
  • Critical Care medicine
  • HCOP
  • Transient Ischaemic Attack/stroke
  • PHB Obstetrics
  • Midwifery Service

HUB 6 - Contact number: 01476 464740

  • Clinical Nurse Specialists
  • Grantham Obstetrics
  • Clinical Haematology
  • Clinical Oncology