If you need to be referred to hospital for treatment or specialist advice, you may be able to choose where and when you go. In most cases you can choose from a number of hospitals and locations.
For most referrals the GP will write to your chosen provider and ask them to arrange an appointment for you. The provider will then contact you to arrange an appointment. In most cases you will hear from the provider in 6 to 8 weeks.
Please do not chase your appointment prior to this. If you have not heard from the provider after 8 weeks then contact them direct, don't contact the surgery.
If the GP considered that you needed to be seen sooner, they would have advised you that you have been referred on a 2 week pathway.
Some services are now known as opt in rather than opt out. This means that you are required to contact them to make an appointment rather than waiting for them to contact you. If you are being referred to a service like this the GP will inform you and give you details or a leaflet explaining how and when you should contact to make your appointment.
Private Referrals
The Information above relates to NHS referrals specifically. For more information on Referrals to private services please visit this page. Private Work & Examinations - Lister House Surgery
Wait time details for hospitals across the South West: South West - My Planned Care NHS
Self referral link; Somerset cancer self-referral - Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
A helpful leaflet patient-referal-large-print.pdf