Outpatient appointments

You might be offered an outpatient's appointment at one of our sites, following a referral from your GP or another healthcare professional (such as a nurse practitioner).

Being an outpatient means you are not staying overnight in the hospital, for assessment or treatment.

Our main Outpatient Department is located on the first floor of Barnsley Hospital. Here we offer many clinics – covering medical, surgical and orthopaedics (bones). We also host visiting consultants from Sheffield Teaching Hospitals.

We also hold outpatient appointments at the Community Diagnostic Centre (CDC) in Barnsley Town Centre.

Appointments

You will be referred to us either:

  • after an electronic booking has been made by your GP surgery, via the e-referral service (e-RS)
  • after a referral letter has been received from your GP surgery

You may be offered an in-person, video or telephone appointment.

We will send you appointment reminders via both phone call and text, 7 days and 1 day before your scheduled appointment. You can confirm is you are able to attend. If not, you can change the date of, or cancel your appointment.

Cancelling and re-booking appointments

Most outpatient appointments can be cancelled or changed by calling our contact centre on 01226 434343, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

You can also use our cancellation and re-booking form.

Contact these departments directly

Some departments can only amend appointments between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. 

How to be prepared for your outpatients appointment

A video explaining how to prepare for an outpatient appointment at NHS hospitals in England.

On the day of your appointment

Preparing for your appointment

Please bring the following with you on the day of your appointment – to help our staff help you: 

  • your appointment letter or card (if you have one) 
  • your personal details – such as your address, postcode and a contact number 
  • your “home” address if it is different to where you currently live 
  • your GP surgery’s address and telephone number  
  • details of any medicines or tablets you are taking  
  • proof that you do not have to pay prescription charges, if applicable  
  • any other information or task requested in your appointment letter or text 

Getting to your appointment

If you need hospital transport for an outpatient appointment, please contact your GP surgery in order to arrange this.  

Arriving to your appointment

Our main outpatient department is near our Gawber Road entrance. Look for the Outpatients entrance just to the right of the main hospital entrance. 

The main outpatient's reception area is on the first floor so you will need to use the escalator or lift to get to us. 

Some outpatient departments are in different zones around the hospital: 

  • Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit - Blue 
  • Children’s Outpatients - Orange  
  • Diabetes Centre - Blue  
  • Physiotherapy - Blue 
  • Women’s Services - Purple 
  • Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery – Purple 

Read more information on getting to and around Barnsley Hospital. 

Visit the AccessAble site for information on accessibility and travelling to Barnsley Hospital. 

Your appointment

We operate a self-check-in system at Barnsley Hospital. Volunteers can help you check in at one of the many self-check-in kiosks near the various entrances to the hospital: 

  • main entrance 
  • outpatients 
  • women’s services 

We advise you to check in 10 minutes before your appointment time. Patients are seen in appointment order, not in order of arrival. 

Sometimes there may be reasons you have to wait longer, than expected. Staff will let you know if there is a delay. 

In most cases, you will be seen by a consultant (a senior doctor). In some cases, you may be seen by another healthcare professional – such as a nurse practitioner, a midwife or a therapist.  

All clinical staff wear an identity badge with their name and job title on it, so you know who they are. They also wear different coloured uniforms to help you recognise them more easily. 

If you are unhappy about any aspect of your care, you can ask to someone in charge of the clinic.

Patient Initiated Follow-up (PIFU)

Video and telephone appointments

Students 

We play a part in training many students in healthcare. Students, supervised by qualified staff, may observe or be involved in your care.  

If you do not want to be seen by students, please tell a staff member at the clinic – it won’t affect your care in any way.  

Involving you in your care  

We want to make sure you fully understand your condition and the options available to you.  

Before you receive any treatment, the healthcare professional will explain what they are recommending. Please do ask if you are unsure about anything. No treatment is carried out without your consent (unless it is an emergency and you are unconscious).  

Before you leave your appointment 

Make sure you know: 

  • what might be wrong 
  • whether you need any tests 
  • what treatment is best for you 
  • what happens next and who to contact 

Collecting prescriptions

Our outpatient pharmacy is located in the main outpatients waiting area, of the hospital.  

If you are prescribed medicine, you will be asked either to collect the item(s) from the hospital pharmacy or from your GP surgery. 

Our pharmacy will charge the standard national prescription fee – unless you have proof of not having to pay (an exemption).  

Cancelling and rebooking appointments

Most outpatient appointments can be cancelled or changed by calling our contact centre on 01226 434343, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 

Some departments can only amend appointments between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday: 

You can also use our cancellation and re-booking form. 

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  • Page last reviewed: 15 July 2022
  • Next review due: 15 July 2023