When coming to your appointment please bring the following items with you:
- Your appointment card or letter
- Your personal details, including your current address and telephone number
- Your GP’s address and telephone number
- Details of any medication you are currently taking (if possible please bring the medication to the appointment)
- If you are exempt from payment of prescriptions, please bring proof with you
Cancel or change your appointment
If you need to cancel and/or change your appointment, please click here to find out the options available to you.
Appointment text message reminder service
Every year, thousands of patients accidentally miss their hospital appointments simply because they forget when they were. When an appointment is missed, not only does it mean that the slot cannot be offered to another patient, but it costs the Trust money.
In May 2018, the Trust introduced a free text message (SMS) reminder service to notify you in advance of your appointments. Click here for a list of frequently asked questions about the service.
Medical students
We are a teaching hospital, with medical students from University College Medical School London and from Cambridge Medical School present in all our clinical areas. As part of their on-going training, there may be medical students present during your consultation – please let our staff know if you would rather see the doctor alone.
Smoking, alcohol and drugs
It is NHS policy that smoking or drinking alcohol within our hospitals and grounds isn’t allowed. Any use of illegal drugs will be reported to the police.
Security – patients and our staff
While our staff are there to help, we expect them to be able to do so without being abused in any way. Where patients and/or their visitors become abusive, for whatever reason, then this is something that we will take very seriously. We have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to abuse of our staff.
Help and advice on getting to your appointment
If you need help with getting to your healthcare appointment, then you should call 0208 045 4254.
Calls to this number will be answered from 8.00am to 8.00pm on weekdays by helpline assistants. They will advise patients who need information about transport to hospital or health appointments, including assessing their eligibility for non-emergency transport (also known as patient transport service or PTS for short). Journeys can be booked between two weeks and two working days in advance. On the day bookings can sometimes be accommodated but cannot be guaranteed.
For transport to NHS hospitals or clinics in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire:
Patients will be assessed and accessible transport booked for those patients whose medical need or mobility means that they cannot travel by any other means (including family and friends, taxi or voluntary car service).
For transport to hospitals or clinics outside Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire:
Call handlers will provide advice and assistance for these journeys.
Patients should have their NHS number to hand when they book a journey.
Patients who are not eligible for the patient transport service will be advised on alternative door-to-door transport options, such as local voluntary car schemes. Please note that the providers of these schemes usually make a charge for their services.
Patients on low incomes can claim reimbursement under the national Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. Claims can be made directly on weekdays through the Lister’s cash office or by post using a HC5(T) form.
Car parking
Patient parking is available at all our hospitals, with:
- Pay and display at Hertford County and the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (machines use coins only and don’t give change – sorry!)
- A multi-storey car park at the Lister that uses a coin chip system, with payment made afterwards for the time used by cash (notes and coins) or card
- The New QEII Hospital also uses a barrier controlled system, where people take a card and then use that at the end of their stay to find how much they will need to pay. The payment machines accept coins only and don’t give change
All car parks can get busy at peak times, so please leave plenty of time to park your car.
