Once we receive your referral from your GP, it goes through a process called ‘triage’ where we look to see the best way forward for you.
The three options at this stage are:
- To send you for an appointment with a doctor/ nurse or other specialist for you
- To send you for more testing, such as X-ray, MRI scan or other testing
- To send advice and guidance to your GP and allow them to lead your care
For an appointment or testing, you will contacted as soon as possible to offer you an appointment for the soonest time available. You will receive a confirmation letter of your appointment, which will tell you the day, date and time of the appointment. You may be asked to attend hospital for a face-to-face appointment or a virtual clinic, either over the telephone or using video calling technology such as Zoom.
We have a more detailed waiting time guide (as below) for the different departments, which is slightly different dependent on which hospital you need to visit or speak to.
Your specific waiting time will depend on your personal circumstances, your health, and the department that you need to see.
What to do while you are waiting
For advice and practical support to help you and those you care for stay well while waiting for surgery, visit:
Suffolk and North East Essex Wellbeing Support Services (sneewellbeing.org.uk).
Some further information to help you while you are waiting, visit:
- Going into and leaving hospital: Going into hospital – Essex County Council
- Adult social care and health – Essex County Council
- Connect Well – Livewell (livewellcampaign.co.uk)
- Videos Archive – Livewell (livewellcampaign.co.uk)
- Want to stop smoking? Archives – Livewell (livewellcampaign.co.uk)
What to do if your symptoms get worse
If your symptoms get worse while you are waiting for your appointment, test or operation, you should contact your GP or NHS 111 for advice.
For more information about the services that we have, please see Services – East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (esneft.nhs.uk)
More Information
Outpatients – East Suffolk & North Essex NHS Foundation Trust (esneft.nhs.uk)
Service/Procedures | Description | Colchester Hospital waiting time (weeks) for first appointment | Ipswich Hospital waiting time (weeks) for first appointment |
General Surgery | Within general surgery, you could be having any of the below surgeries. | 61 weeks | 64 weeks |
Audiology | Ears and hearing | 1 weeks | 2 weeks |
Breast surgery | Surgery for breast/ chest | 0 weeks | 5 weeks |
Cardiology | Heart conditions and care | 20 weeks | 19 weeks |
Children’s Services | All services for children and their parents including paediatrics | 24 weeks | 5 weeks |
Colorectal | Disorders of the rectum, anus and colon | 10 weeks | 42 weeks |
Dermatology | Skin conditions | 52 weeks | 24 weeks |
Diabetes | Supporting patients who have diabetes, are pre-diabetic and associated conditions | 0 weeks | 16 weeks |
Dietetics | Diet, health and nutrition | 7 weeks | 25 weeks |
Ears, Nose and Throat | Ears, nose, throat | 22 weeks | 41 weeks |
Endocrine | The circulatory system | 10 weeks | 26 weeks |
Gastroenterology | The digestive system | 55 weeks | 37 weeks |
General Medicine (Lipids) | Not available at Colchester Hospital | 18 weeks | |
Gynaecology | Women’s reproductive health | 25 weeks | 21 weeks |
Haematology | Blood disorders | 4 weeks | 4 weeks |
Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic | Liver, gall bladder, bile duct and pancreas | Not available at Colchester Hospital | 6 weeks |
Nephrology | Kidneys | 17 weeks | 18 weeks |
Neurology | Nerves | 22 weeks | 6 weeks |
Occupational Therapy | Not available at Colchester Hospital | 4 weeks | |
Older Peoples Services | Services for older people, including medical, social and emotional needs | 15 weeks | 9 weeks |
Ophthalmology | Eyes | 19 weeks | 6 weeks |
Oral Surgery | Surgery for the mouth and jaw | 8 weeks | 12 weeks |
Orthodontics | Teeth and jaw alignment | Not available at Colchester Hospital | 4 weeks |
Orthoptics) | Eyes and eye muscles | 12 weeks | 20 weeks |
Orthotics | Medical devices such as braces and splints | 1 week | 0 weeks |
Pain Management | Not available at Colchester Hospital | 30 weeks | |
Physiology | |||
Clinical Physiology | 4 weeks | 0 weeks | |
Neurophysiology | 6 weeks | 7 weeks | |
Respiratory Physiology | 5 weeks | 0 weeks | |
Physiotherapy | Treatment using physical, external methods such as heat treatment and exercise | 5 weeks | 10 weeks |
Plastics Surgery | Repair and reconstructing damaged tissue and skin | Not available at Colchester Hospital | 3 weeks |
Rehabilitation | General rehabilitation | 12 weeks | Not available at Ipswich Hospital |
Respiratory | Breathing and the respiratory organs | 37 weeks | 12 weeks |
Rheumatology | Pain and inflammation of joints and musculoskeletal system | 19 weeks | 29 weeks |
Speech and Language therapy | Speech and language therapy | 6 weeks | 7 weeks |
Spinal | Spinal issues | 11 weeks | 18 weeks |
Stroke | 0 weeks | 6 weeks | |
TIA (stroke) | 2 days | 0 weeks | |
Trauma and Orthopaedic Lower Limb | Trauma and orthopaedic specialists for lower limbs (legs, knees, ankles, feet) | 49 weeks | 32 weeks |
Trauma and Orthopaedic Upper Limb | Trauma and orthopaedic specialists for upper limbs (shoulders, arms, hands) | 30 weeks | 26 weeks |
Upper GI | Stomach and Intestines | 20 weeks | 40 weeks |
Urology | Urinary tract systems and male reproductive organs | 15 weeks | 20 weeks |
Medical Imaging | |||
X-ray | 5 weeks | 3 weeks | |
CT scan | 6 weeks | 16 weeks | |
MRI scan | 4 weeks | 15 weeks | |
Ultra Sound | 6 weeks | 12 weeks |
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