If you have been referred by your GP to a hospital consultant and have not received your appointment, do not wait indefinitely — NHS referrals can sometimes be lost or delayed in the system. You have the right to choose your hospital and to be seen within 18 weeks of referral. Contact the hospital’s referral team directly, or call Wilmslow Health Centre on 01625 548555 and we can check whether your referral has been sent and help you follow it up.
What to do if you have not received a hospital appointment 🏥
If your GP has referred you to a hospital consultant, you should receive information by post or email explaining how to book or chase your appointment.
This will usually include:
- An access code
- A booking reference number
You will need both of these when contacting the hospital.
A quick note about hospital appointments ℹ️
We understand that waiting for a hospital appointment can be frustrating.
Once your GP has made a referral, the hospital becomes responsible for arranging and managing your appointment. Hospitals have dedicated, fully funded booking teams whose role is to liaise directly with patients.
GP surgeries are separately funded from hospital (secondary care) services and do not have access to hospital booking systems. This means our staff are unable to chase, book, or speed up hospital appointments on your behalf.
This page contains all the information you need to follow up directly with the hospital, which is the quickest and most effective way to get an update. Unfortunately, contacting the GP surgery will not make the process any quicker.
Thank you for your understanding and for helping us keep GP appointments available for medical care 💙
Booking or chasing your appointment 📞
Please contact the hospital you were referred to using the correct number below:
Macclesfield District General Hospital
📞 01625 663 333
Wythenshawe Hospital
📞 0161 291 5120
Stepping Hill Hospital
📞 0161 483 1010
If you are waiting for a follow-up appointment
If you have already seen a consultant and are waiting for a follow-up appointment, please:
- Contact the consultant’s secretary, or
- Call the hospital main switchboard and ask to be put through to them
If you are unable to get help – contact PALS 🤝
If you are unable to speak to the bookings team or a consultant’s secretary, you can contact PALS (Patient Advice and Liaison Service) at the relevant hospital.
Macclesfield
📞 01625 661449
✉️ ecn-tr.CustomerCareService@nhs.net
Wythenshawe
📞 0161 276 8686
✉️ pals@mft.nhs.uk
Stepping Hill
📞 0161 419 5678
✉️ PCS@stockport.nhs.uk
About PALS
What does PALS do?
- Listens to your comments, concerns, or questions about hospital services
- Helps resolve problems quickly on your behalf
- Advises you on how to make a formal complaint if needed
- Provides information about NHS services
- Refers you to other organisations for additional support
How does PALS help?
- Listens carefully to your concerns
- Works with hospital staff to find solutions
- May attend meetings with you, where possible
- Acts as an independent link between you and the hospital
- Handles information in line with data protection requirements 🔒
