Access to treatment

The NHS Constitution sets out your right to access certain NHS services within maximum waiting times, or for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer you a range of suitable alternative providers if this is not possible. In particular, you have the right to:

• Start your consultant-led treatment within a maximum of18 weeks from referral for non-urgent conditions
• Be seen by a cancer specialist within a maximum of two weeks from GP referral for urgent referrals where cancer is suspected
• All the waiting times are described in the Handbook to the NHS Constitution

Please note there are exceptions in the right to treatment within 18 weeks from referral where:

• You choose to wait longer
• Delaying the start of your treatment is in your best clinical interests
• It is clinically appropriate for your condition to be monitored without clinical intervention or a diagnostic procedure at that stage
• You fail to attend appointments
• The treatment is no longer necessary