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Formerly Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust

Putting you in control of your follow-up care

Information for patients

Regular follow up appointments are arranged by the hospital within a specific timeframe as advised by your clinician, for example every six months or every year.  Some patients find these regular visits useful and reassuring however, for others, it can be frustrating or stressful coming to hospital if they don’t feel they need to.

Southport and Ormskirk NHS Trust have therefore implemented a Patient Initiated Follow Up Service (PIFU). If your child has been selected and added to a PIFU pathway by your clinician, you can now arrange your child’s next follow up appointment with your clinician when you feel you need them, or if your symptoms deteriorate.  

This puts you in full control of your follow up appointments and gives you access to support and guidance when you need it.

 

Patient Information Leaflet

 

Why are we introducing this new type of follow up?

This type of follow up is led by the patient and their family and offers several benefits:

  • You have more control over your appointments.
  • Appointments are made based on your individual needs.
  • For many people it will mean they don’t need to come to hospital as often meaning less time off school and less travelling.
  • We can also reduce our carbon footprint by lowering the number of patients travelling to the hospital unnecessarily.

 

What do I need to do?

If you are placed on a Patient Initiated Follow Up (PFU) pathway this should be discussed and agreed with you by your clinician. You will then receive a clinic letter which will contain details of which symptoms to look out for and how to contact the service if you feel you need to be seen again.

Patient initiated follow up won’t be suitable for every patient but if your hospital care team think they could be right for you they will discuss this with you.

If you experience any symptoms not listed on your letter you should contact 111 for advice.

For further information on PIFU please visit https://www.england.nhs.uk/outpatient-transformation-programme/patient-initiated-follow-up-giving-patients-greater-control-over-their-hospital-follow-up-care/

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