Hospital and clinic appointments

Attending your hospital appointment

When coming to your outpatient appointment with one of our specialists you will visit one of our clinics. Please make sure you arrive no more than 10 minutes before your appointment time.

Patients in the waiting room may be there to see a different clinician from you. This means they may arrive after you but be called for their appointment before you. We will do our best to see you as soon as possible but delays are sometimes unavoidable. We'll tell you if there's likely to be a wait.

Useful links

Clinic appointments at our London hospitals: who you’ll see

You will see the consultant or a member of their team. If you have any questions or concerns please ask during your appointment. We want to make sure you understand your medical condition and its treatment.

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust is a leading teaching trust and a medical student may sometimes be present during your consultation. Medical students will always ask your permission to be in attendance at your appointment. If you prefer a student not to be present, please do tell us. This will not affect your care.

Use the links on the top left hand side of this page to find more information about your visit to our London hospitals.

Food and drink at our hospitals in London

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust has a number of restaurants and cafés serving food and drink at our three hospitals. Read more about healthy eating at the Royal Free.

Smoking and mobile phone use at our hospitals

Please be aware that the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust operates a no smoking policy in each of its London hospitals. Smoking is not permitted on any of our grounds. For help to stop smoking, please contact our stop smoking service.

E-cigarette policy

E-cigarettes are not permitted at any of our hospitals.

Mobile phone use

You must also observe signs relating to mobile phone use at our clinics and hospitals wards.

What to bring into our hospitals

We strongly advise you not to bring any items of value (financial or sentimental) into hospital with you. We have very limited secure storage facilities and cannot be held liable for any property lost on our premises.

Please speak to a senior nurse on the ward if you require safe storage of small items.

Elective access policy

To ensure that all patients are treated efficiently and with equity we have an elective access policy for planned patient care pathways by which we manage all referrals to our services. Read our elective access policy.

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