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How can we help you access and attend your appointment?

We are working to improve access to LCH services. We might:

  • send a text or letter asking you to confirm if you still need your appointment
  • check your communication needs, what language do you speak or read, do you need information in a specific format
  • ask if you’re able to access online information, book or attend appointments online
  • ask you about any barriers you might be facing in attending

If we haven’t asked yet, please let us know if anything might make it difficult for you to attend your appointment. We understand it can feel a bit awkward to bring this up, but our goal is to help you get the support you need. We’re happy to discuss any adjustments or changes that could make attending easier, and we can also guide you to helpful resources.

Please take a moment to review the list  of things you might want to discuss with us below. If, after looking through these options, you still can’t attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. The earlier you tell us, the better as we can offer the appointment to someone else, helping to reduce waiting times for everyone. Even if it’s on the day of your appointment, please notify us if you won’t be able to make it.

You can do this:

  • by phoning or emailing the service
  • at your local health centre

Things you might want to consider talking to us about:

You can check if you’re able to get help with travel and other health costs online. If you can claim, you would have to pay your travel costs upfront and wait to be reimbursed, so it’s also worth discussing:

  • are any appointments available within walking distance? If not, can the time of appointment fit with public transport concessionary travel pass requirements (usually after 9:30am).
  • can you get to the health centre by one bus journey only or would you need to change buses? Even between places that are geographically close, many journeys require going into town and out again. In this case this will be an extra ticket over and above the £2 price cap.
  • could your appointment be after benefits are paid, rather than immediately before or when you have other pressing financial priorities?
  • can your appointment be virtual or telephone, rather than face-to-face? If this is not standard practice for your service, might this be possible as a one-off?
  • If you have appointments with different services, can appointments be arranged for the same day to avoid extra journeys?

There is also financial support information on Together Leeds, including benefits and food and fuel poverty that could generally help your financial situation.

If you will be using public transport, talk to us about:

  • How far is the nearest bus stop to the entrance? Will it make a difference to you if the bus stop is at the bottom or top of a steep slope?
  • Making sure your appointment fits with public transport concessionary travel pass requirements (usually after 9:30am).
  • If you can have an appointment in a health centre that you can get to in one bus journey only, rather than needing to change. This can save time and money, even between places that are geographically close, many journeys require going into town and out again. In this case this will be an extra ticket over and above the £2 price cap.

If you’re worried about travelling somewhere new or need some support to get there on your own, contact Travel with Confidence.
If you will be travelling by car, check:

  • Is there parking on site?
  • What is the availability of on-street parking at different times of day? If the health centre is next to a school, it might be harder to park at drop-off or pick-up times. What exclusions are there to on-street parking?
  • How many disabled spaces are there? Are multiple clinics running at the same time that  might mean these are likely to all be in  use?
  • What is the route from the car park to the entrance? If it is up a steep slope or there are steps, will this be a barrier for you? If there is a ramp, does it make the distance further from the care to the door, so if you are not in a wheelchair but cannot walk a long way, will this make it more difficult for you?

Ask us if:

  • there are multiple reception areas for different building users and what signs to look out for, usually you will be going to the one marked ‘community reception’ when you arrive.
  • you need a quiet waiting area or if you can have an appointment at the beginning of the day when it is quieter. Some of our receptions also have sensory boxes to take your mind off waiting. If the waiting area is too difficult for you, ask if you could wait in your car until your appointment.
  • you want to check that hearing loops in the health centre are working
  • reception staff in that clinic have had sensory awareness or stammer awareness training

Ask the service if they can:

  • send a text reminder
  • call you before your appointment
  • send your appointment letter to a relative or carer

Are you having difficulty leaving the person you care for to attend your own appointments, or taking time off work to go with the person you care for?

Ask us if we can:

  • arrange your own appointments at times in the day when you can leave the person you care for
  • give you an early appointment to minimise waiting time and time away from the person you care for
  • consider your availability when arranging appointments for the person you care for
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