ENT - ENT Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU)

PIFU End Date:

What is Patient Initiated Follow-up?

Often referred to as PIFU, it is a way for you to take control of your care and arrange a follow-up appointment if or when it is needed. If you are placed on the PIFU pathway, you may not be given a routine follow-up appointment but will be given the freedom to contact the hospital to arrange an appointment if you feel it is necessary.

Why is PIFU better than having regular follow ups?

There are lots of benefits for both the patient and the hospital when a patient is placed on the PIFU pathway.

• Less hospital visits – Patients often need to attend much less often because they are only being seen when it is necessary. This means less travelling to and from the hospital and less time off work/away from friends and family.
• Appointments at a convenient time for you – As you will be arranging your appointment personally, you will be able to choose a time that is more convenient for you, meaning less impact on work/responsibilities and holidays etc.
• The wait for an appointment when you need one will be shorter – By using the PIFU pathway, we are able to free up lots of clinic slots so that we can book people in much more easily when they contact us.

What are the restrictions with PIFU?

The doctor or nurse will only place you on the PIFU pathway if they feel it is appropriate and safe to do so. They will need to be satisfied that you or someone close to you has access to a telephone to arrange an appointment if required and that you can recognise when you will need a review.

Patients with certain conditions such as cancer or severe infections will be on quite frequent or strict follow up pathways and so wouldn’t be appropriate for PIFU. Once the conditions are treated or under control, PIFU might be considered.

Patients can only arrange an appointment for a review of the condition that they were originally referred for. If you have a new ENT problem that has not been looked after in our clinic already, your GP or community care provider will need to send us a separate referral letter for this.

The doctor or nurse will tell you how long you will be placed on the PIFU pathway for. Once this time has passed, you will be discharged from ENT. If you need an appointment after this time, then your GP or community care provider will need to send us a new referral letter.

How do I make an appointment?

To make an appointment when you are on the PIFU pathway, please call 0161 206 4100 and give the operator your name and NHS number and ask for an appointment.