Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU)

• The aim of PIFU is to reduce unnecessary visits to hospital and patient waiting times, and to release the clinical teams to see new and more complex patients as soon as possible.
   
• You may be placed on a PIFU if you’ve seen a clinician and your progress is satisfactory, but your clinician wants to see you if your symptoms change, within an agreed timescale.
   
• A Patient Initiated Follow Up allows you to access your healthcare professional when required. Instead of being given a specific follow up appointment, you can be given a PIFU.
   
• PIFU is time-limited as decided by the clinician.

• Patient initiated follow-up (PIFU) puts you, the patient, in control of when you are seen by your clinician. This means spending less time attending hospital appointments, but still having access to clinical support when you need it.
   
• If your condition is stable, you may not need to attend regular outpatient appointments scheduled by the hospital, helping to improve our patients’ access and experience of care.
   
• Reduction in journeys for patients, families and carers who would otherwise be attending follow-up appointments.
   
• Reduction in impact upon pollution, traffic and time taken out of work for those in employment as well as reducing stressful journeys and parking issues for all.   

Your clinician will provide you with clear instructions on how to book an appointment (if it is needed) and for how long the PIFU option is available to you.

Details of your key contacts will appear on your patient information letter.