Check for important changes that may affect your appointment before travelling to the hospital.
We will use this page to share temporary updates about outpatient appointments, clinic check-in arrangements and other service changes.
Urgent advice: Outpatient Appointment Centre update
We have reduced the waiting times for calls to the outpatient appointment centre.
Over recent months, we have seen a significant increase in calls to the centre, which has resulted in longer waiting times for some patients. We know this has been frustrating and we would like to apologise to those affected.
Recent changes we have made are helping to reduce waiting times, and we are continuing to improve the service through increased numbers of call handlers and clearer communication with patients.
Thank you to our patients for their patience and understanding.
Non-urgent advice: New text messages about your appointments
During September 2026, we will start using a new text messaging service to contact our patients about their appointments at our hospitals.
You may therefore start to receive text messages from Cambridge University Hospitals from a new five-digit number about:
- an upcoming appointment
- offers of earlier appointments
- a link to join your scheduled video appointment
- waiting list questionnaires if you have been referred to one of our hospitals by your GP or other community clinician and are waiting for an appointment
These messages may contain links to access our MyChart patient portal and/or our video appointment platform.
Please be aware that you may still receive text messages from our current number(s) relating to your care at Cambridge University Hospitals.
To receive text messages relating to your care it is important that we have a mobile number recorded in your hospital medical record. If updating your mobile number in MyChart, please make sure that you enter it in the ‘mobile’ field within the ‘personal information’ section.
Checking in for outpatient appointments
The way patients check in for some outpatient appointments has changed.
Please see our Checking in for your appointment page for the latest information, including:
- clinics using the Outpatient Entrance reception (Level 2)
- MyChart check-in
- what to do if appointment information differs
- help finding the correct reception
Before attending your appointment
Please do not attend your appointment if you have symptoms of illness.
If you are uncertain whether you should attend, contact the clinic using the details on your appointment letter before travelling.