Scheduled care

We provide a range of planned or scheduled care services, delivered through our network of community hospitals.

The NHS distinguishes between health treatments that are scheduled or planned, and therefore non-emergency, and those requiring acute hospital or emergency care, which is either life-threatening or caused by a sudden serious illness or accident.

Scheduled or planned care covers treatment, surgery and procedures such as hip and knee replacements, urology treatments or cataract operations, and includes day surgery and short stay procedures as well as outpatient appointments at hospital.

We plan to provide as many scheduled care treatments as possible closer to home, so patients can be seen more quickly and do not have to travel to larger hospitals.

Where possible we aim to provide a 'one-stop-shop' for diagnosis and treatment so that patients can have all their appointments in one place and be seen with the minimum of disruption to their daily lives.

Sometimes this means that consultants from the larger hospitals will travel to see patients in their local community hospital, so patients don't have to travel to large towns.

Orthopaedic choice offers patients who would traditionally have been referred to an orthopaedic surgeon in an acute or main hospital an assessment and treatment by a multi-disciplinary team of specialists in a community hospital setting.

This service means that patients get quicker access to the care they need, and ensures that patients are only referred to a consultant specialist in hospital when they need to be.

You can now choose where you want to get treatment through the choose and book system, which your GP practice may use if you are being referred for treatment or advice.

If you need treatment your doctor will give you a unique reference number so that you can book an appointment at a time and location that's most convenient for you. Find out more on the Choose and Book website.

You can read more about our available treatments and services on our community hospital pages. For more detailed information about conditions and how they can be treated, visit the NHS Choices website.