- Reference Number: HEY1600/2025
- Departments: Trustwide - Adult
- Last Updated: 30 April 2025
What is Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU)?
Further to your recent consultation or treatment your clinician has placed you on a Patient Initiated Follow Up (PIFU) Pathway.
PIFU puts you in control of making an appointment to see your consultant or healthcare team when you need it the most. This will be if you have a ‘flare up’, your symptoms relating to your condition worsen or if you feel that you are not recovering well.
Attending regular outpatient appointments arranged by the hospital does not prevent your condition or symptoms returning or your recovery period shortening. In fact, many people find that routine follow up visits to the hospital cause unnecessary stress and anxiety.
You or your carer can make an appointment to see us if you have any concerns related to your specific condition or symptoms within a specified timeframe. This prevents you having regular review appointments when you do not want or need them. Instead, you can contact us, and we will arrange for an appointment to be made when you need one. This appointment will be via telephone, video or face to face.
How does it work?
You will be advised by your healthcare team if you are suitable to have your follow up appointments as patient initiated. Your consultant or nurse will discuss with you the symptoms that warrant a review appointment being made. These symptoms are written in a letter from your consultant.
Your PIFU will be typically active for a period of between 3 months and 2 years; your clinician will discuss the period needed with you and it will be written in a letter from your consultant/ our administration team.
Please discuss any concerns you may have regarding the decision to offer you a PIFU with your hospital team.
How do I book a PIFU appointment?
Booking an appointment is quick and easy. Telephone your hospital and say you have a PIFU to arrange an appointment. Your appointment may be in person or a telephone call.
Hull University Hospitals Teaching Hospital Trust: tel: 01482 604444 Monday to Friday 8.00am to 8.00pm, Saturday 8.00am to 12 noon.
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust: tel: 03303 306642 Monday 8.30am to 7.00pm, Tuesday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm, Saturday 9.00am to 12 noon.
When not to use this PIFU?
- If your concern is related to a different condition or symptoms.
- If the time period stated has lapsed – then please see your GP.
- If you require urgent medical advice, you should contact your GP or NHS111.
- Please remember it is important that you are available for any arranged appointment. If you are unavailable for your appointment, please tell us in advance so we can try to give your appointment to someone else.
- Failure to attend an appointment may lead to you being referred back to your GP requiring a new referral to come back to the Hospital.
What if I don’t need a PIFU appointment?
You do not have to arrange an appointment if you feel it is not required. If you don’t contact us to book an appointment within the specified timeframe, the PIFU will expire, and you will be discharged back to the care of your GP. We will not contact you to book a PIFU appointment – it must be initiated by you.
Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact the Appointment Centre on telephone numbers below, informing them that you are on a PIFU pathway.
Hull University Hospitals Teaching Hospital Trust: Tel: 01482 604444
Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust: Tel: 03303 306642
Information is also available on the trust internet: https://www.nlg.nhs.uk/patients/appointments/follow-up/
General Advice and Consent
Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.
Consent to treatment
Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.
The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:
- you must be able to give your consent
- you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
- you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person
Information about you
We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.
We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.
Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.
If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.
