How long does it take to get an appointment for a CT scan?

[oneofmeiscutebuttwothough]

I was referred for a CT scan on Friday. I'm still waiting for the letter to confirm the appointment, how long will this take?

It depends on lots of things. In particular what it is for.

Will depend on where you are, what waiting lists are like in your area and if it is classed as urgent.

This will depend on waiting lists in your particular area. And whether it was urgent or routine.
You'd need to ring the dept you've been referred to and ask them

It's for my sinuses.

I've heard nothing, my app hasn't updated and I can't keep waiting, my baby girl is due to come home from the hospital soon and I can't be going to the appointment when she's home

Another day, no letter. What a joke

it's been less than a week? I'd probably expect weeks/months, but it'll depend a bit on the indication.

Unless you've been referred on the two week wait pathway, I would be expecting them to contact you in a few months.

This. Unless it’s suspected to be cancer, you’ll be waiting weeks. You can get it done within about a fortnight if you pay for it.

I’ve been referred on the supposedly 2 week wait but was told it is more like 3-4 weeks now due to the lists so unless it’s urgent then I’d be thinking weeks or months,

It can't be months, that's a fucking joke

Of course it can.

I waited 6 months for a brain scan.

it can be anything.

As an inpatient I waited <1 hour.

When my GP referred me for another one in December 2004 I was told the date of the appointment 2 weeks later, which was another 2 weeks away, so a 4 week wait for a non urgent GP referal. (The results were with my GP < 24 hours later)

I waited 5 weeks and mine was marked as semi urgent because of the pain. I then waited another 5 weeks for a follow up appointment to discuss the results.

It's winter and the NHS is at capacity in my area. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if I'd not had an appointment within a week!

why can't it? NHS waiting times are long at the moment, unless it's classed as urgent (cancer pathway for example) it could be a long time. You could look in to private if you want it sooner.

lol. Have you never used the NHS before OP?

if you want it done immediately, you’ll have to go private.

I've just used my health insurance to go private and my surgery date is still 5 weeks from my 1st consultation 🤣 got to have patience as a patient 🤣

Depends on what you’re having done. I had a CT scan done within days. An operation I would expect a few weeks.

I was referred for a ct scan by respiratory in December and my appointment is the end of this month. So about 3 month wait which seems normal to me.

Jeez that's ridiculous

I'll ring in the morning to chase them

They might put you on cancellation list for short notice appointments or offer you a private hospital if there is a likely delay and it is a priority referral, but be prepared to wait a month or more.

You really need to calm down... Whatever you do, don't swear at the bookings team, they aren't responsible for delays. Ask them to add you to the short notice cancellation list.

Chasing them will not make a difference. Chances are the Radiology team may not have even vetted your referral yet if it isn't a 2ww. In my trust a routine sinus CT will literally be 6 months plus. (I manage an ENT department so have a good working knowledge of wait times in our Trust) Current focus is on cancer and longest waiting patients. A routine sinus CT is not gonna be top of anyone's list to book right now.

Please don't ring to chase them, you'll only hold up the people arranging yours and everyone else's scans. If your referral went in Friday it probably won't be seen in the CT/x-ray dept before Monday at the earliest. Judging on experience it will be date stamped if on paper or just quickly reviewed to make sure it has all the info if online and then both types of referral will be put on hold. Next it goes into the pile to be reviewed by radiologist/radiographer as referrers don't always ask for the best or most appropriate thing, or even remember to sign it frequently. If that's all good it will go into the pile for an appointment (most departments are currently putting on extra lists evenings/weekends so it may not be as long as it has been). THEN and only then does it get put into the post pile, which may not be sent out until the following day depending on where the post dept is.

So that's easy got your referral to today if they aren't massively overstretched. Then letter post seems to take ages nowadays. If we are sending out an appointment for under a week now we always phone because we won't presume it will get there.

Trust me people are trying to get it turned around for you! It's just so frustrating when you are at home and can't see all the work going in to the pre appointment part, makes everything seem ten times longer I know.

Is it the ENT department? I waited a whole
Year!

Is this real ? Have you seen the news ? The NHS is on it's knees.