For patients

This section of the website is for people who are currently under the care of Cancer Services in the Belfast Trust.

If you cannot find the information you are looking for, please contact us.

Emergency care

In an emergency, please call 999.
Outpatients

For information on Outpatients, please refer to the letter sent to you regarding your appointment.

Outpatient appointments take place in different Outpatient Departments in the hospitals which form the Belfast Trust. When you arrive, please report to the outpatient reception desk. After registering, you can take a seat in the waiting area. Before you see the doctor, you might need to have blood tests or X-rays. If so, we will let you know where to go.

Remembering important information

Your visit to the clinic is a good time to discuss things with your doctor. It can be hard to remember all the questions you want to ask and all the information the doctor gives you, but there are some things you can do to make it easier for yourself.
Write down and prioritise the questions you want to ask and make a note of the answers.

Consider bringing a relative or friend to help you remember the conversation later.
Request written information where it is available and repeat back what you think you’ve heard to check that the information is correct.

If you haven’t understood what has been said, please don’t hesitate to ask your doctor or clinic nurse again.

After your examination

After your examination, the doctor or clinic nurse will always be willing to answer any questions. Please ask if you haven’t understood what has been said.
Patient consent
Before a doctor or other health care professional can treat a patient, the patient must have given their consent.

Before signing the consent form, a doctor or nurse should inform the patient about:
- The treatment process
- The choices patients have in relation to their management treatment plan
- The risks and benefits of each treatment type
- Any other effects of cancer treatment
More Information

The Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety for Northern Ireland has issued an information leaflet on consent that can be downloaded.

There is further information on consent and what people should expect as a patient in the Northern Ireland Health Service on the Department’s website.
Admission to hospital
If you are told in advance that you are coming to stay in one of the hospitals in the Belfast Trust, you should bring the following items:
- Personal toiletries including toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, facecloth and shaving kit
- Towel
- Nightdress or pyjamas
- Paper hankies
- Brush and/or comb
- Dressing gown and slippers
- Any medicines that you may be taking
- Diet sheet and any other information
If you are admitted under an emergency, do not worry, essential items can be provided in the hospital. There are also shops on each of the hospital sites.

On the Ward (adults)

For additional information about being on the ward within each of the hospitals in the Belfast Trust, please visit each hospital page here.

On the Ward (children)

Children staying in the Royal Hospital for Sick Children will usually be under the age of 18. For information on staying overnight in the children’s hospital, please follow this link.

If there are any concerns whilst on the ward, please do not hesitate to speak to any of the nurses or ask to speak with the ward manager.
Visiting information

Please follow the link for further information on visiting specific hospitals in the Belfast Trust.
Waiting times
If you would like information on red flag referrals, investigations or cancer waiting times, please click on the below documents:
Useful links
Cancer Charities and Support Groups

For patients

Remembering important information

After your examination

More Information

On the Ward (adults)

On the Ward (children)

Contents

Contents