NHS patients

Patients who have elected to have orthopaedic surgery at the Royal United Hospital Bath may be transferred to Sulis Hospital for their surgery on a new pathway.

For elective surgery - that is, surgery you have chosen to have rather than emergency care - you can be treated at Sulis Hospital.

We are part of the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust offering elective treatment services – this helps relieve pressure on a busy acute NHS hospital.

You will be pre-assessed at the Royal United Hospital Bath before transferring your care to Sulis Hospital.

The length of stay for orthopaedic patients ranges from same-day to discharge on day two. Your post-operative care will be managed through the Royal United Hospital or in the community.

The RUH elective orthopaedic pathway is a different pathway to the e-Referrals pathway detailed below.

Since 2006 every patient in the country has had the right to choose where they are treated under a system now called e-Referrals (previously known as Choose & Book). Sulis Hospital Bath welcomes NHS patients through this system no matter where they live in England.

We work with our local NHS Trust Hospitals to help reduce waiting lists. It costs the NHS the same amount whether you are treated at an independent hospital or at an NHS Trust hospital. The solution takes the pressure off nearby hospitals, doesn’t cost patients or the NHS anymore, and waiting times get shorter. You have the right to consider your choice and compare the different options as not all hospitals are the same.

Your GP surgery will provide you with a referral letter and your unique NHS booking reference number (UBRN). In some cases, you will be referred by your GP to your local Clinical Commissioning Group's Referral Support Service. The Referral Support Service advisors will discuss your options with you at which stage you can ask to be referred to Sulis Hospital Bath.

If you choose to come to Sulis Hospital Bath, you will be offered a choice of clinic times including some weekend and evening appointments, fast access to some of the best specialist doctors, and the reassurance that you will benefit from some of the best consultant-led care available.

Your pre-operative and post-operative care will be managed through Sulis Hospital.

You can ask to be transferred to Sulis Hospital Bath if you have to wait more than 18 weeks to start non-urgent treatment at another provider.

We aim to treat patients within 18 weeks however the majority of patients are treated in shorter time frames. Initial outpatient consultations are usually available within a few weeks and treatment within 8 to 10 weeks for most NHS clinics.

The NHS Constitution (March 2013), gives patients the right to access certain services commissioned by NHS bodies within maximum waiting times, or for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer you a range of suitable alternative providers if this is not possible.

We can help you manage the transfer of your care to Sulis Hospital Bath. Click here to download the 'Changing your hospital' guide which has been prepared by The Department of Health.