This leaflet provides general information about your urgent upper gastrointestinal (UGI) two-week wait referral to Barnet Hospital or Chase Farm Hospital.

The two-week wait fast track scheme

This is a national initiative to ensure anyone with symptoms or initial test results that may be suspicious of cancer will have a specialist test or be seen by a specialist within two weeks. 

The aim is to rule out cancer or provide diagnosis, intervention and treatment, if required, at the earliest opportunity. After the specialist test or appointment, we find that most patients who come to us do not receive a diagnosis of cancer. 

What do I need to do?

• Make sure your GP has your correct address and telephone number, including a mobile number if you have one. 
• Ensure you are available within the next four weeks for a telephone assessment and further appointment(s). If you are unable to attend an appointment within the next four weeks, please tell your GP. 
• Once you have agreed your urgent telephone appointment and investigations, it is important that you are available to answer the phone or attend the appointment at the given time so that your care is not delayed.
• If you are not available for your telephone appointment or do not attend your hospital appointment on two occasions, you will be referred back to your GP. This is so someone else can have the appointment.

When and how will I get my appointment? 

You will have arranged a telephone appointment before leaving your GP surgery. A specialist nurse will call you at or just after the appointment time for a telephone assessment. This assessment can take up to 20 minutes. You will be asked questions regarding your current symptoms, past medical history and general health. 

With the information provided by your GP and during the telephone assessment, the specialist nurse will inform you of the investigations they are arranging. Occasionally an out-patient appointment will be made prior to investigations.

How will I receive my results?

Patients having an endoscopy will be informed of the results at the time of the procedure. Patients that have a scan will be informed of the results either by telephone, letter or face to face appointment in the clinic, approximately two weeks after the scan.