The specialist outpatient clinics will arrange the date of medical appointment for new specialist out-patients based on their clinical conditions at the time of referral. Referrals are usually first screened by a nurse and then by a specialist of the relevant specialty for classification into the following categories:
Patients classified as urgent and semi-urgent would be arranged to have the consultation within 2 weeks and 8 weeks respectively as far as possible.
If a patient's condition deteriorates before the appointment, he or she may contact the clinic concerned and request for an earlier appointment. If the condition is acute, the patient could also seek immediate treatment at the Accident and Emergency (A&E) departments. Arrangement for the patients would be made as necessary.