Before your hospital outpatient appointment

Once we have received your referral you will be assigned to a member of our healthcare team and we will send you a letter confirming the date and time of your appointment, which will include information on how to find us. You will also be sent a questionnaire, which we ask you to complete and bring with you to your appointment. The questionnaire provides us with valuable information about your condition(s), the treatments you have received and helps us to understand the difficulties you are experiencing because of your condition(s) and how we might be able to help you.

If you are unable to attend your appointment please let us know as soon as soon as possible - if you don't come to your appointment and don't let us know, you may be discharged from our care back to your GP.

Please note that you should cancel your appointment if you have developed diarrhoea or vomiting within 3 days of your appointment.

If you usually have hospital transport to attend your hospital appointments, require an interpreter or signer at your appointment or simply have a question about your visit, please contact us on (0114) 2715210 or 2715211.

What to expect from your first appointment

Your first appointment will last from between 30 to 45 minutes. Although we try to be punctual we cannot guarantee that our clinics will run smoothly but if there is a delay we will let you know. You will be allocated to one of our healthcare professionals according to your problem and needs and although you may not see a doctor at your first appointment please be re-assured that all of our staff are highly experienced and skilled professionals in pain management. As a teaching hospital we sometimes have other healthcare professionals and medical students shadowing our clinics to gain experience in pain management. If you are uncomfortable with other people being present during your appointment it is perfectly acceptable to ask them to leave.

The purpose of your first appointment is to gain a thorough understanding of your problems, including any previous investigations and treatments you may have received. This will also be an opportunity for you to raise any issues or concerns you have and to ask questions. You are welcome to bring a family member or friend to your appointment and we suggest you make a check list before you come of key things that you want to discuss. Put the things that are most important to you at the top, as it isn't always possible to get through everything in one appointment. Please note that although you may have been referred for a particular type of treatment, your first appointment will be for an assessment only. At the end of your appointment we will discuss the treatments and support options that we feel best meet your needs and answer any questions you may have.

In order to better understand your problems and to ensure we offer the most appropriate treatments you may be asked to undergo a physical examination. Please bring a pair of shorts or wear loose fitting clothes if possible. If there is a need to remove any items of clothing we will provide you with a gown. If you would like a chaperone during your examination we will be happy to oblige.

For further information about preparing for your first appointment click here

Planning your journey

For general information about travelling to the Northern General, find see our pages here. Please find below specific information about planning your journey to the Pain Clinic

Public transport

Car parking around the hospital is limited so public transport is often the easiest way to get to us The hospital is well served by public transport, with several bus stops within easy reach. Up to date information about public transport links and Park & Ride sites is available from Travel South Yorkshire on (0114) 01709 515151 or visit www.travelsouthyorkshire.com

Coming by car

We recommend using Car Parks H or J although there is limited disabled parking outside the clinic. Please note there is a charge for parking - remember to bring change with you.

Finding Us

We recommend using the Herries Road entrance to the hospital.

On entering the hospital grounds, take the first road on your right and then turn left after Neuro Outpatients (Building 34), follow the red line on the road and the Pain Clinic (Building 23) is opposite the Sorby Renal Outpatient Deparment (Building 25).

Download a map and location of the Pain Clinic (23) here