NHS England: Patient initiated follow-up

Summary

To give patients and their carers the flexibility to arrange their follow-up appointments as and when they need them, NHS England is supporting providers to roll out patient initiated follow-up (PIFU).

PIFU is when a patient initiates an appointment when they need one, based on their symptoms and individual circumstances.

It can be used with patients with long or short-term conditions in a broad range of specialties including dermatology, rheumatology and cancer.

PIFU is not a new concept, and commonly goes by a number of other names including open access follow-up, patient led follow-up, patient triggered follow-up, patient initiated appointments, supported self-managed follow-up, self-managed follow-up, see on symptom, open appointments, open self-referral appointments or patient-activated care.

The approach helps empower patients to manage their own condition and plays a key role in enabling shared decision making and supported self-management in line with the personalised care agenda.