You can be referred to our service from your GP or other healthcare professional. If you are a healthcare professional, find out how to refer a patient to our service.
We aim to see all new patients within 8 weeks. You will receive either a letter, text message or telephone call informing you of your appointment.
We offer either face-to-face or virtual appointments depending on clinical need and patient preference.
If you are unable to attend your appointment, please let us know as soon as possible. This means that we may be able to offer the appointment to another patient.
You can change or cancel your appointment by following the link in your text message reminder, or by calling the Royal Brompton Hospital outpatients department on 020 7351 8011. If you have signed up to the hospital's patient app, MyChart, then you can also request to change your appointment there.
Our clinical and administration team may contact you to ask for further information ahead of your scheduled appointment, such as copies of results from previous tests. If it is your first time in our clinic, there will also be a chance for you to ask any questions before your first clinic appointment.
For face-to-face appointments, we may ask you to arrive up to an hour before your appointment time so we can carry out initial tests. You are welcome to bring someone with you to your appointment, such as a carer, family member or friend.
For virtual appointments, please ensure you can have your scheduled appointment in a quiet and private area where you feel comfortable and can have confidential conversations.
You will be sent a link from the hospital to explain how to access the video call. This link may be sent via text message or in a letter. You will need to access the video call using a smart phone or a tablet or a computer. If you have problems connecting via the video link on the day, do not worry - the doctor will phone you instead.
The section is being updated - please check back soon.
During your appointment, you will see an occupational lung disease doctor and the clinical nurse specialist.
We are a teaching hospital. Sometimes medical students may also be present at your appointment. Please let a member of staff know if you would prefer not to have students during your appointment. This will not affect your care in any way.
Video appointments take place between a patient and clinician using your smartphone, tablet or computer.
Face-to-face appointments take place on Monday afternoons in our outpatients department at the Royal Brompton Hospital. During your appointment, you will see a clinical nurse specialist and an occupational lung disease doctor. You should expect your visit to last up to 3 hours. During this time, we may carry out some tests such as blood tests and a chest X-ray. Other tests may include:
- Lung function tests (spirometry). You should not use any reliever inhalers (such as Salbutamol or Bricanyl) for 4 hours before your appointment, or any long-acting bronchodilators (such as Symbicort, Seretide, Fostair, Serevent or Oxis) for 12 hours before your appointment.
- Skin prick (allergy) testing. You should not take any antihistamine medication for at least 72 hours (ideally 7 days) before your appointment. This is to ensure we get reliable results from the test.
- Serial peak-flow recording
- Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) measurement
- Occupational inhalation challenge testing
We’ll arrange any follow-up appointments you may need.
We’ll send a letter to the healthcare professional who referred you. We’ll also send a copy of this letter to you and your GP.
You can use the MyChart patient app to view appointment information and get reminders of upcoming appointments. If you do not have the MyChart app, you will receive appointment reminders via your preferred means of communication.
