Your GP may refer you for an urgent appointment within two weeks of their assessment of you.

Depending on your symptoms, this appointment may be to attend an outpatient clinic, a diagnostic test (such as an X-ray, CT scan or endoscopy) or a combination of both a clinic appointment and diagnostic test.

You may require specialised tests. These may take place either before or during your first hospital appointment or may be organised for a later date. 

The Two-Week Wait appointment system was introduced so that anyone with symptoms that might indicate cancer could be seen by a specialist as quickly as possible. Attending this appointment within two weeks is vitally important and will allow you to benefit from:

• Early reassurance that cancer has not been diagnosed or
• An early diagnosis and earlier access to treatment.

Most patients referred under the Two-Week Wait appointment system do not have cancer but may have another condition requiring hospital diagnosis and treatment.

There are national referral guidelines for your GP to use when making a decision about whether it is appropriate to refer you for an appointment within two weeks.